News Digest
Remaining 6 captives reportedly to be home by Christmas
Kidnappers free British, U.S. hostages
DAMASCUS, Syria — Shiite Muslim kid
nappers freed British hostage Terry Waite and
American Thomas Sutherland on Monday, and
Waite said the remaining three Americans held
hostage in Lebanon would be released by month’s
end.
“Terry Waite and I are very happy to have
received our first gulps of Lebanon and Syrian
fresh air but we have to wait to tomorrow to
meet the sunshine,” said a joyous Sutherland
on his arrival from Beirut.
Their release by the group Islamic Jihad, or
Holy War, was a dramatic advance toward
ending the hostage ordeal. The United Nations
has been leading diplomatic efforts to gain
freedom for Western hostages in Lebanon in
exchange for the release of Arab detainees held
by Israel.
Sutherland and Waite’s release raised specu
lation that the Israelis may have made a com
mitment to free Sheik Abdul-Karim Obeid.
Waite said at a news conference that his
captors told him before they set him free that
American hostages Joseph Ciccipio and Alann
Steen would be released within the next five
days, and Terry Anderson by the end of the
month.
He said he did not know when the three
remaining hostages — two Germans and an
Italian — would be released. U.N. Secretary
General Javier Perez dc Cuellar said all should
be freed by Christmas.
Waite and Sutherland indicated they had
been chained to a wall day in and day out for
most of their captivity, and that they depended
on each other for comfort and company.
Waite said one captor came to tell them
Monday afternoon that they would be released.
“He also said to me, ‘We apologize for having
captured you.’ They recognize that now this
was the wrong this to do, that holding hostages
achieves no useful, constructive purpose.”
Sutherland said he and the others were
“humbled” by learning over the past few months
of the support the hostages had worldwide.
Of Anderson, the longest-held hostage,
Sutherland said: “He’s a man who should have
never been kidnapped,” adding that Anderson
had just been doing his job as a journalist.
British officials said Waite would be taken
late Monday night to Cyprus to spend the night
before returning to England today. Suther
land’s plans were not immediately known.
Waite, 52, who had successfully negotiated
the release of other Western detainees in Iran
and Lebanon, came to Beirut in 1987 to try to
free Americans held by the Iranian-allied Is
lamic Jihad. He was kidnapped himself and
held for nearly five years.
Sutherland, 60, was the hostage held the
second-longest, only a few months less than
Associated Press chief Middle East correspon
dent Terry Anderson, who also is held by
Islamic Jihad.
Nebraskan
Editor
Managing Editor
Assoc News Editors
General Manager
Production Manager
Advertising Manager
Sales Manager
Publications Board
Chairman
Professional Adviser
Jana Pedersen, 472-1766
Diane Brayton
Stacey McKenzie
Kara Wells
Dan Shattll
Katherine Policky
Todd Sears
Eric Krlngel
Bill Vobejda, 476-2855
Don Walton, 473-7301
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1991 DAILY NEBRASKAN
House defense bill
rejects B-2 funding
WASHINGTON — The House on Monday
approved a S291 billion military spending bill
for 1992 that would speed up troop cuts and
reject President Bush’s request for four new B
2 stealth bombers.
The Senate is expected later this week to
approve the measure and Bush’s signature seems
likely.
Congress is also expected later this week to
approve a money bill containing funds for the
programs authorized under the measure.
The authorization represents a compromise
between rival House and Senate versions, reached
after the collapse of the Soviet Communist
system. It contains no substantial changes from
priorities set earlier by Congress and the ad
ministration.
Rep. Lcs Aspin, D-Wis., chairman of the
House Armed Services Committee, said in a
floor speech that the measure “moves our de
fense closer to the new realities” of the post
Cold War world.
News agency says Croat
troops surrender Vukovar
Jfc.
BELGRADE, Yugoslavia — The com
mander of Croat fighters huddling in the
ruins of Vukovar ordered his men to end
their three-month fight against besieging
federal troops Monday, Yugoslavia’s Tanjug
news agency said.
Yugoslav soldiers who fought their way
into the eastern Croatian city on Sunday
fired their guns into the air in celebration.
Weary residents crawled out of shelters by
the hundreds, some for the first time in
months.
A reliable Croatian Defense Ministry
source said the Croats had not surrendered
and were still in contact with the Zagreb
headquarters.
There was no immediate comment from
federal army commanders about the reported
surrender of Vukovar.
Croatian Health Minister Andrija Hc
brang who took part in talks with the army in
the Croatian capital Zagreb said, “We do
not have any assurances” regarding the safety
of those left in Vukovar.
At the talks, army and Croatian officials
reached agreement on evacuating 700
wounded from Vukovar’shospital, Hebrang
said.
