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News Digest Possible air blockade of Iraq supported International pressure on Saddam Hussein intensified Monday as Euro pean nations retaliated for raids on diplomatic premises in occupied Kuwait, and support appeared to grow for the idea of an air embargo against Iraq. Oil prices jumped Monday, point ing to pessimism about prospects for a settlement of the 6 1/2-week-old Persian Gulf standoff. Oil futures soared to record levels, above $33 a barrel, on the New York Mercantile Exchange. In a sign of Iraq’s growing isola tion, the Soviet Union, Baghdad’s longtime patron, said Monday it would re-establish diplomatic ties with Saudi Arabia. The Saudis infuriated Iraq by agreeing to become the main staging ground for the deployment of a huge U.S.-led multinational force after the Aug. 2 Iraqi takeover of Kuwait. Sensitivities about the role of the U.S. force were underscored when a top U.S. military man was sacked after discussing contingency plans for air strikes against Baghdad. The fired official, Air Force chief of staff Gen. Mike Dugan, made the remarks while touring U.S. military installations in Saudi Arabia, and they were published Sunday in The Wash ington Post and the Los Angeles Times. Arab radical groups, meanwhile, ended a three-day conference in Amman, Jordan on Monday with calls for suicide attacks against the U.S. forces. Ibrahim Al-Kharraz, a mem ber of the Libyan Peoples Congress, pointed to the 1983 suicide attack on the Marine barracks in Beirut that killed 241 U.S. servicemen. In Iraq, there was an outburst of anti-American sentiment in the state run newspapers Monday, a day after Iraqi television aired an eight-minute message from President Bush to the people oflraq. “Shut Up, Mr. Bush,” one headline said. Bush’s videotaped message, in which he warned that Saddam was leading Iraq into war, was followed immediately by an Iraqi commentary blasting the speech as “full of lies and contradictions.” Hundreds of demonstrators then took to the streets of Baghdad, chanting “Death to Bush!” and “Death to America!” In Brussels, Belgium, European Community nations announced they would expel Iraqi military attaches and restrict travel by other embassy personnel to protest break-ins by Iraqi troops at diplomatic premises in oc cupied Kuwait last week. The Iraqi raids on Dutch, French, Belgian and Canadian embassies or diplomatic residences in Kuwait were unanimously condemned Sunday by the U.N. Security Council. Additional expulsions were an nounced by member nations includ ing Britain, which said it was deport ing six diplomats and 23 Iraqi nation als deemed a danger to national secu rity. France and Italy had already announced such steps over the week end. The EC ministers were also weigh ing a possible air blockade of Iraq to enforce the U.N. trade embargo against Iraq. British Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd said there was strong support among the EC ministers for such a blockade. An air blockade would involve the interception of planes approaching Iraq and would pose a far greater danger of triggering hostilities than the boarding of ships in the Persian Gulf, which has been done under the U.N. naval embargo. Spain’s foreign minister, Francisco Fernandez Ordonez, told reporters in Brussels that the Spanish Embassy in Kuwait was cut off and surrounded by Iraqi troops for the first time Monday. Bangladesh, which closed its Kuwait embassy last week, said Monday its ambassador to Kuwait and four other diplomats had been denied permis General fired for telling plans WASHINGTON - Defense Secretary Dick Cheney fired Gen. Mike Dugan as Air Force chief of staff Monday after Dugan’s public comments about contingency plans to unleash massive air raids on Iraq and target Saddam Hussein per sonally. Dugan, in the top Air Force job only three months, violated Penta gon rules by publicly discussing likely military targets inside Iraq and disclosing classified informa tion about the size of U.S. forces in the gulf area, Cheney said. “There are certain things we never talk about,” Cheney said in explaining his decision to fire Dugan. He cited ‘‘operational matters” such as the selection of specific targets for potential air strikes and the targeting of foreign leaders. Dugan was away from the Pen tagon on Monday and not available for comment, his office said. I. ... sion to leave Baghdad. In other developments: • About 6,000 Kuwaitis fled their homeland over the weekend after Iraqi troops suddenly opened the only bor der