European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 23, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Pours into 4 by Deedee Arrington Doke Kaiserslautern Bureau Ramstein a West Germany four . Air bases in Europe Are being used to funnel troops and supplies to saudi Arabia in what a Pentagon official says is the largest Day to Day Airlift Ever mounted by the United states. Gen. Hansford to Johnson chief of the defense departments transportation come said in Washington on tuesday that the command has 500, tons of Materiel either in route to or already in the Middle East. In terms of daily tonnage being moved he said the Airlift is the largest m . History. Rhein main a in West Germany and Torr Ion and Zaragoza air bases in Spain Are being used As stopovers for military shipments from the United states in support of desert shield the code name for the . Deployment to saudi Arabia. And Ramstein a in West Germany is a Stopover for air Crews returning to the United states said Brig. Gen. James l. Hobson jr., who commands the 322nd Airlift div. The division oversees military Airlift come operations in Europe and has about 5,000 workers including 3,000 uniformed personnel. The command is using c-5 Galaxy and c-141 Star lifter strategic transport aircraft to ferry cargo and people to the Middle East. Since desert shield began aug. 7, the 322nd�?Ts workload has tripled a Quot and we were Busy before a a spokesman said. Ramstein and Zaragoza originally were not planned to be staging areas but it soon became Clear that Torrejon could not handle the additional traffic Hobson said monday. Up to 12 missions a Day primarily c-5s, were see Airlift on Back Page the so Sand stripes authorize d unofficial publication for the . Ahmed forces  a a is a . Quot of vol. 49, no. 131 thursday August 23,1990 25 Only a not sunday 0 8693 a More muscle to by the associated press Arab and Western nations toughened their resolve against Saddam Hussein on tuesday condemning his threats against the hostages and adding More muscle to the Force intended to strangle his Economy and drive him out of Kuwait. Arab efforts to counter the iraqi aggression grew. Egypt which has led Arab opposition to the invasion urged Saddam to withdraw from Kuwait or face a War a that will devour  Syria formally  was sending troops to saudi Arabia. Yemen promised to turn away an iraqi Oil Tanker but doubts surfaced when at least two iraqi Oil tankers appeared in its port. In a speech directed to president Bush Saddam defended detaining foreigners and promised a a major catastrophe if fighting Breaks out in the persian Gulf. Iraqis foreign minister Tariq Aziz called for a negotiated settlement but did not offer to withdraw iraqi troops from Kuwait. White House spokesman Marlin Fitzwater dismissed Saddam a speech As the Quot same old Litany from Iraq and said no talks Are possible until Iraq withdraws its troops from Kuwait. Saddam defended his decision to round up thousands of westerners and use them As a shield around military facilities. In a speech read by an announcer on iraqi television Saddam said Quot Banning some foreigners from travel is not motivated by vengeance but rather a measure to prevent a crime of aggression which president Bush intends to commit against the people of Iraq after his crime of g the land of Mecca and the shrine of the Prophet Mohammed. If he commits this crime a major catastrophe will befall not Only the Region but also the  he denounced the United states for rejecting his offer sunday to free foreigner if the United states withdraws its forces from saudi Arabia and guarantees that the economic embargo against Iraq will be lifted. Of the 3,000 americans trapped in Iraq and Kuwait by the aug. 2 invasion 54 arc believed to have been seized by iraqi authorities the state department says. Aziz who spoke with reporters in Jordan also said Iraq was prepared to end the crisis through negotiations but neither he nor Saddam offered to withdraw the iraqi troops that overran Kuwait. A we arc ready to talk a Aziz said. A my president made proposals that we Are ready to put All the cards on the table at the . Security Council. Aziz said such a meeting should resolve All conflicts continued on Back Page Aims soldiers from the 101st airborne div air assault unload a Black Hawk helicopter in saudi Arabia tuesday. Iraqi troops a shaky a experts say to get f-15s, tanks Cairo Egypt apr defense Secretary Dick Cheney intends to a move quickly to help saudi Arabia bolster its Arsenal of f-i5 tighter jets and heavy tanks a senior Pentagon official said tuesday. No specific agreements were reached tuesday during Cheney a visit with King fahd and defense minister Prince Sultan at the end of. His four Day Lour of five persian Culf states said the official. But the iraqi threat to the Oil Rich desert kingdom and the need to upgrade the saudi Arsenal in the face of iraqi president Saddam Hussein a army purported to number a million troops Means the Bush administration will consider Selling the saudis High powered f-15c and f-15d Jet fighters plus heavy tanks the official said. The source refused to confirm or deny a report that the vastly More sophisticated version of the fighter the Al 5e, was also on the saudi a wish  in order to bolster the Arab nations defences quickly such weaponry would have to be purchased from the Pentagon a present Stock. The saudis already have agreed to Purchase s3 Bill see Cheney on Back Page Dhahran. Saudi Arabia apr iraqi forces based in Kuwait Are stealing water food and fuel to survive and their effectiveness As a fighting Foree should not be overrated British intelligence sources said tuesday. The sources also said that the iraqi threat of chemical warfare is not As great As first eared. The sources said the 120,000 iraqi soldiers now occupying Kun Wall Are in Lar worse shape than the West Tirol believed. And that even president Saddam Hussein a elite Republican guard is losing its Edge of combat readiness. The iraqi logistics system is a a shambles Quot and soldiers Are reduced to stealing water and siphoning gasoline from civilian ears the sources said. Mans of the iraqi troops Are a a it Oung a 2  they said. American intelligence now paints a picture of an iraqi and whose discipline is breaking Down and whose equipment is becoming increasingly unserviceable in the rigorous desert climate the sources said. Quot there is a danger of giving too much credit to Saddam a capabilities a said air vice marshal Sandy Wilson commander of the British forces stationed in saudi Arabia. Wilson told reporters that he is conf see iraqi on Back Page special edition j on Gulf crisis a stories on pages 2, 3, 13-17