European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 15, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Sex pow a it remembers a Page 9 authorized unofficial publication for the . Armed forces vol. 49, no. 154 saturday september 15,1990 25 daily and sunday d 8693 Achenes to list base closures Well Over 100 a abroad targeted Washington apr the Penta on will close a Well Over 100�?� military facilities overseas Over the next few years defense Secretary Dick Cheney said thursday. Cheney gave no specifics about the Type of facilities he was referring to but he said the bulk of the cutbacks would be in Western Europe. The Secretary made the remark at a ques Tion and answer session following a speech before the air Force association and the Comstock club in Sacramento Calif. Asked Why the administration had begun cutting Back on Domestic bases instead of Sites in Korea the Philippines or Japan Cheney replied a within the next couple of weeks i will announce Well Over 100 facilities overseas where . Forces Are now deployed that will in fact be closed Over the next couple of the Secretary said that a most of those would involve Sites in Western Europe. The closings will be in line with expected reductions in . Forces in Europe Given prospects for an agreement with the soviet Union on reducing conventional forces Cheney said. A so the idea that we re Only closing bases at Home simply Isnit a valid one because. There will be significant ones closures overseas a he said. A Pentagon spokesman Glenn flood said in Washington that Cheney was using the word a a facilities rather than bases. That could mean that Cheney would propose closing several facilities within a particular base such As a school Hospital or other Type of unit the spokesman said. In january Cheney recommended closing or scaling Back 72 Domestic bases and 14 overseas facilities. The Pentagon does no to need congressional approval to close overseas facilities. Cheney defended Domestic base closings As a necessary part of the Long term reduction in defense spending. A it is not a pleasant task to be the one see Cheney on Back Page Bush decries iraqi break in at embassy Washington apr president Bush Friday condemned Iraq for its a a outrageous break in of the French embassy residence in Kuwait and said the episode and the Brief detention of an american there adds up to a Clear violation of International Bush also announced that an american naval ship had fired a warning shot at an iraqi ship so that it could be boarded. A but it required a bit of a warning a Bush said. The president said he had talked with French president Francois Mitterrand earlier Friday a to consult with him on the outrageous iraqi break in of the French embassy residence in a these developments not Only underscore the brutal behaviour of Iraq but also the International support that exists and is marshalled against iraqis occupation of he had less information on reports that the . Consul in Kuwait was detained briefly Friday by iraqi troops who invaded the Canadian ambassador s residence in Kuwait. _ Bush was asked if the United states and its allies would now seek to escalate the pressure on Iraq. A when an escalation is required from me Saddam Hussein will know it a he said. Asked what he would do if Iraq entered the . Compound in Kuwait City Bush said a a that a too he said he had a not made a determination on How Long to keep the . Embassy open in Kuwait. It has been without electricity and water for several weeks. Bush spoke with reporters on the White House Lawn As he prepared to leave Washington to spend the weekend at the presidential Retreat at Camp David my. Asked if fridays events put the United states any closer to a War with Iraq Bush said a i put it closer to a War situation. I still Hope that this matter can be peacefully resolved. And the Way for that to happen is for Iraq to comply with the sanctions.�?�. On the boarding incident in the persian Gulf Bush said a yes an american vessel did in accordance with the United nations resolutions in accordance with the sanctions cause another iraqi vessel to heave to. It has been boarded. A i expect confidently that if it is not carrying any contraband or anything that will violate the sanctions that it will be permitted to go on its Way. But it required a bit of a warning before the Captain pulled Over and permitted the boarding party to have a Bush praised Japan for agreeing to increase its financial support for the multinational Effort confront see Bush on Back Page a members of the 1st Marine expeditionary Force test their weapons during live fire exercises area cleared for marines to test fire guns Check readiness Eastern saudi Arabia up a Marine tanks and heavy machine guns Friday pounded tracts of desert cleared so . Forces could test their live fire capability to ensure total readiness if War erupts against Iraq. The exercise followed weeks of political wrangling Between Washington and Riyadh which had been reluctant to Grant permission apparently because it objected to heavy ordnance being fired in the kingdom. But saudi Arabia eventually allowed the exercises which began on wednesday in a Range in Eastern province which helicopter patrols cleared of bedouin nomads and herds of wild camels. The 1st tank in of the 1st Marine expeditionary Force staged fridays firing which was mostly to ensure the calibration was Correct on the m60 Battle tanks 105mm guns. The Vietnam Era Armor had been stored for two years aboard maritime preposition ships before being swiftly dispatched to saudi Arabia in the crisis that ensued from iraqis aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait. Each tank swung into position in the fun Maceline desert and pumped out five shells the minimum to ensure hits on targets about 500 Yards away. Sight adjustments at this distance can ensure accuracy up to 1,600 Yards officials said. Matching the deafening thuds of the tanks marines unleashed volleys from .50-caliber heavy machine guns which were mounted atop the Armor. A anytime they fire a gun feel the recoil of the tank smell the Gunpowder they re motivated a said it. Col. Mike Kephart commander of the battalion deployed three weeks ago. A it gets the adrenalin going in the troops so they know what they Are out there but several marines were wary of their chances against iraqi t-72s, advanced soviet Battle tanks that would be their probable opponents in any War. A this tank is older than i am a Lance Cpl. John Albrecht 21, from Camp Pendleton Calif., said of the m60, which began production in 1960. A when it comes Down to it wed manage it but it would be real More than 1,000 pieces of iraqi Armor Are report see marines on Back Page