In Belgrade, Serbia's president endorsed
the sending of U.N. peacekeepers to war
tom Yugoslavia.
Fighting continual in other parts of Croatia.
AP reporter Dusan Stojanovic said from
Vukovar that there was only sporadic small
arms fire in the Danube River town" on the
border with Serbia, though the Croatian
Defense Ministry source, who spoke on
condition of anonymity, said fighting was
continuing.
Stojanovic said no building in the town
escaped damage from the near-relentless
shelling. Corpses littered the streets and
ruined houses.
Tanjug said the Croats had been pressed
back into a single suburb of Vukovar when
their commander ordered them to surrender.
It said many of the Croat troops were obey
ing.
Croat militiamen and police officers were
being disarmed into the night, the agency
said.
The loss of Vukovar was a severe blow
for Croats, who held the town for nearly
three months against the more heavily armed
Serb-dominated army and insurgents from
Croatia’s Serb minority.
Military
Continued from Page 1
changing, and a lot of people arc concerned
about their future.”
The minimum cutoff for retirement in the
military is after 20 years of service, when the
retiree can collect full benefits.
A military with fewer mid- and high-level
management positions open will make it easier
to get more recruits, but will also mean less
chance to advance both on the pay scale and in
rank, Johnson said.
“There is an absolute emphasis on youth in
the military,” Johnson said. “Physical strength
and stamina mean a lot — that’s why older
people get cut.”
Johnson said officers who have 16 to 18
years of service, arc advanced in grade and arc
not eligible to retire will be targeted for early
dismissal.
The military also will have to decide whether
to cut reserve units or only active units.
. “The Army, Navy and Marines have all said
whatever cuts they have to make will affect
both active and reserve units,” he said. ‘‘The
Air Force, on the other hand, has said the cuts
will all be taken within the active force, not the
reserve.”
The philosophy of the three branches want
ing to cut reserve units is that a small active
force doesn’t need as large a reserve force,
Johnson said.
But the Army National Guard is in disagree
ment with the regular Army, he said, and the
Army National Guard representatives arc quick
to point out that it doesn’t take as much money
to maintain the guard units and keep soldiers
trained as it docs active units.
The good news for National Guard units,
Johnson said, is that Congress and the Joint
Chiefs of Staff appear to be taking their side.
‘‘Congress has intervened and said there are
to be no cuts in the reserve components,’’
Johnson said. ‘‘And Secretary of Defense Dick
Cheney and the Joint Chiefs of Staff have said
they agree with the Air Force and will allow Air
Force reserve units to remain uncut.”
I-POLICE REPORT-—11
Beginning midnight Friday, Nov. 15
9:33 a.m. — Bicycle stolen, Harper
Schramm-Smith courtyard, $200.
11:20 a.m. — Doormat stolen, Nebraska
Hall, $50.
12:19 p.m. — Ashtray stolen, Sellcck Resi
dence Hall, $30.
3:21 p.m. — Hit-and-run auto accident,
parking lot at 14th and Avery streets, $125.
6:06 p.m. — False fire alarm, Abel Resi
dence Hall.
Beginning midnight Saturday, Nov. 16
1 a.m. — Jeep top stolen, Abel-Sandoz
complex parking lot, $450.
1:07 a.m. — Man trespassing in women’s
bathroom, Huskcr Hall, 705 N. 23rd St.
1:03 p.m. — Belated report, misdemeanor
assault, man attacked by two men Friday
night, Centennial Mall between R and Q
streets.
1:49 p.m. — Bicycle stolen, Pound Resi
dence Hall, S360.
5:26 p.m. — Purse stolen from auto, park
ing lot at 14th and Avery streets, $15. i
9:33 p.m. — Vandalism, gate arm broken,
parking lot at 15th and U streets, $25.
10:04 p.m. — Vandalism, gate arm broken,
University Health Center parking lot, $25.
celebrates Christmas in
the Union today!
Christmas in November? Stop in the
Union and see for yourself. Represen
tatives from Apple are in the Union
today demonstrating the new com
puter products Apple Macintosh has
to offer UNL this holiday season.
Discover the amazing conve
l nience of the portable
Powerbook computers and the
increased speed and memory of the
Classic II personal computers. These new Macintosh
products and many more are on display today at the Apple fair
in the Union. In the spirit of Christmas, Apple will be giving
away free gifts to many of the students and faculty stopping by
the festivities. Don't miss this chance to experience the new
technology of Macintosh and receive free gifts from Apple.
After all, Christmas only comesjH^e twice this year!
^ For more information contact: ^
The CRC Computer Shop
University Bookstore
Lower Level Nebraska Union
472-5785
l Hours: 8am-5pm_j
The power to be your best at UNL.
...