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About The daily Nebraskan. ([Lincoln, Neb.) 1901-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 22, 1993)
News digest Clinton’s day busy with visitors, meetings and a bombing I Scott Maurer/DN WASHINGTON — On his first day in the Oval Office, President Clinton said Thursday his adminis tration would not flinch from mili tary showdowns with Iraq follow ing a fresh challenge. The Senate rushed approval of more of his Cabinet but hundreds of senior po sitions remained vacant. After partying into the early hours after his inauguration, Clinton spent all morning greeting thou sands of visitors to a White House open house. Well-wishers wailed outdoors for hours fora quick hand shake and greeting from Clinton. It was almost 1 p.m. before he paid his first visit to the Oval Office before moving on to a meeting with senior aides. Clinton told them,“We just have to be dominated by high standards and clear vision and we ought to have a good time doing it.” His wife, Hillary, was checking out the Oval Office. She will have an office in the West Wing, the first time a first lady has had space there. A spokesman said she would be closely involved in developing Clinton’s health-care program. Day one brought the first break in the military cease-fire extended by Saddam Hussein as a goodwill gesture to the new president. Pentagon officials said two U.S. warplanes fired on an Iraqi air de fense site after it turned its radar on them. It was not clear whether it was a calculated test of Clinton. The new president said he was slicking with the Bush administration’s policy, which called for instant strikes against belligerent forces and measured responses to violations of “no-fly” zones imposed in Iraq by Gulf War allies. Later, White House communi cations chief George Stcphanopoulos said, “Everything right now is consistent with the previous practice, and President Clinton supports it.” On Capitol Hill, the Senate con firmed nine of Clinton’s Cabinet members and five other lop offic ers. Hundreds of senior positions remained open. Zoc Baird, Clinton’s nominee for attorney general, faced grow ing public and congressional oppo sition over her hiring of illegal aliens for housework. Stephanopoulos said Clinton still believed she would be a good attor ney general. There was an air of confusion as Clinton’s new team searched for telephone numbers, directions and a general plan of operation. Re porters were angry about restric tions on access to press offices that were always open in previous ad ministrations. Clinton will move quickly to revoke the ban on homosexuals in the military, officials said. An ex ecutive order is expected within a week. Clinton also plans to act Friday on executive orders expanding abortion rights. U.S. fighters retaliate after Iraqis target plane WASHINGTON — President Clinton warned Iraq on Thursday he will brook no threats to allied aircraft palroliing the no-fly /ones. He spoke after two U.S. warplanes fired at an Iraqi radar that had targeted them. “We’re going to stay with our policy,’’ Clinton told reporters as he met with his senior staff on his first full day in office. “It is the American policy and that’s what we’re going to stay with.” The clash ended a brief respite in hostilities between Washington and Baghdad that began Tuesday when Saddam Hussein ordered a “cease fire” in honor of Clinton’s inaugura tion. In Baghdad, the Iraqi News Agency quoted an unidentified official as de nying that a radar had been turned on and claimed the U.S. planes’ attack set a fertilizer storage area on fire and damaged crops. It also said Iraq is sticking to its cease-fire “despite the behavior of the U.S. plane, which was aggressive and provocative.” At the Pentagon, spokesman Lt. Cmdr. Joseph Gradisher dismissed the Iraqi claim that no radar had been turned on. “We stand by our report,” Gradisher said. Secretary of State Warren Christo pher, in remarks at the State Depart ment, echoed Clinton’s resolve. “The United Slates intends to pro tect our pilots in the no-fly zone,’ Christopher said. “When their radai illuminates our pilots we arc going tc protect our pilots.” The new secre tary said the Iraqis “know perfectly well what it takes to comply with the U.N. resolutions and the establish ment of the no-fly zones. I think whai happened today is a reflection of the determination that the Clinton ad -44 The United States intends to protect our pilots in the no-fly zone. When their radar illuminates our pilots we are going to protect our pilots. -*Christopher secretary of state -99 ~ ministration will have in that area.” Clinton’s spokesman, George Slcphanopoulos, said the new presi dent was following established policy, allowing U.S. pilots to defend them selves when threatened. “Right now everything we’re do ing is consistent with past practice. There is no change at this lime,” he said. The incident