European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - February 3, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse D North s role in release unclear sex hostage says Page 3 d marines getting leaner meaner Page 13 d another Dolphin player called Coke user Page 21 o jailed w. German terrorists on hunger strike Page 28 the mrs us is authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces vol.47,no.289 Friday february 1989 25t daily and sunday d 8693 a House to vote on trimming proposed pay hike to 30% Washington a House speaker Jim Wright moving to limit political damage from a pro posed 50 percent congressional pay raise said thurs Day the House would vote next week on cutting the increase to 30 percent. Wright said the House would also vote on Banning members from receiving speaking fees and other Hon or aria. Because House members currently can retain up to 30 percent of salary in Honor aria those receiving hearings set to investigate ship defense Washington a a report questioning the effectiveness of Navy systems to defend against Low flying missiles has prompted a House subcommittee to schedule hearings on the program a congressional aide said thursday. Rep. Charles Bennett d-fla.,. Chairman of the House armed services subcommittee on sea Power and strategic and critical materials ordered hearings to be held in March said Ralph Degennaro an aide tothe congressman. A general accounting office investigation found that Navy tests on the Mark 92 fire control system were not representative of actual combat testing of the Phalanx close in weapon system used to defend ships against missiles was conducted without using realistic countermeasures multiple threats and interference from other weapons Likely to occur in combat according to the report prepared by the Gao Congress investigative watchdog. Some unclassified parts of the secret Gao report were released this week by reps. Barbara Boxer d calif., and George Hochbrueckne d-n.y., who re Quested the report after the May 17, 1987, incident in the persian Gulf in which the guided missile frigate Stark was hit by two exocet missiles fired during an iraqi missile attack. Thirty seven americans died in the attack. The Stark was equipped with a Phalanx a computer controlled system that shoots Down missiles at close Range. I am concerned that not enough attention was paid to the effectiveness of the radars and fire control sys tems aboard the Stark Boxer said. These systems Are supposed to warn the Crew of airborne threats such As the deadly exocet missiles which hit the Stark and allow the Crew sufficient time to respond. While the official Navy report and report of the House armed services committee absolved the equip ment of any blame or. Hochbrueckne and i believe those reports raise questions about the effectiveness of the ship s a Navy spokesman it. Bruce Cole responded to the Gao report saying we have Confidence in the capability of the Ffg-7 a ship to defend itself. But it is generally accepted that the Ffg-7 is not As robust As some of the other the Stark is an Ffg-7, or Oliver Hazard Perry class guided missile a letter commenting on the Gao report Robert c. Duncan director of defense research and Engi Neering at the Pentagon said the frigates have an adequate capability to defeat sea skimming missiles but Only if All defensive systems Are operational and the Crew is the maximum would receive no actual raise. The House will vote next week to ban All honorariums and to Cut the pay raise to 30 percent instead of 50 percent. That la make it just come out even Wright told reporters. A 30 percent raise would boost the congressional salary by $26,850, to $116,350. A democratic leadership aide who spoke Only on condition of anonymity said Wright planned for the vote to take place after the raise would become Law wednesday. This would Roll Back the increase for Law makers and executive Branch officials but not for judges whose salary cannot be reduced under the Constitution. The Senate planned to vote thursday or Friday on the 50 percent raise which would boost most congressional salaries from $89,500 to $135,000, and was Vir see pay hike on Back Page vice president Dan Quayle is greeted in Venezuela by . Ambassador Otto Reich left and his wife. Sex president Carter criticized by Quayle for Ortega meeting Caracas Venezuela a . Vice presi Dent Dan Quayle on thursday criticized former president Carter for holding discussions with nicaraguan president Daniel Ortega saying that it has a Chance of complicating relate Story and photo Page 8. Quayle noted that the . Government still re fuses to talk with Ortega. Obviously when you have a former president meeting with Heads of state we Don t meet with it has a Chance of complicating matters Quayle told reporters following the inauguration of venezuelan president Carlos Andres Perez. Quayle said the . Goal is to see free and fair elections in Nicaragua and a regional solution to Central America s problems. He also said Ortega should hold a serious Dia Logue with the resistance within his own country and with neighbouring nations. On the diplomatic front Quayle said the United states would support any kind of efforts that we can move in the diplomatic area to see a change and to see the implementation of free elections in Nic Quayle and the . Delegation Are trying to learn More about a peace proposal that Ortega brought with him to Caracas but the vice president said nothing has been Learned officially. The nicaraguan Leader discussed his proposal in a meeting wednesday with Carter and Perez. Car Ter a former democratic president declined to Dis see Quayle on Back Page