crossing to Saudi Arabia. But the flow slowed to a trickle on Monday. Refugees said Iraqi troops were seiz ing draft-age Kuwaiti men and forc ing their wives and daughters to travel on to Saudi Arabia without them. • An Egyptian military source said Egypt was sending 250 soldiers to Saudi Arabia Monday and more would follow in a few days, joining the esti mated 4,000 Egyptian troops already in the region. The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity said Egypt would also send tanks, armored per sonnel carriers and air defense sys tems to Saudi Arabia. • A senior Iranian delegation met in Baghdad with an Iraqi team led by foreign undersecretary Wisam Al Zahawi to discuss normalization of lies between the two nations, which fought a war from 1980 to 1988. Souter ends confirmation hearing testimony WASHINGTON * Supreme Court nominee David H. Souter said Monday at his confirma tion hearings that letting states outlaw aboition might cast doubts on other privacy .rights. Senators told Souter, testifying on his 51st birthday, that his confirmation was virtually assured. During a third and final day of Senate Judi ciary Committee questioning on controversial issues he would face as a justice, Souter said he opposes a judicial ban on the death penalty. In a final statement to the committee, Souter said, “You have treated me with such consum mate fairness that on whatever court I may sit I hope I will do as well.” Souter was followed to the witness table by an American Bar Association committee which previously announced that it had given him its highest rating — “well qualified.” More than two dozen other witnesses, in cluding the woman whose challenge to a Texas abortion law led to the Supreme Court decision legalizing abortion, were scheduled to begin testimony today. Souter continued to dodge questions con cerning his views on abortion but did address the privacy-rights issue and said his personal feelings on abortion would not keep him from taking part in Supreme Court decisions on the subject Sen. Dennis DeConcini, D-Ariz., told the New Hampshire judge, “I believe you will be confirmed.” Sens. Orrin Hatch, R-Utah, and Charles Grassiey, R-Iowa, also voiced confidence about Souter’s success. But committee chairman Joseph Biden, D-Del., said some senators, including himself, remain undecided. I he 14-member committee will send its recommendation to the full Senate for a confir mation vote Biden indicated might come “in two or three weeks.” Asked whether he believes the death pen alty violates the Constitution’s ban on cruel and unusual punishment, Souter said, “I think that would be an insupportable constitutional conclusion. That is an opinion I could not join.” He said a successful attack on Roe vs. Wade “might call into question prior privacy rulings.” Souter also said overturning Roe vs. Wade would make abortion “a matter for legislative judgment” - as individual states would have to decide whether to outlaw or stringently regulate abortions. Souter NASA scrubs shuttle launch CAPE CANAVERAL, Fla. - A buildup of hydrogen in the engine compartment on Monday caused NASA to cancel a fourth attempt at launching the space shuttle Columbia on a long astronomy mission. The excess hydrogen began ap pearing a few minutes after hydrogen began flowing into the tank at a “fast full’ ’ rate of 8,400 gallons per minute - the same point where buildup caused NASA to cancel two previous launches. Engineers waited a few minutes in case the hydrogen leak stabilized, but then launch director Bob Sieck called a hall to the attempt. The shuttle was to have been launched at 1:28 a.m. EDT today. Alone point, the buildup was more than triple NASA’s limit. “We still have a leak in the or biter’saft compartment,” said NASA spokeswoman Lisa Malone. “We have concentrations of hydrogen that indi cate that.” Engineers continued to seek the cause the problem after the launch attempt was called off. “The mood in launch control is obviously one of disappointment,” Malone said. Columbia is the oldest ship in the fleet. It has been flying since 1981 and has nine missions on its flight log. At a briefing earlier in the day, William Lenoir, the head of NASA’s space flight program, expressed the hope the leaks had been found and fixed. “We’re going to keep trying until NelSfaSkan Editor Eric Planner Photo Chief Al Schaben 472-1786 Night News Editors Matt Herek Managing Editor Victoria Ayotte Chuck Green Assoc News Editors Darcle Wlegert Art Director Brian Shetllto Diane Brayton General Manager Dan Shaft II Editorial