European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 26, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Saturday May 26, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 9nuclear missiles to stay on planes a it would by unwise and premature to predict the outcome of that safety study and to make any decisions now before its  a Pete Williams by the Washington Post Washington a the department of defense thursday said it would not remove Short Range nuclear tipped missiles from strategic aircraft on War a a alerts before the air Force completes a special study on the possibility that they might explode in an aircraft fire. The decision to maintain Short Range attack missiles or srams on by b-52 and full strategic bombers ready for Takeoff on Short notice at air Force bases came after directors of the three . Nuclear weapons laboratories urged that the weapons be withdrawn from service and placed in storage. The scientists have expressed Strong concerns that an accidental aircraft fire will cause a spam to explode Likely dispersing a Fine dust of cancer causing radioactive plutonium or uranium from the Core of the nuclear warhead at the weapons tip. Two such accidents in the 1960s involving a different nuclear warhead carried by . Strategic bombers Cost millions of dollars to clean up. Defense department spokesman Pete Williams told reporters at the Pentagon that the spam a meets All our current safety standards and that a it would be unwise and premature to predict the outcome of that safety study and to make any decisions now before its done later this summer. Undersecretary of Energy John tuck expressed a similar View wednesday although he added that his Agency was a a going in the direction of the scientists recommendation. The Energy department and the defense department share formal responsibility for nuclear weapons safety a topic on which the directors of nuclear weapons laboratories in los Alamos and Albuquerque n.m., and Livermore calif., serve As advisers. Williams disparaged the scientists unanimous recommendation As an expression of a personal opinion that reflected More than a the scientific questions involving the spam. One of the three scientists had said that the policy of stationing the missiles aboard a a alerts aircraft which poses special safety risks should be reconsidered in Light of easing .-soviet military tensions. Another senior defense official who insisted on anonymity similarly accused the Laboratory directors of making a seat of the pants risk Benefit calculations that were inappropriate before the spam safety study was completed. A everyone is entitled to their View of having those weapons on Alert aircraft but the lab directors views Are certainly not authoritative a said the official who deals regularly with the topic. A there is one very real area of concerns involving nuclear weapons safety the official said a and that is the slowdown in weapons production in the Doe Complex which has delayed the introduction of bombs with modern safety  he was referring to environmental and safety hazards that have forced closure of a key Plant for weapons parts near Denver. Williams disclosed for the first time some of the air Force procedures that have been established in recent years to improve the weapons safety. He said certain officers and the base fire departments must now be notified during any a a alerts bomber exercises and that the air Force had adopted a safer method of operating b-52 and f-1ii bomber engines during maintenance checks. But other officials have said that the Pentagon vigorously opposed mentioning the spam concerns in a joint Doe Dod report to the White House on nuclear weapons safety. They also opposed establishment of a special safety committee proposed by Secretary of Energy James d. Watkins because of the spam dispute. A there were a lot of pressures about that Quot from the Pentagon Watkins said in an interview earlier this week. A but mostly it came from Low level official faceless bureaucrats. You get Down about the sixth level at the Pentagon and they hate Doe even the third level  he said however that Secretary of defense Dick Cheney eventually concurred in the safety report and deserved a a lot of credit for approving the safety  ships return to Mark Dunkirk anniversary a Little ships leave England s White Cliffs of Dover behind on their Way to Dunkirk France. Dunkirk France apr dozens of boats of All description crossed the Choppy English Channel and sailed into this French port thursday to commemorate the evacuation of Allied troops from Dunkirk 50 years ago. The 10-hour crossing by the so called a Little ships began a weekend of celebrations reuniting about 5,000 French and British veterans a some in their 90s a who fled to England just ahead of the advancing German army in 1940. The vessels hoisted the British naval Ensign and entered Dunkirk Waters in formation thursday afternoon behind a British frigate. They were greeted by a throng of local officials and Well wishers. A a it a a once in a lifetime thing i suppose a honorary British Consul to Dunkirk Sandy Baker said. A they wont be Able to do this again 50 years from  Britain a Prince Philip husband of Queen Elizabeth ii stood on the Dover docks to give a Royal Send off to 76 vessels re enacting the world War ii Mission that rescued 338,000 troops off beaches in Northern France and Belgium before onrushing German troops. At the end of May 1940, tank led German forces drove Allied troops onto the beaches of Dunkirk and de panne Belgium 20 Miles away where they were trapped with their backs to the Channel. On May 29, the British government appealed to owners of All types of vessels to Volunteer to fill out the shortage of troop transports. Amateur and professional sailors raced across the Channel in their boats to Aid the allies. Over the next seven Days an Armada of about 860 naval ships fishing boats and pleasure Craft rescued almost 400,000 British French and belgian troops under enemy fire. British coast guard boats stood by to Shepherd the elderly Fleet which could Only travel As fast As the slowest boat about 7 Mph. In addition to winds and High seas the boats had to sail through the wakes of ferries that frequently crisscross the Channel. About eight Miles out a boat that once carried Katharine Hepburn and Humphrey Bogart in the Hollywood film a the african Queen began taking on water off Ramsgate. A Rescue helicopter from a nearby Royal air Force base and a Lifeboat were sent to escort and Tow the 30-foot steam driven vessel Back to Harbor. The flotilla which will spend three Days in the Marine Basin at Dunkirk included motor launches. Cabin cruisers thames barges yachts old lifeboats and a former torpedo boat. Man it Are the original preserved Craft that returned from the beaches in 1940 with thousands of expeditionary forces aboard. Events commemorating the Rescue will include a Parade Wreath laying lunches parties and a prayer service in Dunkirk and in nearby de  leaders Kosher habits come under fire Jerusalem apr the diet of israeli leaders became a political Issue Friday As a powerful rabbi accused several politicians of eating non Kosher foods such As pork and shellfish. The accusations a against prime minister Yitzhak Shamir and others a were secretly recorded As rabbi Ovadia Yosef spoke to other religious leaders thursday. Josefs comments were the Lead item on both Israel and armed forces radio stations Friday morning and were quoted on the first Page of the daily be Diot Ahrnot newspaper. Yosef the spiritual Mentor of the Ultra orthodox shas party said of Shamir a the eats Only impure fish. That a what he likes he a dying for  he also said of Ariel Sharon a leading right Wing figure a the does no to eat shellfish but he really loves  Israel radio reported Shamir refused to comment when asked in an interview about Josefs charges. Neither Sharon nor his spokesman could be reached for comment. Yossef azran head of the shas faction in parliament told army radio that Josefs remarks on the politicians dining habits were taken out of context. Many religious jews adhere to strict dietary Laws that prohibit them from eating foods they consider unclean such As pork and shellfish. The accusations were broadcast As Sha Mir the interim prime minister tries to convince Ultra orthodox religious parties to join a coalition Cabinet that would be led by his right Wing liked bloc. Yosef played a key role two months ago in toppling Shamire a coalition government with the left leaning labor party. The coalition lost a vote of Confidence in parliament after Yosef ordered the six shas lawmakers to abstain. Shas traditionally has supported liked