European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - August 22, 1987, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 10 columns. The stars and stripes saturday August 22. 1987 Richard Pyle Navy deception integral to persian Gulf tactics since the Start of its kuwaiti Anker Convoy operations in the persian Gulf the . Navy has made deception a key part of its to relics. So far in has worked fairly Well. Where the International news Media and Gulf based shipping interests Are concerned the element of sur prise has been a stunning Success. The iranians How Ever May be another Story. Two of the three convoys to sail North through the Gulf were Well on their Way before their departures became Public knowledge. As the latest Convoy slipped quietly i rough the Straits of Hormuz on wednesday. A shipping expert who monitors Gulf activity said they the americans have really footed us  perhaps the most surprised about the third Convoy s departure were officials of the Agency that represents the re registered kuwaiti ships american owners and helps with Convoy preparations. A the tankers sailed through the Gulf with the stars and stripes flying the hags originally intended for their masts were still lying in a Box in the company office. Most observers along the Gulf had been Walch ing Kuwait where three other tankers had been idling St Anchor for five Days ready to set out As soon As the Navy gave the word for the second Convoy s return. We were expecting a southbound Convoy when the americans pulled this Surprise on everyone and escorted these tankers Northeast said a shipping executive re questing anonymity. It appears the americans Are Bent on perfecting a style of secret sailing up and Down the Gulf with a View to allowing adversaries no time to impede the convoys. As a further distraction the assault Carrier Guadal canal newly arrived with mine sweeping helicopters to Clear the Convoy s path appeared to be sailing in Cir cles in mid Gulf. Nobody tumbled to the idea that it was wailing for a Convoy from the South said one shipping official. Maintaining secrecy especially As part of a military operation is no Small task in a waterway the size of the Gulf which one . Navy Captain Calls a Lake in a de  the Gulf is 600 Miles Long and 100 to 150 Miles across. Even in Normal times everything that moves in the Waters is keenly observed by Oil and Marine inter ests from Kuwait to the Hormuz passage the outlet for dearly a fifth of the non communist world s Petroleum. Add 10 them the scores of journalists currently stationed in Arab states along the Gulf some spending thousands of dollars a Day on chartered boats and aircraft to track the convoys. From such observers came word that the first two con James j. Kilpatrick Voys were re flagged and under Way. And in was a British to correspondent on the chartered ship big Orange who reported the first Tanker heading South from Kuwait and the Guadalcanal s secret arrival in the Gulf. Knowing where in is where it s going or even if it going said con Coughlin Middle East correspondent for Britain s daily Telegraph. All thai is Fine with the Navy which finds mislead ing and erroneous reports of convoys As useful As any intentional disinformation Effort might be. Journalists aboard Navy ships in Pentagon organized news pools Are fully aware of Convoy movements but barred by the so called Vietnam Rule from reporting a military operation before in is officially cleared. The departure of the second Convoy on aug. 8 caught shipping observers napping mainly because Pentagon officials hours earlier had put out word in Washington that it probably would be delayed a week. As that Surprise Convoy cruised through the Gulf . Officials denied any attempt to mislead and Secretary of defense Caspar Weinberger told to inter viewers that the delay report had been nothing More than an interesting  knows what effect All this has on Iran which after nil is the reason for the guessing game. Iran claims to possess innovative methods to Deal with its adversary s Superior technology. . Officers say thai even with shortages and other problems Iran s sea and air surveillance forces Are fully capable of spoiling a Convoy sailing in Daylight. They Sec us and we Exchange radio messages said an officer aboard a Convoy escort ship. There s no reason to think they can l figure out whal s going on. There s also no reason Why we should Tell them ahead of  adm. Harold j. Burnsen commander of the Navy s Middle East Force admitted that the mine that damaged the supertanker Bridgton in the first Convoy on july 24 ended american complacency. Tactics must remain guarded must remain secret he said afterwards. You