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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 29, 1990)
News Digest Edited by Jana Pedersen --_- - ■„ , ■ —■... ... ... - _IIZ—MM—M Retired military chiefs call for patience WASHINGTON - Two former U.S. mili tary chiefs urged caution in the Persian Gulf on Wednesday, even as President Bush sent Sec retary of State James A. Baker III to press the United Nations for formal support of a possible attack against Iraq. “I counsel patience,” said retired Adm. William Crowe, who was chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff under President Reagan. “War is not neat, it’s not tidy, and once you resort to it, it’s uncertain, and it’s a mess.” Retired Air Force Gen. David C. Jones, chairman of the joint chiefs under President Carter, voiced concern with the latest troop deployment, in which Bush is sending 200,000 more to bolster the 230,000 already in the Gulf and to add an offensive capability. Jones said his fear “isn’t that we might choose to fight, but rather that the deployment might cause us to fight.” Baker went to New York on Wednesday to personally take charge of the U.S. effort to win formal international support of the idea of a last-resort attack to free Kuwait from Saddam Hussein’s forces, which invaded on Aug. 2. “The question is how much pain we admini ster and how quickiy, and whether we do it with the embargo or the use of force,” said Sen. Sam Nunn, D-Ga., whose Armed Services Commit tee began its hearings Tuesday. Meanwhile, House Majority Leader Rich ard Gephardt broke with the administration and stepped ahead of other party leaders on the subject of military confrontation with Saddam, announcing his opposition to the use of U.S. military force in the near future. And Rep. Lee Hamilton, chairman of the House Foreign Affairs’ Middle East Subcom mittee, said he believes it is time for Bush to send an envoy to Baghdad to open talks with Saddam, with the aim of making U.S. inten tions clear and exploring non-military solu tions to the crisis. Sen. Robert C. Byrd of West Virginia, the former Senate Democratic leader, told Armed Services Committee colleagues he believed the world would welcome “patience rather than impetuousness” before any U.S. decision to go to war. “When we view grandmothers and grandf a thers who lost notone but two, three grandchil dren, and they feel we took the action too hastily, I think we’ll all have the time to be sorry,” Byrd said. . “The policy of patient strength is, I think, our best hope,” Gephardt said, and he made clear he was opposing any congressional reso lution authorizing the use of force. In so doing, he parted company with other Democratic leaders who said Bush would have a better chance of winning congressional backing for the use of force if the United Nations first endorsed this option. “Obviously there are going to be different opinions,” White House press secretary Marlin Fitzwater told reporters. Fitzwater said Bush does not plan to ask Congress for authority to launch any attack under the War Powers Act. The president maintains he already has the authority to take such action. On Capitol Hill, Crowe and Jones recom mended that the United States give economic sanctions against Iraq a year to 18 months to work before opting for military force. And Crowe said Bush must consider the future implications of attacking an Arab nation in the tenuous Middle East situation. “1 am persuaded that the U.S. initiating hostilities could well exacerbate many of the tensions I have cited and further polarize the Arab world,” Crowe said. Former Secretary of State Henry A. Kissin ger testified, “1 do not believe we can maintain 400,000 troops much beyond the spring of next year, and therefore our general position will be a decision on whether to go to war.” Greenspan says oil prices to blame for slow economy WASHINGTON - Federal Reserve Chairman Aian Greenspan said Wednesday that oil-price problems from the Persian Gulf crisis have pushed the economy into “a mean ingful downturn,” confirming private analysts’ recession talk. Appearing before the House Bank ing Committee, he also said the cen tral bank can do little to cushion the effect of higher oil prices on Ameri cans’ standard of living. Separately, the Commerce Depart ment reported that the economy, as measured by the gross national prod uct, grew at a lackluster 1.7 percent annual rate in the July-Septcmber quarter, even worse than the previ ously reported 1.8 percent rate. Most private analysts believe the economy has weakened sharply since the quarter ended, an assessment Greenspan confirmed. But he care fully avoided describing the deterio ration as a recession, which is defined as a contraction of six months or more in the GNP. “We won’t know whether it is the beginning of a recession or just some aberration in economic activity for quite a while .. .. We couldn’t con ceivably know for certain until April or May of next year,” Greenspan said. Involve yourself in a purely physical relationship. Join a Hants study. We're not talking about a long-term commitment. Most Harris studies involve just a few overnight stays. Not bad, considering the i kind of money you can make-$250 - $3000! So, if you're 19 or older and you have a little time on your hands, give Harris a call It could be the begin ning of a very rewarding relationship. HARRIS WtM LABORATORIES, INC 474-0627 See study listing ad in the Sunday Journal-Star ! Permanent address and telephone required. Chinese