European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 2 the stars and stripes tuesday january 17,1989 Toft warns against leaping into troop cuts in Europe by Charlie Bowden Munich Bureau Oberammergau West Germany the Pentagon s departing second in command urged caution monday Over Calls for a reciprocal reduction of  in Europe in response to the soviet Union s announcement of unilateral troop withdrawals. What we re seeing Here is an attempt to get credit at the bargaining table for Steps that really should have been take Long ago William h. Taft in said in an interview after a closed presentation at the nato school in Oberammergau near Garmisch in Southern Bavaria. It s not an unfamiliar approach by the soviet Union to these types of discussions Taft said. They enjoy today a very substantial numerical advantage Over nato forces. They can easily afford this reduction and in fact there awesome advantages to it and they will still enjoy a substantial advantage if these reductions  the Deputy Secretary of defense note that soviet forces have increased by 2 million Over the past 20 to 25 years. The key to Force Levels he said will be the outcome of talks with the soviets about the balance of conventional forces in Europe which Taft suggests will be the next major step for the two superpowers. It really depends on the outcome of those talks what the Force Levels As required in Europe As a whole will be an what our portion of those forces willbe he said adding that it was Prema Ture to suggest that we should have an significant draw  . Troops unilaterally Taft said would diminish Taf the prospects of a successful negotiation rather than strengthen it. What we want is reductions on both  also predicted a Rocky Road for the final Reagan defense budget eve though it holds few surprises for con  program that we have rep resented is the same As we advertised Las year he said. That program called for a 2 percent real growth in defense spend ing based on the fiscal 1989 budget tha Congress approved with relatively Little  shave costs the administration snipped 1 percent off the projected pay raises for both military and Federal civil Ian employees Taft said. But pay along with Quality of life programs readiness and training have Strong supporters on Capitol  s less Strong support for cer Tain procurement programs and some of the strategic programs Taft said. That la be where the Issue will Besought and it s going to be very diff  wraps up eight years with the de sense department this week As the administration changes. Asked to Summa Rize the highlights of the department during the Reagan Era Taft listed in creased pay and Quality of life programs modernization of both strategic and conventional weaponry and support equip ment a United approach with allies and a better relationship with  of these have contributed to a situation where tensions Are being reduced he  an operational standpoint Taft listed Grenada the Achille Lauro Inci Dent and the 1986 raid on Libya As key Success stories for the   showed that we were ready and Able to execute missions on Short no Tice he said. We showed that what we re called upon to do will be done successfully and  sources say vice chairman of pm picked for no. 2 Post of Pentagon Washington a the no. 2 Job at the Pentagon will go to Donald Atwood jr., vice chairman of general motors corp., sources in president elect George Bush s transition operation said monday. Atwood 63, is the top Choice of de sense Secretary designate John Tower to be Deputy Secretary of defense. Transition officials who spoke on the condition of anonymity said Atwood s selection was to be announced monday. Pm spokesman Jim Crellin said in Detroit that Atwood was unavailable for comment. Or. Atwood is aware he s on a list of candidates for a position of Deputy Secre tary of defense Crellin said. He does not feel that it would be appropriate to comment on the matter until a final Deci  the likelihood that Atwood would be selected was first reported by the new York times. The newspaper sunday said Atwood was at the top of a list of contenders that included William Paul senior vice presi Dent for defense and space systems at United technologies corp., and Vincent Cook a vice president of International business machines corp the Deputy has responsibility for the Pentagon s daily operation. Atwood has filled management positions at pm for 27 years. As vice chair Man of pm he supervises divisions that manufacture electronics and air plane systems for the  Engineer by profession he has had experience running Large Industrial organizations including pm s truck and bus group and the Hughes aircraft co. After pm acquired it in 1985. News updates deadline extended new York a the judge presiding Over the agent Orange litigation has extended the dead line until March 1 for Vietnam veterans to file claims for benefits from the settlement fund. The Extension of the Jan. 1 deadline was in response to a re quest by an official Kenneth fein Berg who said