Page Editor Ilea Donovan Production Manager Katherine Pollcky Wire Editor Jane Pederaen Advertising Manager Loren Metroee Copy Desk Editor Emily Roeenbaum Sales Manager Todd Soars Sports Editor Darran Fowler Publications Board Arts & Entertainment Chairman Bill Vobejda Editor Michael Deeds 436-9993 Diversions Editor William Rudolph Professional Adviser Don Walton Graphics Editor John Bruce 473-7301 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) is published by the UNL Publications Board, Ne braska Union 34,1400 R St.. Lincoln, NE, Monday through Friday during the academic year, weekly during summer sessions. Readers are encouraged to submit story ideas and comments to the Daily Nebraskan by phoning 472-1763 between 9 a m. and 5 p.m Monday through Friday The public also has access to the Publications Board For information, contact Bill Vobejda, 436-9993 Subscription price is $45 for one year Postmaster: Send address changes to the Daily Nebraskan, Nebraska Union 34, 1400 R St.,Lincoln, NE 68563-0448 Second class post ge paid at Lincoln, NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1990 DAILY NEBRASKAN we gel it right,” he said. ‘‘We again think we’re ready to fly.” In past filling operations, NASA said it wouldn’t allow fueling to con tinue if there were more than 600 parts of flammable hydrogen in a million parts of air. The scrub was called on Monday when those con centrations reached 3,300 ppm. On ScpL 5, when the last filling operation also ended in a scrub, sen sors recorded 6,500 ppm, more than 10 times the maximum. On the at tempt before that. May 29, hydrogen leaked in two places: from the large pipe that connects the ship with its lank and in the aft compartment where the engines are. Liquid hydrogen could burst into flame if the concentration is too high. Walesa says he’ll run for president WARSAW, Poland - Solidarity leader Lech Walesa said Monday he will run for president of Poland, a job now held by the general who once imprisoned him and sought to crush his labor union under martial law. Walesa said he hoped to speed the nation’s transition from communism to democracy. “Today I made up my mind. I am putting forward for society’s approval my readiness to be a candidate for the post of president of the Polish Repub lic in popular elections,” Walesa said in a statement delivered from his desk at Solidarity headquarters in Gdansk. Aquino: Time has come for U.S. troops to leave MANILA, Philippines - Presi dent Corazon Aquino said Monday it was time to discuss the “orderly withdrawal” of U.S. forces from the Philippines, her first public appeal to phase out the American military bases. Police clashed with hundreds of demonstrators who demanded that the Americans go home. At least 17 people were arrested and seven people were injured in two anti bases rallies outside the U.S. Embassy. U.S. and Philippine negotiators open a second round of talks today on the future of Clark Air Base, Subic Bay naval base and four smaller U.S. installations whose lease expires in September 1991. The two sides agreed during the opening round in May to continue talks on a new U.S.-Philippine security agreement. Opposition to the bases is grow ing among Filipinos who consider them an infringement on national sovereignty. On the eve of the talks, Aquino said in a nationally televised ad dress that the negotiations will redefine relations between the United States and this former American colony. “It is now necessary for our government to work with the United Slates for arrangements regarding the orderly withdrawal of their forces from our country,” she said. Last Friday, The Washington Post reported that U.S. negotiators will offer to close the bases over 10 years. Manila newspapers reported last month that the Philippines will propose that Clark Air Base and other facilities be closed next year in return for allowing the Ameri cans to keep Subic for 10 years. “In a world where the Cold War has ended, and events in East ern Europe and the Middle East have altered the traditional geopo litical order, the decades-old para meters of the (Philippine-U.S.) relationship no longer hold, Aquino said. “The old cannot continue; the new must now be bom,” she added “This new relationship shall be the subject of the talks that begin tomorrow.” Rafael Alunan, the spokesman of the Philippine panel, said Ma nila wanted die talks “to rcstruc turc our relations to cover a broad range of concerns.” “For us, there is more to hie than security matters, and that is what we have to impress upon them,” Alunan said.