foreign minister won’t support resolution China’s foreign minister said Wednesday his country will not back a proposed U.N. Security Council resolution authorizing force against Iraq, a day before foreign ministers prepared to vote on the measure. China is one of the five permanent members of the Security Council and could veto the measure. At the United Nations, diplomats said they didn’t expect such a move and predicted the resolution would pass. Roland Dumas, the foreign minister of France, issued a “final appeal” to Iraq to pull out of Kuwait, warning that Baghdad had six weeks to “allow reason to triumph.” President Bush has gathered support abroad for military action, but he faces trouble in Congress. A leading democrat said Wednesday he did not support the use of force against Iraq any time soon. There also were appeals for peace in Baghdad. Iraq’s deputy foreign minister urged Bush to open talks on the Persian Gulf crisis, although he did not offer concessions regarding Kuwait. Secretary of State James A. Baker III has asked that foreign ministers represent their countries in the Security Council for today’s vote. Before leaving Beijing for the United Nations on Wednesday, China’s foreign minister, Qian Qichen, said his country would not back the use-of-force resolution. “It has always been the position of China to call for a peaceful settlement of the Gulf crisis and to avoid the use of force or the act of war,” Qian told reporters. At the United Nations, diplomats were divided over whether China would abstain, or eventually vote in favor of the resolution after wringing political concessions out of Washington. “It seems rather clear that they’re not thinking of vetoing,” said British Ambassador David Hannay. Qian was to meet with Baker late Wednesday. China wants Wash ington to lift economic sanctions imposed following the June 1989 military crackdown that crushed China’s pro-democracy movement. Also speaking before leaving for New York, Dumas told the French Parliament Iraq had given no sign of withdrawing from Kuwait, despite earlier U.N. resolutions imposing a trade embargo, among other meas ures. “I call on the Iraqi leaders to understand that this is really the final appeal being addressed to them,” Dumas said. “1 say with all serious ness: It is up to Iraq to decide its future.” France has said it will vote in favor of the U.N. resolution. Oil prices were stable early Wednesday on the New York Mercantile Exchange, with many traders waiting for the Security Council vote. Oil was down 36 cents at $32.50 per barrel on contracts for January I delivery. ________-1 ~ 1,1 -■■ _ uovemmeni conapse likely after protests in Bulgarian streets SOFIA, Bulgaria - Prime Minister Andrei Lukanov’s government of former Communists appeared on the verge of collapse Wednesday follow ing angry street protests and a threat by Bulgaria’s largest union to join a nationwide strike. The official BTA news agency said an agreement was struck under which Lukanov would resign, but Lukanov called the report premature. Asked by reporters if he would quit, Lukanov replied, “Not now.” He said he did not know exactly when he would resign. BTA had said President Zhelyu Zhelev would appoint a caretaker Cabinet headed by a premier who will be neither of the Socialist Party, nor the Union of Democratic Forces main opposition. Pressure on the 52-year-old So cialist premier increased hourly. He has been increasingly blamed for the political paralysis and economic chaos in this Balkan country of 9 million people. Krastyo Pctkov, chairman of the main Confederation of Independent Trade Unions, said his organization would join a 3-day-old strike by the smaller, more radical Podkrepa union today unless the political stalemate was settled. His union had opposed the strike. Ognyan Kromov, the Confedera tion’s vice president, said it would start shutting down heavy industry today. Kromov said the union “insists on forming a working Cabinet that would be a competent and stable partner in negotiations,” Podkrepa said 870,000 workers were on strike today in 91 cities throughout Bulgaria, including 230,000 in Sofia. Bulgaria is suffering through its worst crisis since World War II. Elec tricity, many foodstuffs and consumer goods are rationed or simply unavail able in many places. Even matches, candles and kerosene are in short supply in Sofia, and there is doubt about the supply of heating oil. Holiday Sale 20% to 50% off November 29-30 & December 1 FASHION II Consignment Boutique 33rd & Pioneer Sky Oak Plaza 483-1324 NelSaskan tanor Eric Planner Graphic* Editor John Bruce 472-1766 Photo Chief Al Schaben Managing Editor Victoria Ayott# Night News Editors Matt Herek Assoc News Editors Darcle Wlegert Chuck Oreen _ . _ _ Diane Bray ton Art Director Brian Shelllto Editorial Page Editor Lisa Donovan General Manage' Dan Shaltll Wire Editor Jana Pedersen Production Manager Katherine Pollcky Copy Desk Editor Emily Rosenbaum Advertising Manager Loren Melrose Sports Editor Darran Fowler Sales Manager Todd Sears Arts & Entertainment Publications Board Editor Mlchsel Deeds Chairman Bill Vobe|da Diversions Editors Lee Rood 436-9993 Amy Edwards Professional Adviser Don Walton 473-7301 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144 080) is published by the UNI 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 Vobeida 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 68588 0448 Second-class postage paid at Lincoln, NE ALL MATERIAL COPYRIGHT 1990 DAILY NEBRASKAN____]