recent news cover age of the payment program had generated a significant increase in inquiries about the settlement. Officials had said they expected the first payments to be distributed by March or april. Sex official disbarred new York a Robert b. Anderson . Treasury Secretary under president Eisenhower has been disbarred for tax evasion and illegal banking activities. A state appeals court called its action a sad but we think Nec Essary end to the Legal career of one who has in times less be clouded by poor and corrupt judgment served his country in High  Anderson 78, pleaded guilty in 1987 to evading taxes on $240,000 in income for 1983 and 1984 an operating an illegal Bank in which investors lost $4.4 million. He was sentenced to a month in prison and five months House arrest fined $500,000 and ordered to enter an alcohol treatment pro Gram. Anderson headed the Treasury in 1957 to 1960. He also served As Deputy Secretary of the Navy an special ambassador to Panama during the Panama canal negotiations. Service set for go who died on training run Darmstadt West Germany a memorial service will be held at 2  in the Kelley Barracks Chapel for spec. Thomas r. Swansonjr. Of the 596th Maint , 22, died Friday during a training run. Missing sex belgian Leader had received threats _. J to tit r /tls.4ivv cw&m/-vi_1artnriiqryf� Rahert Nat car Brussels Belgium a Paul Vanden Boey Nants 69, the former belgian Leader who is missing and presumed kidnapped by an unknown left Wing group received unspecified threats prior to his disappearance prime minister Wilfried Martens said Mon Day. Or. Vanden Boey Nants had received threats lately and had requested to meet with the Interior minister presumably to discuss his safety Martens said. He did not elaborate. Interior minister Louis Tabback confirmed he Wasto meet with Vanden Boey Nants monday afternoon. He said Vanden Boey Nants Secretary called his office last thursday to say Vanden Boey Nants wanted to Dis cuss a personal  Vanden Boey Nants has been missing since saturday evening. We have no elements to say a direct link can be established Between the threats to or. Vanden Boey Nants and his disappearance Deputy Brussels prosecutor Andre Vandoren told reporters. He said he was treating the disappearance As a kid napping possibly for political reasons. But Joha Vande Lanotte an aide to Tabback said m a statement so far the Case is a strictly judicial matter. There i nothing to indicate that a truly terrorist act or Politi Cally inspired action is  three Anonymous phone Calls have been received. _ _ us. A u disappearance one sat soil the other two on Sun Inre Pun claiming responsibility for his disappearance urday evening to the daily be Day to a Tbs Belgium s French language radio network. Sunday s caller spoke on behalf of a group calling itself the brigade socialist revolution ire revolutionary socialist brigade. Officials said they had never heard of the group whose French initials bar Are the same. It was unclear who called Lesoir. The paper Mon Day said the caller spoke to a night watchman on be half of a group of revolutionary  police found Vanden Boey Nants car in the garage near the nine Story apartment Complex where he lives in a posh Brussels neighbourhood raising speculation he was seized As he arrived Home shortly after 6 . Near the garage police found a shoe and a pipe belonging to the former belgian Leader. 2 teens charged in deaths of police during Chase Dallas a two teen agers were charged with murder monday for their alleged roles in a car Chase that led to the deaths of two Young police officers authorities said. One youth a 16-year-old, was brought to police by his Mother sunday night. The other a 17-year-old, was arrested Early monday after police questioned the younger boy. Neither was identified. They Are accused in the deaths of Lisa Sandel 26, and Mark Fleming 24, whose police Cruiser went out of control Friday night and slammed into the rear of a pickup on a rain sickened Street. A police recruit rid ing in the Back seat of the car was seriously injured. The officers were pursuing a stolen car when the Accident occurred. The vehicle was found abandoned nearby shortly after the crash. A police spokesman detective Roy Hodgens said it was too Early to discuss the specific roles the two youths May have played in the car theft and Chase. Detective . Davis said the 17-year-old was being held at the Lew Sterrett Justice Center on $100,000bond. No Bond was set for the 16-year-old, who was being held at the Dallas county juvenile detention Center Davis said. The first teen Ager surrendered while about 200 police officers their families and City officials gathered sunday evening for a candlelight Vigil honouring the two officers. The recruit Nathaniel White 25, was in serious condition monday in the intensive care unit at Baylor University medical Center officials said. Willie Earl Henderson 62, Driver of the pickup was in stable condition monday at Charlton methodist Hospital in Duncanville