European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 12, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Senate approves free postage by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a with postage Stamps As scarce As water holes in the saudi arabian desert the Senate voted monday to give troops in the theater free mail privileges. Sen. Jesse Helms , introduced the amendment to extend so called a a franking privileges to troops in the persian Gulf theater As part of the Senate a $20.7 billion fiscal �?T91 Treasury and postal service appropriations Bill. The amendment was approved unanimously. The Senate still is working on the appropriations Bill but a staffer for Helms said approval of the whole Bill is Only a matter of time. A the Senate must pass that Bill a the staffer said. A the House has already passed their version of the Bill. The Pentagon and the Bush administration Are wholeheartedly in favor of it. We expect no opposition anywhere along the  in a speech on the Senate floor Helms said current Law authorizes free mailing privileges Only for military personnel in circumstances involving armed combat. Troops in Vietnam for example enjoyed full franking privileges that required them simply to write their name and unit on the envelope the Helms staffer said. The amendment would change the Law to cover personnel a temporarily deployed overseas for an operational contingency in arduous  in his speech. Helms said that during his recent trip to saudi Arabia troops repeatedly complained about one thing. A they did not have Stamps they could not get Stamps and if by see postage on Back Page authorized unofficial publication forthe . Armed forces vol. 49, no. 151 wednesday september 12, 1990 a a 25 daily and sunday d 8693 a Japan May approve $2 billion in Gulf Aid by the associated press Japan tuesday said it is considering giving $2 billion in Aid to Egypt Jordan and Turkey an infusion aimed at strengthening the resolve of nations most severely affected by the . Embargo on Trade with Iraq. The announcement came a Day after iraqi president Saddam Hussein sought to puncture the embargo by offering free Oil to developing nations. The White House called the move an act of desperation. The first nations to respond to the offer the Philippines and Namibia both rejected it tuesday. But Cuba and Romania have struck Oil deals with Iraq and companies elsewhere Are trying to continue Trade with Iraq a state department report says. The report made available to the associated press says some Eastern european countries also Are trying to maintain their military sales to Iraq. The . Security Council ordered the embargo after iraqis aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait and a .-led multinational Force is in the persian Gulf Region enforcing the blockade. The United states has sent an estimated 100,000 troops to saudi Arabia to deter a possible iraqi attack. . Secretary of state James Baker met in Moscow tuesday with soviet foreign minister Eduard Shevardnadze. The talks follow a weekend .-soviet Summit in Finland that produced a strongly worded statement demanding iraqis withdrawal from Kuwait. Baker asked nato members in Brussels Belgium monday to Send ground troops to the Gulf Region a even As a symbolic presence. There were no immediate offers. Baker also announced that he would visit Syria to coordinate opposition to Iraq with president Hafez Assad. The United states and Syria have Long standing differences Over human rights and terrorism but the iraqi threat has brought them together. Syria Egypt and Morocco All have sent troops to saudi Arabia at the desert kingdoms request. The invasion has shattered the facade of Arab Unity. On monday 12 of the Arab leagues 21 members ignored iraqi protests and voted to move the leagues Headquarters to Cairo Egypt. Eight members backed see Japan on Back Page army Riding Herd on generals Gulf visits by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a the army is concerned that too Many chefs Are crowding its saudi arabian Kitchen. Because of the number of generals seeking to visit their unit elements in the theater Gen. Gordon Sullivan the army vice chief of staff has ordered that such requests now must be cleared through his office. Army commanders in operation desert shield Are a actively engaged in a major buildup of forces in a dynamic operational environment a Sullivan said in a Short message sent to the Field this week. A their focus is on operational  the army must defer visits by generals not assigned to the theater a until the environment stabilizes and the massive influx of troops and equipment slows Down Sullivan said. A for now we need to pursue visits Only for those generals with an operational requirement. Army general officers with an operational need to visit saudi Arabia should request clearance from my  Sullivan said the clearance requirement will be in effect until further notice. The number of senior officers seeking to visit saudi Arabia stems from the fact that Many units have not fully deployed but instead have sent smaller elements to the Middle East an army spokesman said. A a it a the natural inclination of commanders to visit their troops to be sure their needs Are being taken care of a the spokesman said. A right now the theater  sustain the potentially Large numbers of  such visits a use up a lot of assets a particularly transportation that can to be spared while the buildup in saudi Arabia is still in High gear he said. A feeding time in the sky like baby Birds following their Mother two Navy Over the persian Gulf. Refuelling the hornets is a ions of Gas a minute. The midair refuelling allows the f/a-18 Jet fighters quench their thirst tuesday High Marine Kc-130 Tanker which can dispense 300 Gal fighters to carry less Gas and More armament