can l let the other Guy know How you re going to beat  editor s note i Cluj pita 11 Mph a Claro Tut Mil Mon my pfc Eail no Fatui. A a panel i Nita pot trailing with a Kiwi Raj convey Bork s confirmation to court is a sure thing prospects for judge Robert Bork Are looking up. Before the first of november barring some Bombshell disclosure the Senate will confirm his nomination to succeed Lewis Powell on the . Supreme court. That prediction rests upon two observations. The first is thai senators As individuals Are political Ani Mals. The second is that the Senate As an institution reveres tradition. In he matter of Bork s nomination both considerations Are coming into play. When president Reagan sent Bork s name to the Senate Early in july conservatives momentarily were Dunne by the sheer ferocity of the attack upon him. Sen. Edward Kennedy who suffers occasionally from hallucinations erupted with a wild eyed statement of opposition. The usual crazies thus inflamed roared into action. Overnight Bork became a monster. Set Loose to prey upon the High court he would feed like a bearded minotaur upon he most virtuous precedents. He would unleash the cops from the restraints of an exclusionary Rule. This Grendel of jurisprudence would restore racial segregation and Pul an end to affirmative action. He would drive pregnant women Inlo Back alleys where butchers would perform bloody abortions upon heir fair and swollen bodies. And he would do Ihil All by himself. Overnight he would do this. To Iii indescribable hooey the far outs responded with whoop and Hollen. The National organization for women which represents very few women but represent them very loudly leaped to the forefront. Then came people for the american Way proclaiming by implication that judge Bork is in american. Next in the line of March were the wobble is of the leadership conference on civil rights. Ralph Nader s pub Lic citizen litigation group joined the Motley  cause enl Isle. A Gaggle of Liberal Law professors flapping their togas foresaw the deals of Clarc a crisis. Sen. Joe b1den of Delaware chairman of the Senate s judiciary committee saw an Opportunity and seized it he announced thai he will Lead the opposition to judge Bork. He will function As master of the revels grand marshal of this harebrained Parade. In the ensuing weeks a couple of things have happened. Sycophancy carries a Price and sen Biacan is paying in. His presidential ambitions if i am not sorely mistaken Are gurgling Down the Drain. Demonstrating irresponsibility he put off confirmation hearings until sept. 15. Demonstrating inconsistency he repudiated his Promise of a year ago la vote for Bork s Confirma Tion if the Opportunity should Erie. The senator is no widely perceived As a Lic spittle Lapdog of the Lunatic left. He is panting w have his belly scratched the belter to soothe the presidential itch. It has not been the gentleman s finest hour. Biden s smarmy political performance attracts the attention of his democratic colleagues. Viewing the Parade they ire asking themselves if they truly want to be identified with apostles of Hylena. Does their party wish to be so identified is ii Good politics now and for the future to oppose a Jurist As eminently qualified As Robert Bork during the August recess sober and thoughtful democrats in inc Senate there arc 25 or 30 of them Are thinking ahead. Suppose a Democrat wins the while House in 1988. And suppose that a democratic president in 198 nominates certifiable liberals to succeed such justices As Brennan Marshall and Black Mun. What precedent Are the democrats setting in attacking Bob Bork those who sow inc wind tend 10 reap hurricanes. If Bork should be Defeated by a democratic filibuster republicans will remember the Epi Sode. They will not remember it kindly. These arc political considerations. Senators also Are deeply conscious of the irad Lions of their venerable institution. In this Century the Senate has confirmed 46 supreme court nominations. Only nine of the 46 have been held in abeyance for More than 30 Days. Tall Sutherland Byrnes and Burton were confirmed on the very Day their nominations were received. Twenty five were confirmed in less than three weeks. In limes past the Senate has grumbled at controversial nominations the names of Cardozo Brandeis Stone and Thurgood Marshall come at once to mind but inc Senate has confirmed them. This is the Way the system is supposed to work. Presidents Are expected to name judges of their own philosophy. Barring proof of Manifest Lack of qualifications the Senate is Eipert cd to confirm. This is Why Bork will make in. He will win by a larger margin than Joe Biden fears