European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 11, 1989, Darmstadt, Hesse                                D polish minister designate favors wage moratorium Page 2 n new destroyer class to be launched Page 5 d nil Champion 49ers win opener Page 21 d More raids staged on drug lords property Page 28 the stars  authorized Nofi for the . Armed forces vol. 48, no. 147 monday september 11. 1989 Good mar nine so &�., d 8693 a Bennett denies plan to Send troops to fight latin drug War Washington a the Bush administration is willing to Send military advisers 10 Peru and Bolivia to help in the War against narcotics drug Czar William. Bennett said sunday. Bennett however denied published reports the administration has a secret plan to Send . Special forces on drug fighting missions in combat zones in the two andean Mountain neighbors of Colombia. There is no plan for any special forces to accompany troops in i Cru or Bolivia into combat  Bennett said in the Abc to program this week with David  that is not in the plan. There is no such plan Bennett said. We Sec now in Colombia the presence of american trainers working with the colombians giving them advice training them on  he said. This is the kind of thing we would anticipate if Peru and Bolivia take the  Bennett was responding to a report in sunday editions of the Washington Post that president Bush had signed a secret National Security directive including new rules of engagement for . Special forces in the three andean countries. He did not specifically deny that Bush had signed the directive but insisted the administration docs not intend to Send troops into combat in latin America. For about two years some two dozen members of the . Special forces based in Panama have been rotating into Colombia training military forces there. That role would apparently be expanded by the directive the Post said Bush had signed. Details of the plan would he worked out in greater detail Over the next two weeks the newspaper reported. The report quoted a senior administration official As saying that several Hundred . Military advisers could be sent to the three nations under the andean initiative announced by Bush in his nationally Tele Vised address tuesday night. A secret Section of the plan would authorize the . Special forces to accompany military patrols into so called Safe areas in the three nations including Peru s upper Hua Llaga Valley the report said. The Region is a coca growing Jungle that . Officials say is see troops on Back Page giving Trident protesters a Chase a is. Coast guard boat left pursues two Green peace protesters As their Craft passes the Barrier sur rounding the Trident missile submarine Pennsylvania during commissioning ceremonies saturday in new London Conn. Six protesters were arrested when they tried to approach the sub. Star. Pages crewmen tight lipped about battleship blast by the associated press the memory of the explosion was still vivid but crewmen from the battleship Iowa were tight lipped after an official re port said a gunner s mate probably intentionally caused the gun Turret explosion which killed 47 sailors. What is done is done. We just want to forget about it now. But 1 will never forget the smell of a burning body one member of the Crew said. Sailors interviewed in bars and diners near the . Naval base at Gacita Italy where the Iowa is anchored said they had not seen a copy of the report and refused to fully identify themselves. The associated press requested Access to the Iowa but the Navy denied the request. The Iowa left its Norfolk va., Home port in june for six months in the Mediterranean sea. The report released by the Pentagon thursday said circumstantial evidence indicated gunner s mate 2nd class Clay ton m. Hartwig who was killed in the explosion intentionally sparked the april 19 blast in a 16-Inch gun Turret. In Cleveland Hartwig s sister Kath Leen Kubicina said she got a letter dated aug. 27 from a Sailor she would identify Only As Tom that said Crew members did not believe Hartwig was capable of causing the explosion. The people on Board who knew him believe As i do that the idea of Clay being capable of such a crime is insane the Sailor wrote. "1 Don t know what the re sults of the investigation will be but it will not change mine or a lot of this Crew s minds As to what we believe could never have happened because we knew Clay Kubicina said the letter writer s Mother had asked her not to reveal her son s last name for fear of retaliation from the Navy. Kubicina provided a copy of the letter to the associated press. When i first read it i fell this incredible Relief Kubicina said. Even though it was written before the report was re leased it shows a lot of the Guys support our position. It made a world of differ ence to know the Guys support  Kubicina and Hartwig s father Earl have said they believe the Navy sought a Scapegoat and blamed Hartwig for the explosion that caused the biggest loss of life in the Navy since the Vietnam War. She said the family plans to file a Defa mation of character lawsuit against the Navy. We will file because this has caused undue emotional distress to the family she said. One Sailor interviewed at Gacita who identified himself As being from Miami said he worked in the Turret six months before the explosion and had asked to be transferred to another assignment. I am glad i transferred because i had Beer there. I had loaded the same guns. I would have been in the Middle of it. If i had my Way i would be off the Iowa by now he said. A lot of the Guys who died were my friends he added. Another crewman who identified him self As Bob also expressed doubt Hart wig was to blame. I find it hard to believe that one Guy could be responsible for All that said the Sailor who said he was from Michigan