European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 4, 1988, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 columns the stars and stripes thursday february 4,1988 . Rosenthal Congress must deny a Victory to sandinista Ien everybody shouts nobody listens Tama Kasif of i v \ j a mils Omitine in this country about Nicaragua gets i 1 of a i j when nobody listens the shouting ii louder and louder the time for listening and thinking Shorter and Shorter. It s useless to try to convince the loudest among the american shouter two groups. There Are Ameri cans who do not Sec or refuse to acknowledge the sandinista for what they Are a communist regime thai will maintain a dictatorship As Long Asil can. The other group consists of americans who believe that the sandinista eventually must be unstated by Force at whatever Cost in nicaraguan blood. But there arc also americans whom the shouting often drowns out. We oppose the sandinista govern ment As it tyranny Ana Hope it can be removed from Power. We believe that it can be done without total military Conquest. In will talc a real cease fire and then years of political struggle. The sandinista May never change. But the Gamble is Worth taking now that they Are weakened to avoid More years of bloodshed. The real Hope for a free Nicaragua is the fact that the political resistance to the sandinista is a popular movement extending beyond the contras business men clergy Farmers academics professionals politicians. Trial holds out the Chance of the democratic Center coming to Power one Day. But As things stand the contras arc the sole military Force in the entire opposition. If they arc totally abandoned now the future of the democratic Center will be wiped out with them. The past in littered with american mistake. First we supported the Somoza tyranny until we be came identified with in. Then we failed to build up the centrists who called out for our help. When we decided to Back the contras we brought in fascist minded Argentine officers to help Tram them. We manipulated the contras until they seemed Pup Pels and mercenaries. One result was the Romani citation of the Sandinia tas. Americans forgot the truth. The nicaraguan Revo Lution was a popular movement that included inc sandinista. They did Noi create the revolution they seized in. Heavy handed american policy made in difficult to see the Contra clearly. James Lemoyne who covers Centra America for the new York times whole on oct. 4, 1987, that Washington used the contras As an Insl Rumen of american policy. But he also wrote burdened by administration rhetoric and sandinista propaganda he contras have had a hard Lime being seen for what they arc a committed army of ill trained hillbilly peasants from Northern Nicaragua these Hillbillies with american arms forced the Bernard e. Ira1nor Pullover. Shes Eftin tithe state of emergency sandinista to make concessions and made the Arias plan possible. The sandinista Hope the concessions will Lead to their primary goal american dumping of the peasant army. In would be destructive to commit one last manipulation of the contras Swift abandonment at the very Point that the sandinista Are forced to Bend at Lite very Point when the contras have become the major leverage for the entire nicaraguan resistance. When Aid to contras comes up for a vote in con Gress in will be the duty of Congress to produce a plan thai would not give the sandinista the Victory Over inc resistance that they have been unable to achieve themselves nor imply that the United states was committed Only to a Contra military Conquest of the Sandi nistas. The Aid package presented by the adminis Lra lion should be amended. Economic Aid should be i tended to the whole nicaraguan opposition the contras and also political parties Church groups unions and other parti of the resistance. The United slates would thus refuse to wipe out the Conlu but also insist that the future belongs to All Nicaragua re. The contras should gel the minimum amount of non lethal supplies needed to keep them going. For their part. Contra Leaden living in Miami should pick themselves up and return to the political struggle in Nicaragua risking and even courting Airt St to do so. The Small amount of lethal military Aid re queued for the contras should be held in escrow not just until March 31, As suggested by the administration but for n year unless congressional Leaden and the president agree before then thai the peace process has failed or that soviet arms Are Hill flowing to the sandinista. A year would give the world a Chance to lest Sandi Nistl willingness to give up a real measure of Power. In would give the in lira opposition time to build political machinery. Ii would do one More thing pass responsibility for american policy in Nicaragua to inc next president or the United states who would have to make his stand specific and Clear by election Day he Voi to Tom new Btu Tif israeli army Nof of its Best playing policeman since Early december the is Rael defense Force envied among armies of the world for courage and performance has been playing an unaccustomed role As policemen in try ing to put Down palestinian riots in the occupied West Bank and Gaza strip to is hardly a Rote that the combat oriented army relishes. It is Uncertain whal off Sci the Job of facing Rock throwing rioters will have on morale in inc Long run. The israeli army thrives on its Warrior image and lives in austere Field conditions. Its entire focus is on the defense of its Borders. The spartan life and preoccupation with readiness for combat Are a source of Naiona Pride. Use of the army for Noa fighting purposes be it for Cere monies or riot control is considered a misuse by israeli military officers be cause it detracts from the role As a fight ing Force. Professional soldiers in most armies dislike being used As policemen. It often demoralized corrupts and weakens them As a combat Force. The dutch French and British armies and those at other i9ih-Cenlury colonial Powers experienced the debilitating Side effects in maintaining order Over reluctant foreign subjects so did the armies of Germany and Japan at the height of i hair Power in world War ii. The United Stales army had its own bad experiences enforcing the peace Dat ing from the Indian wars a Century ago through the deployment of uni cd states marines in Lebanon in inc Early i980i. When the palestinian rial spread through the areas the israelis have occupied since the 1967 War the government Ai first avoided using combat uni against them. Reserve and non combat troops were sent 10 help the overworked police. When this proved inadequate the israelis relic Laully ordered in soldiers from such elite units As the special opera Lions forces the paratrooper and the Battle proven Tolani brigade at least 38 arabs have been killed so far and the Rioli show Little sign of Abat ing. If riots and civil disobedience continue for an extended period and if the army becomes the Mam Force used against them in will be devastating according to a former israeli officer who asked not to be identified if the if becomes the oppressor of kids women and the elderly 1 be said its soldiers motivation Israel s secret weapon which look years to build will be destroyed another officer said this is a demo cratic army. Soldiers question what Juicy after the israeli attack on palestinian guerrillas in Lebanon in 1982, some sol Diers risked court martial to protest the War when it expanded beyond a punitive expedition. Some american experts on the israeli army and on military sociology see no immediate threat la morale As the sol Diers Battle the Rillera. But they acknowledge that the army faces a Challenge for which in is ill prepared. Michael a Hudson professor of Arab studies at Georgetown University Calls it a new form of warfare. Youth against technology kids Dar ing the soldiers to shoot he said. There has t been anything like this since the Early Days of occupation to i96s. Hie Days of israeli Intima Daliri Are Over. 11 gave birth to a new and de fiant Edward n. Lutwak of the Center for strategic and International studies in Washington who recently resumed from discussions with military leaders in is Rael said too few israeli soldiers were confronting the rioters for the army As a whole to be affected. American and israeli career military officers Are less sure. Punde and morale As Well As an army i regulation can be influenced by lined and Iran Silorey events even if few soldiers Are involved. If units of the army Are portrayed As heavy handed and ruthless in handling rioters the reputation of the army Wal differ in in own eyes and Wilh in morale and self esteem. He to Lett
