European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - June 7, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes saturday june 7,1986 columns Anthony Lewis Salt decision further damages relations with allies London of All countries Britain has been the warmest toward americans inc Moil admiring of our strengths he a St indulgent of our faults so it is a u come Here and find America an object of Sharp doubts even of antagonism. For the firs time in my life i feel an emotional anti americanism in my self a woman said. She is a writer who has trav eled extensively in inc United slates and often i pressed deep affection for inc Mounir. The for her feelings she said was the decision by Many americans to i inv Jwj from England this year for fear if crr Oriti. She called the cancellation of planned trip irrational and cowardly she is Noi Afono in her anger on a score. The papers arc full of scornful comments on Chicken but something More profound is involved than annoyance at vanishing Ameri can tourists. It is a sense that he United states is acting More and More on its own in inc world disregarding the feelings of its allies. President Reagan s announcement that he is prepared to disregard inc second strategic arms limitation treaty with the soviet Union is the latest and most important Symbol of this perceived rend. The Deci Sion offended Sil the nato allies but it was especially grating to the British Jov Ernie no less than two months ago prime minister Margaret Thatcher went out on a Long limb for Reagan when she approved the use of . Air Force planes from bases in Brit in in inc raid on Libya British Public opinion was heavily against Thatcher on Libya. Sci decision was criticized As an act of subservience to the United slates on a dubious policy. Questions were rated about Yoairo of the american air bases Here in general. The Reagan administrations declaration that it is no longer bound by Salt ii came therefore in an atmosphere already strained in the Alliance and in British politics. And the substance of the decision the blow to arms control raised concern across the political spectrum Here. The Reagan Hawks who want la do away with All a imitate oru on weapons have no anal James j. A Patrick v gone Union \ q of Gourse Ogue in serious British politics. The daily Telegraph a deeply conserva Tive newspaper said in an editorial thai the president s declared intention to renounce the arms treaty seemed to show Art alarm ing Lack of concern Over the divisive con sequences for nato. The editorial said the most unhelpful message Reagan could deliver to Europe just now with the soviet Union Paisa for a propaganda Sally is that America intends to go it the Salt decision has revived doubts about Reagan s judgment but the shift in feeling is More than personal. There is a fell sense thai America is mov ing away from Europe your troops wi1 not be in Europe much longer a politician experienced in National Security affair said. To an american that seemed a Surpris ing prediction since leaders of both . Parties continue to express support for the troop commitment. But the fact that a respected British figure believes it says a Gootel Deal about the move. British anger at America these Days May be explained in part by resentment of dependence on a much greater Power h hurts to think that your Economy May suf Fer because fewer americans visit your quaint sights. It hurts to think that a foreign air Force uses bases in your country for purposes you do not like. But it is not just popular resentment of a greater Power. It is official regret at the unilateral methods of the administration that now runs that Power the arro Gance some might say. There was another example shortly be fore he Salt statement administration s Sadden refusal to sign an agreed Compromise document at the Helsinki conference in Bern on arms control the differences with Reagan Are on the merits and Are deep. European governments of All stripes urgently want a second Reagan Gorbachev Summit sealing new arms agreements. They see in the denunciation of Salt ii a. Blow to Hopes for both the Summit and arms control Progress. If the Alliance does unravel in the coming Yean this controversy May be re corded As the beginning of that process. Reagan s decision to put arms ideology ahead of Alliance mutuality has All the ear Marks of a classic a Yore Tom Congress is Foo soft of make the hard choices sen. Phil Gramm of Texas one of the three chefs who cooked up the Gramm Rudman Hollings goulash look aim the other Day at his critics. People who oppose his deficit reduction scheme he said Are All people who do not want hard choices to be of Phil that is hokum. The principal vice of Gramm Rudman to Lings is that in the crunch the act absolves Congress from making the very hard choices thai Are the responsibility of our elected representatives. We want the hard choices to be made and we pay members of Congress Nice salaries to make them. Or his Well intended almost everyone praises the goal of a balanced Federal budget but it is a Cut and run operation. If estimates of spending exceed estimates of Revenue Congress is off the Hook. Were outlays for libraries Legal assistance and Rural housing reduced we did t do it says the Law. The computer did this is no Way to run a Railroad. We saw another exhibition a week ago on How not to Cut Federal spending. Sens. Fete Domenici of new Mexico and Lawlon Chiles of Florida dreamed up a Little charade to entertain the senile on an Idle wednesday afternoon. They offered a cutesy woodsy amendment to abolish 44 programs in one fell troop. The amendment was pure Sham intended primarily to Embarrass their Economy minded colleagues. Both Spon sors voted against their own baby and it went Down to defeat hoho to by sj-14. Domenici spent his Lime ridiculing the whole idea of abolishing the 44 programs. Killing them he said would result in savings in 1987 of Only s4 billion. He cited some examples. To scrub the . Travel and tourist administration would save Only s6 million. To end Trade adjustment assistance would save Only is Mil lion. To halt weatherization subsidies would save Only $18 million. Termination of a couple of programs such As direct Loans from the Export import Bank actually would Cost Money in 1987. Domenici had a real Good Lime. Chiles had fun too. He described the amendment As a Goodwill his Only thought was la help the Reagan administration the president had proposed elimination of the 44 pro Grams. In a spirit of Good Fellowship. Chiles was glad to provide an Opportunity for conservatives to put up or shut up. Colorado s Bill Armstrong one of the 14 who voted right refused to be bullied. He said bluntly that Congress is doing a miserable Job of deficit reduction. It is my observation he added that most people out in the country think that Congress is populated by a Bunch of gutless wonders and in general i think thai perception is there Are Many honorable exceptions he said but Congress is a body which is unique cry a reverted synergism somehow a group of thou Ghoul Well informed Well men anal women come from All Over the country and collectively they proceed to do something which they not any one of them in their individual capacity dream of Armstrong has it exactly right. If Congress were serious about getting the government s fiscal House in order members know precisely How to do it they would refuse to abdicate to across the Board reductions. They would put their wednesday afternoons to better use than crying Nynah nyah nyah across the floor. They would make those hard Chiles and Domenici just fooling around offered the Senate no choices at Alt. Some of the 44 programs May be Worth saving. I can t think of any but reasonably minded folks will always disagree my own thought is that of course Congress should end subsidies for Rural electrification of course we should gel out of Amtrak of course we should end Federal crop insurance. If the people of Florida and new Mexico Are so hipped on Legal assistance travel promotion and 4-h clubs nothing prevents the Legislatures of Florida and new Max jct from financing Tuch programs. Vermont s Patrick Leahy moaned and groaned about what the terminations would mean to Vermont. But ver Mont in t broke the Federal government is. Hard choices they have to be made but Congress is too soft to make them. 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