European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 28, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Europe slow in responding to iraqi threat i by sue Leeman a a. Associated press a Quot the persian Gulf crisis has presented Western Europe with a Tough practical test of its dream of uniting into a superpower. The european Community began the summer with ambitious plans for deepening the economic and political Union of its 12 member states. Then came the a iraqi invasion of Kuwait and suddenly the europeans must think militarily As Well. Their initial response was hesitant. The French appeared determined to go their own Way. West Germany cited constitutional restrictions on deploying forces outside Europe. A a a Britain As Ever Washington s most Loyal. Ally quickly sent ships and planes but it Vas an american show from the Start. That has helped squelch any notion in Europe. That with the end of the cold War America was fading away As a superpower Quot the United states has gained. Tremendous respect and people can no longer say that it is a failing superpower unable to keep up with the dec or anybody else Quot said Vernon Bogdanor an Oxford University expert on Europe. Quot the european population is larger than that of the United states and they rely on. Arab Oil e\7en More than the americans do but they Are simply not Able to organize their own  it took nearly three weeks for the europeans to come up with a joint response. The nine nation Western european Union the european Arm of nato said it had agreed on a coordinated military response to Back the . Embargo against Iraq. A a european Community foreign ministers also meeting in Paris announced that member countries would defy iraqi orders to close their embassies in Kuwait. Belgium the Netherlands Italy Spain / and Greece Are joining Britain and France in sending naval vessels to the Gulf. West Germany said it would propose a Ipha nge in its Constitution to allow participation. Portugal the ninth member of the Western european Union expressed reservations and did not commit itself to sending ships. Foreign minister Roland Dumas of France described the flurry of diplomatic activity in Europe last week As a response Quot to a situation which is exceptional in its Gravity Westland Lynx helicopter lands on British frigate Jupiter after monitoring merchant ships in Gulf. A and its  French president Francois Mitterrand acknowledged the disadvantage of not having a joint defense Structure. He said Europe Quot must become More conscious of itself which will become More possible once it has a political  Bogdanor said Europe was slow to act Quot partly because there is no real european government to make decisions and partly because of the Lack of a defense capacity Quot he said the Western european Union could act Only through member governments and required unanimity and the dec was preoccupied with internal problems Quot Germany is concentrating on reunification and the rest of Europe is looking at monetary and political Union so the Gulf crisis has really highlighted the weaknesses of the Community Quot Bogdanor said. Josef Janning of the european research group at Mainz University in West Germany said the delay showed the europeans had no concept of How to react quickly and were forced to scramble in a crisis. West Germany hid  own Laws to avoid military action in the Gulf he said Quot but it is noteworthy that. Changing the Constitution is no longer being completely  As the dec s economic powerhouse Germany cannot escape Quot the Point that at some time military operations must be undertaken even if they expos themselves to others who say a there come the germans who started world War ii Quot Janning said. The dec has been firmer on diplomatic issues arising from the crisis. Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd of Britain pointed to the United stand on Iraq s Zilfi ji13--  Tiu it threat to the embassies in Kuwait. Quot its been very heartening that against some predictions we be ail stuck together on this and none have yielded to the temptation to pull out the diplomatic staffs while the going was  he said Friday As iraqi troops began surrounding the legation. Quot even those countries who have very Small communities in Kuwait have stuck and that is a Good  Christopher kill lecturer in International relations at to London school of economics noted that the Western european Union meeting was the first to coincide with a conference of dec foreign ministers. Quot Combine this with the German decision and you have an extremely significant development Quot to said. Hill added however that the concerted action runs Quot the risk of breaking the traditional euro Arab dialogue  envoy los Angeles times t. He . Ambassador to Kuwait a. Nathaniel Howell had completed his three year assignment in the persian Gulf Sheik Dom and was hoping to get Back Home to Virginia before the month was out. The Senate already had confirmed his successor Edward w. Gnehm and Howell a who had spent most of his 25-year foreign service career in the Arab world a needed Only to make final preparations and say a last round of goodbyes before leaving. Instead Howell found himself trapped in  Kuwait at the head of a Small group of besieged american diplomats who remained at the . Embassy in Defiance of orders issued by the government of iraqi president Saddam Hussein. Nat Howell As his friends Call him. Is a portly bearded Man of 50 years whose hair is Apt to head in 70 directions at once. He Speaks  and French and has an immense intellect often angering Tocse who tend to argue issues in the Middle East from positions based on emotions. His has the ability friends say to see humor in every situation. Quot i remember Nat As a very sound steady kind of fellow who was Able to work in a crisis situation without getting flustered Quot said Hermann Eilts former . Ambassador to Egypt. Howell was named ambassador to Kuwait by then pies dont Reagan in 1987, he arrived in Kuwait m August of that year at a time when tankers were sailing through the persian Gulf under the Protection of american warships. Fie impressed kuwaiti journalists by speaking in both arabic and English upon his arrival. W. Nathaniel Howell before serving in Kuwait Howell was the political adviser to the commander of the u i. Central cored at Macdill fab in Tampa fla., a unit that oversaw the creation of the anti terrorism Force and developed contingency plans for Middle East events that would require a military response Quot i think of Nat As being an unflappable kind of person Quot said Nicholas a. Veliotes former . Ambassador to Egypt. Quot Flo was t one who worried whether what he did or said would affect his  a native of Portsmouth Howe it graduated with honors from the University of Virginia in 1961. He received his doctorate from the University in 1965. Last thursday Howell accompanied a 30-car Convoy of americans leaving Kuwait Tor Iraq. Fifty five dependents of personnel evacuated from the u g embassy in Kuwait wore Finall allowed to leave for Turkey after having been stranded Fri Baghdad then Howell got Back into his oar and returned to to embassy in Kuwait City where it was Uncertain what dangers Iraq s demand to dose it a facility would bring