occurred at 5:09 a.m. EST, the military said in a statement. A U.S. Air Force F-4G “Wild Weasel” and an F-16 “Fighting Fal con” were escorting a French Mirage plane conducting photo reconnais sance in the northern no-fly /.one, the statement said. The two U.S. jets noticed flashes of anti-artillery fire in their direction, but did not respond to the provocation “because the aircraft were out of range of the fire,” the statement said. After the radar “locked on” the aircraft, the F-4G fired an anti-radar HARM missile at the radar and the F 16 dropped two cluster bombs on the site. The incident occurred about 10 miles south of the town of Mosul. There was no immediate report whether any damage had been done to the missile site, the statement said. The F-4G and F-16completed their mission “without further incident,” the statement said. A senior Pentagon official, com menting on condition of anonymity, said“Wc’rc back in the cat-and-mouse business again,” with Iraq. He said the Pentagon isn’t sure whether the inci dent was the result of directions from Baghdad. “Either someone didn’t get the word, orders weren’t obeyed, or all bets arc off,” the official said. Allied patrols of the northern and southern no-fly /.ones will continue, despite Saddam’s pledge to end pro vocative activities. The new hostilities came despite calls from Baghdad for a “new page” in U.S.-Iraqi relations. It also came as U.N. weapons in spectors landed in Baghdad. Jets bomb Iraqi radar At approximately 5:09 a.m. EST a U.S. Air Force F-4G “Wild Weasel" and an F-16 “Fighting Falcon" were targeted by Iraqi radar while escorting a French Mirage plane on a reconnaissance mission. The F-4G fired a HARM missile at the radar and the F-16 dropped cluster bombs on the site. U.S. F-4G "Wild Weasel" I _Jbn_ Iraqi radar locks on to aircraft (considered a prelude to possible attack). r-----1-1 I . .. *■ >. i The U.S. F-4Q fires a high speed anti-radar missile (HARM) which locks on an enemy radar signal and uses it as a guide to destroy the source. AP I-World Wire Troops could remain in Somalia till March MOGADISHU, Somalia — Some American troops the United States had hoped to pull out of Somalia before or soon after Presi dent Clinton’s inauguration could remain until as late as March, a U.S. military spokesman said Thursday. Marine Col. Fred Peck said no timetable could be set until the U.N. Security Council adopted a resolution necessary to transfer the U.S.-led relietopcration to a U.N. force. The United Nations also must name a commander and determine the rules of engagement. The law lessness of this nation was demon strated once again Thursday when a Chinese reporter was seriously wounded and his Somali drivc^ killed by roving gunmen. Ameri can troops have fired freely to pro tect themselves, but U.N. troops usually face restrictions. Humanitarian group: kerbs using rape otten ULNfcVA — 5»crb lorces in Bosnia have regularly used rape and harassment as part of their campaign to force Muslims and Croats to flee their homes, Am nesty International said Thursday. The organization said that in some cases, the violations were carried out in an organized or systematic way, with the deliberate detention of women for the pur pose of rape and sexual abuse.” Amnesty International said all warring factions were guilty of human rights abuses, but that Serbs carried by far the most blame. _I Baird steadfast, ignores calls to quit I WASHINGTON — A combative Zoc Bainl rejected calls to withdraw as attorney general-designate on Thursday despite rising public and congressional opposition. TheClinton administration offered her muted sup port in the furor over hiring illegal aliens. “Right now, Zoc Baird is his nomi nee,” While House spokesman George S tephanopou los tol d reporters as Bai rd underwent a second day of grilling by --- the Senate Judiciary Committee. He also said President Clinton may never have discussed the pivotal issue with his nominee prior to picking her. Several senators announced their opposition, including two Republi cans on the Judiciary Committee, the lone Republican among the Senate’s six women, and three moderate Demo crats. A possible swing vole on the com mittee, Republican Arlcn Specter of Pennsylvania, said her prospects for confirmation arc “very much up in the air.” VI think that my overall record gives me the potential to be a great attorney general," Baird testified. “The potential that I have to serve this country ... should override the par ticular incident.” Baird, 40, a $500,000-a-year law yer for the Aetna Life & Casually Co., has since her nomination paid $2,900 in fines and roughly $12,000 in back taxes for employing a Peruvian couple. -—-1 Nebraskan _ _ „ „ _ . FAX NUMBER 472-1761 The Daily Nebraskan(USPS 144-080) Is published by theUNL Publications Board. Nebraska 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. 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