European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 22, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 the stars and stripes thursday january 23,1967 columns Jody Powell ran arms Deal has enough blame for everyone documents released by the while House and a draft report of the Senate intelligence commit tee based on statements by administration officials allege that the idea of swapping inns for hostages came not from the National Security Council staff but from israeli officials. The israeli government heatedly denied the charge claiming that its Only role was to respond to . Pleas for help and pro testing that it was being set up As a Scapegoat the facts of the matter Are not known at the moment. Neither government has established the son of record for veracity on this Issue that one would want to bet the farm on. Whatever the facts eventually show about who said what to whom and when the raising of the Issue is More than a Little embarrassing to All concerned. If the matter it pursued aggressively by the investigative committees and the special counsel the discomfort is certain to grow. From the White House perspective Here is in fact no Way to make the israelis or anyone else a scape Goat. There is More than enough blame in this fiasco 10 go around. If anything the appearance of trying to Duck responsibility Only makes matters worse paying Ransom for hostages was a Short sighted ill advised idea which reflects badly upon the judgment of the president and those who serve him. That remains True whether the israelis thought it up and sold it to us or whether we dreamed it pall by ourselves. From Jerusalem s perspective the controversy raises an Issue that israeli governments find inherently distasteful the fact that american and Israel interests sometimes diverge and Are occasionally in direct opposition to each another. This undeniable fact of life makes israeli leaders nervous for two reasons it undermines the carefully nurtured image of Israel As an invaluable strategic asset for the United states and it highlights the difficulties posed by loyalties to both countries. Inshore it underscores the fact that the Ever tightening relationship Between the two countries can create problems Lor both. Moreover the relationship Between Iran is Rael and the Reagan administration has been shadowy and suspect from the very beginning. Probes of the arms for hostages Deal May Well shed Light on activities that All three would prefer to keep hidden. For their pan the israelis have sought from the beginning to sell arms to Iran with or without Amer ican approval. In the Spring of 1980, . Intelligence discovered Tom Wicker that the israelis were shipping arms 10 Iran in direct contravention of the embargo imposed to punish Iran for holding american hostages interestingly prime minister Menachem begin first attempted to deny the shipments then claimed they were part of an Effort to free he american hostages an Ultima Tum from president Carter was required to halt the flow of weapons. Shortly after the israeli shipments stopped an Ira Nian emissary in the company of one Robert Mcfarlane approached the Reagan Campaign about a Deal involving arms and hostages a Deal which forme Campaign officials say was rejected. Some sources claim the offer was to deliver the hostages to the Reagan Campaign before the election in return for a Promise of arms after the election. Others say the offer was to hold the hostages until after the election in return for a Promise of arms later. In any Case israeli arms sales to Iran began again in 1981 shortly after the Reagan administration took Power. Accounts differ on whether or not the sales took place with the knowledge and approval of the american government but they were clearly contrary to announced american policy at we Lime. Logic would Lead one to believe hat having been caught once the Israel it would not have resume their sales without an of. From Washington. And if that of was Given the question of Why loom Large. The Tehran Tel Aviv arms Trade became Public inthe summer of 1981 when a plane carrying array to Iran lost its Way Anil crashed in of All places the soviet Union. At the time the response from both Washington and Jerusalem was in the nature of weddin t do it and we Ain t Gonna do in no  it a unclear whether the shipment did Stop then and whether if they did the stayed topped until1985, again a lot of conflicting accounts and Theo Ries Are available but Little hard evidence a political observer of some reputation was recently asked How Long he thought the present scandal would last. At least through the summer he  Are just too Many rat holes to run  indeed. And this particular rat Hole May Lead All the Way Back to the summer of 1980. What is at the end of it is anybody s guess but investigator will be derelict in their duties if hey fail to explore it fully. La ant pm to Tow band Tapati Leoth on Odd Choice for armed services Post paradoxical As it May seem democrats in the House of representatives which last year voted to Force a nuclear test ban and continued Obser Vance of Salt ii May be about to elect an armed services committee chairman with the following record support for the my missile a new nerve Gas funds for the nicaraguan con tras the by bomber the Neutron bomb and More military spending. Opposition to the House passed moratorium on testing anti satellite asat weapons and to a Resolution de manding that the Cia Stop mining Nicaragua s harbours. Consistent rejection of democratic leadership positions in House Voles from 1980 to 1985 by that measure one of the 10 least faithful democrats a Boll Weevil and a leading member of the conservative forum. Despite All that by most estimates rep. Marvin Leath of Texas has a Good Chance to win the armed services chairmanship. Stranger still if Leath wins he apparently will do it with the support of Tome of the House s most Liberal Mem Bers Ron Dellums and Barbara Boxer of California for instance and Marty Russo of Illinois. This situation arose after one House democratic caucus denied reconfirm lion by 130 to 124 to Les Aspin of Wisconsin who seized the Post in a sort of coup d eat in 1985, with so much support Aspin has not Given up in fact the party s ultimate Choice Proba Bly willbe Between him and Leain. But the House democratic leadership in i Bow to seniority has endorsed 76-year-old Charles Bennett of Florida Nicholas mavrotes of Massachusetts a Liberal also is in the Field. With thai Many candidates who knows what might happen in the voting at another democratic caucus the Low Man on each ballot will drop out until someone wins the voting is by secret ballot which makes head counting and retribution difficult. Even before Aspin was denied reconfirmation Leath was campaigning energetically to replace him. One Rea son he May do Well is that he is a Well liked member of the House a Gregar ious texan and accomplished country music Singer with a reputation Tor really listening to his colleagues. Another is that he modified some what his hard line position on military issues last year and has let it be known that if elected chairman he would move even further to the Center. He knows and liberals know that he could hardly expect to win or perhaps to retain the committee chairmanship without substantial Liberal backing. Aspin on the other hand is widely regarded As having betrayed the expectations of Many who supported him when he won the chairmanship from Melvin Price of Illinois two years ago. On the highly publicized issues of the my missile Aid for the contras and the defense budget level he was thought to have reversed or modified stands be had taken while campaigning for the chairmanship on the less known Issue of Pentagon procurement Reform a number of members thought he had Given away the House position in conference with the Senate undoubtedly Aspin s defeat for reconfirmation can of traced to such complaints but Many democrats particularly liberals who voted against him the first Lime meant Pri Marily to show their displeasure and to bring a Maverick Back into line. Judged by the kind of Campaign promises Aspin is making some House democrats believe that tactic was successful. But once burned twice fearful a number of democrats Are reluctant to Trust him again. That combined with Leath i effective Campaign and person Al popularity could be the key to an upset in the secret balloting. The stakes Are not minor among other things in the coming session Are a new Voie of a nuclear lest ban Railroad Basing for my missiles already built a continued moratorium on asat test ing further funding for the contras and the defense budget. For the Long run the Choice could mean even More the Democrat can t keep changing chairmen every two years and Leath conceivably can Erub u so himself in the Post for a Long Lime. That could be More important than any single Issue coming before the panel. So who s he Best bet for those who have voted very differently from Leith on military issues a backsliding conservative who needs their Voles at lean for now or a Maverick who Sayi under pressure that he s ready to play Ball with those who elected him it Vert to Law Newt Storla