European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 3, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Heightened Alert Steluta is the Norm Tor warships of the . Navy a Middle East Force in toe persian Gulf. Orders Tor general quarters Era common. . And iranian forces in the gut . Wirthle in to cull 1 command Ernp 1 Cruiser 1 destroyer 6 frigates 1 amphibious ass bum 5 minesweepers added Lsalle frigate John a. Moore flying Flag and Doe lending ship Portland operating in Gulf. Grappled Wilh Loes on lha television and sailors huddled Over a beeping Pae Man game. Pillars behind Tho bar were decked Wilh shoulder patches irom 27 us warships whose sailors have veiled he a since it opened three years ago. On Many evenings. These s not a Sailor in sight either in bars streets Orthe colourful open air Marko place oven though Bahrain is the port used most Ollen by the 17 us. Warships based in the Gulf. More than a dozen of her ships sail just outside Tho Gull but Don t Visil its ports the u 5. Navy gives sailers Only a Lew Days leave a month and those interviewed said they had been warned to keeps Low pro lilo and Sta Youl of trouble Cillian Doles Are worn because of fiday at least Arab Stales do not want to provoke Lian by thro ing open their doors to the americans and Ichii allies Noling Iho Lack of tempt Lions and Tho relatively in Ridly locals one american Seaman who identified Hemsell Only As Bill said you d have Lobo a ical Pam to get into trouble ottos a they had been warned to avoid i Laking photographs of a Omen and mosques and recalled that one Sailor was questioned Lor two hours by Pottle alter Liying to photograph a veiled Arab woman a few restaurants have Callied to americans since the Lale 1940s, when the nay s now expanded Eddlo East of ebruary3, 1988 Force began sailing the Gull. Until recently it was common of americans to be mistaken for britons who have a Long history in the Region. Thai s changing As bahrainis become accustomed to Brooklyn and Oklahoma accents. One of lha most popular All actions Lor sailors is a sunday night Steak ranch Bullet at a local hotel. It features american beef. Texas style Chili tacos and other Western grub while an australian couple sings i Jio Nelson songs in front of a big american lag British seamen lend to concentrate in Dubai lha busiest port in Iho United Arab emirates. The Royal Navy also puts sailors ashore in Muscal capital of Oman and m Bahrain. To compensate Lor Tow Lack of excitement ashore the Royal Navy runs a Dine a Sailor Pio Giam in which local British residents Host seamen in Tho emirates to make things As pleasant As possible we be made a Tot of con ats in the local Community said Tim he Dostaly. Cam Maxler of the Royal Navy s 4th mine task Force. We re playing a lot of sports and doing things we would t do Al Tome. People Aio windsurfing sailing diving going on inns Oul Mlo Bio desert Hil Desroy added still Many seamen responded to questions about Tho Quality of Shore leave in Gull ports with unprintable expletives it s expensive said a British Sailo named Mileti from the Royal Navy Force known As the Dimilta Patio. And you re under a Tot of pressure to behave yourself his Iriondo Craig said. " we in told to toe the Lino or else said Milch Asho and Creig sipped pints of Lagos with friends in a crowded British Stylo pub in Manama. They refused to give their last names Lor fear of upsetting choir superiors i can t relax anywhere in the gut said one Sajor the main thing is we d lather to Al the 25-ship. 6.000 Man French lose concent ales its leaves on the relatively rollicking it duty port of i Brouti in Tho Northeast Africa country of Iho same name. French sailors said they also put in at Qatar Bahrain and the United Arab emirates while the Gull slates i Vive on Oil. Trade and banking impoverished Djibouti has seen a Windfall in the Western buildup in the Gulf. France s to Monde newspaper rep Orlid in december that More than so u British. French and Lallian warships had called at Djibouti since aug. 1. The Paris daily said Fiance alone spent s2.6m.hion to $3 5 Melon monthly in the country. Whose 300.coo people have a per capita income of roughly $500 annually it said officials there were concerned about reports Hal France might reduce ils feel in the Region suiting Tho hard pressed country s revenues. The stars and stripes Page 15
