European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 15, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 columns the stars and stripes saturday november 15,1986 Bernard Gwertzman Reagan trying to Salvage foreign affairs Flop the attempt thursday nip i by president Rea Gan and other lop tides to justify publicly their secret policy shift on inn came in response to almost univer Sal criticism in the foreign policy and political Community. Many Here say there have not been to Many express ions of Shock and bewilderment about a foreign policy Surprise in 25 years. By ending his own silence and authorizing aides to divulge additional details the president seemed to be trying to Salvage his administration1 reputation in Tor sign affairs. But the damage has been severe Many officials within the government have spoken openly of their astonishment and irritation at the de liberate policy under which top officials such As Secre tary of state George p. Shuttz publicly assured Arab foreign ministers that the United suites was trying 10 Block All arms sales to Iran while White House aide were secretly arranging for equipment to be sent to Tehran in the past Reagan has been Able to combat Public perceptions critical of the White House by information blitzes and what some commentators have called spin  the most recent was the major Effort to assure he Public that the Reykjavik Summit was Success despite the initial indications that it had been a failure. It was Uncertain thursday night whether be would succeed in ending the criticism coming from so Man different quarters his Basic Point of attack in his speech thursday night was that the press had misreported what had happened. He spoke he said because so extensive have been the false rumours and erroneous reports that the risk of remaining silent now exceed the risks of speak ing  but in his own remarks Ai Well As in an accompany ing background briefing it was acknowledged that the administration had deviated secretly from its Public policy. Nothing in Reagan s remarks or in the supplementary material released by other aides has changed the Basic Story that has come out in bits and pieces Over the 10 Days since word of Robert c. Mcfarlane s mis Sion to Tehran was divulged in a Beirut publication. Despite a firm declaration of not making deals to bring about the release of hostages and despite its three year old policy operation staunch to Slop the flow of All military equipment to Iran the president now turns out had authorized a Small White House operation to do just the opposite seek to Trade Mili tary equipment for the release of the hostages Al though Reagan on thursday Nihl repeatedly sought to deny that he had done so. In spite of the wildly speculative and false stories George will about arms for hostages and alleged Ransom payments we did not repeat did not Trade weapons or anything else for hostages nor will we he said. Sen. Barry Goldwater r-ariz., spoke for Many conservatives when he said the decision to Supply military equipment to inn Wai a dreadful mistake probably one of the major mistakes the United Sutra has Ever made in foreign  a White House official not involved in the Iran operation said of the Way the operation was handled by the National Security Council staff with limited consultation with other agencies i be been sick about this for Days. It was a policy run by cowboys who had no effective policy  in defending the operation Reagan cast in in geopolitical terms that Iran was of crucial strategic importance to the United slates and therefore in was vital for Washington to establish relations with pro Western elements in Iran to prepare for the eventual passing of the Ayatollah Ruhollah Khomeini. Ii has also been explained by an aide in human dimensions that president Reagan was to anxious Toffee the american hostages in Lebanon that a repent 50 percent of his morning briefing discussing the hos Page and was willing secretly to reverse american Law and Supply Iran with american military equipment a demonstration of Good Faith if that would help free  amount of equipment sent by the United Sun was minuscule a senior administration official Laid in justifying the decision. It amounted altogether he said to no More than one cd plan Load or about261.000 pounds and could have no effect on the out come of the inn Iraq War. Reagan and other officials however hid nothing publicly about the reports that in addition to american military equipment the israeli provided Iran with tons of military equipment Hern Tyves including parts for their f-4 fighters and that the israelis were deeply involved with Trie administration from the Start 18 months ago in the risky program of trying to make Contact with conservative or Middle of the Road elements in Iran. . Should soberly rethink its iranian Poi Ify does that elderly angular gentleman of dishevelled aspect leaning on yonder Lamppost look familiar he should. He is Uncle Sam. He May be stand ing tall but he would not be standing at All were it not for the Lamppost. He has been on a two month tool and is in for a fearful hangover. Approaching Iran with an Eye on the port Khomeini period was defensible if perhaps premature. The decision was made last year. Recently however it be Cam entangled with and subordinated to the project of releasing hostages. And Here the plot thickens and this nations foreign policy Bender began in september with the administration seized by another hostage of Sexion. The Daniloff debacle culminated in u improvised Summit at which the gravest issues elimination of ballistic missiles elimination of nuclear weapons were raised in a manner so Slapdash that no of teems sure what happened. If the administration really believes in came close to world transforming one mint in Iceland it Hai an  tendency to exaggerate the tractability of the world or in has a dangerous penchant for improvisation and chaos in its policy making procedures. And chaos begets chaos. Within Days of the Daniloff was hostage David Jacobsen Wai teen on videotape denouncing the administration for not doing u much for americans held in Lebanon u was done by Daniloff. Hostage taken Are encouraged by successes of the son the soviet Union bad in jerking around the Reagan administration. Imagine the bask business in hostages now that weapons Are the Coin of that Commerce. The iranian episode has come to Light just As democrats Are coming to Power in the Senate. The Power of investigation even More than of legislation May become the principal Senate Thorn in Reagan s Side. There it going to be a Long Lively Row about the wis Dom of trading Ami for hostages and of trading with the iranians through israeli intermediaries. Certainly by pay ing for hostage in the Coin of military Talend us. Policy spare Iran the necessity of making a policy choke. Iran can get necessities and remain hostile to the United states. What especially demands scrutiny is the Riddle of How is. Policy whatever it is is made. Iran is in Henry Kissinger s formulation the China of the  thai is Iran will be what China was in the seventies a Large important nation contiguous to the soviet Union and therefore in need of Western Friendship. That formulation it timely coining from Kissinger who As National Security adviser did a sweeping end run around an unaware Secre tary of stale William Rogers in preparing the opening to China is Yean ago. Rumours that the do line with Iran have or had. Secretary of slate George Shutlz distressed to the Point of considering Reid Galton raw three question what did he know when did he know it what did he do about in and episodes like this ire reminders that our National attic contains Tew specimens of resignation styles. It was a policy concerning hostages and Iran car Ter s attempt to Rescue the homages that provoked the resignation of Cyrus Vance who loss an arg neat concerning what he considered a Core value. And de paned with  if two int uncut can be said to constitute there is a pattern albeit sketchy. In june 1915 Row Wilwyn i Secretary of Fute. Wink Bryan resigned As historian Henry May wrote Birtt was perhaps the Only devout Christian pacifist of wok be foreign Minuter of great Power. He Rifae Dater t policy involving a con value . Blk Cliatt away from neutrality following the sinking of Klaeui Itania. " today a senior Republican senator Lugar of Kana chairman of the foreign relations Corn Jhm say Shutlz claims he was not conversant it pal portent aspect of the iranian connection. Lugar try important detail Obj Louiry apparently Wen it from Shutlz. Became . Policy and the proven Oil produced it Are unclear it i impossible to say who Csc worse the policy or the process. Given the passion Shuttz has invested & be principle of not doling with terrorist he am flow feel like resigning not because he was re pm be a that was done but because he we not. In , someone should sober up Uncle Sam before  into another of the world s Sharp Edge. .