European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 14, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday november 14, 1990 the stars and stripes Arine troops told of possible offensive lamps t emf Nvvf a. By James Lemoyne in saudi Arabia not a one of in most senior . Military commanders Here told his troops Over the weekend iat it now is possible that they would lunch an offensive against Iraq in the months ahead. The statement by marines maj. Gen. Robert m. Johnston a leading member of be . Central come in saudi Arabia As repeated by other senior officers sat iday As they reacted to president Bush a decision to Send at least 150,000 reinforcements to saudi Arabia a to provide adequate offensive military options if economic sanctions against Iraq Are deemed insufficient. Speaking on the 215th anniversary of the founding of the Marine corps Johnston said the presidents decision to Send additional units and not to permit any rotation of the 230,000 . Military personnel already Here meant that now a we May indeed have to concern ourselves with an offensive options against Iraq. It appeared to be the first explicit acknowledgement by a . Officer that the former limited goal of defending saudi my discharges reservist to refused to go to Gulf Arabia was giving Way to a new imperative to prepare a possible attack. Since they first arrived Here in August . Commanders have denied making any offensive preparations. Addressing the assembled ranks of the 1st Marine dives Headquarters unit Johnston warned his troops that they faced a a whole new ballgame and that a War in this Region could be More difficult than the War in Vietnam. A the Prospect of offensive combat is going to be the greatest Challenge that marines have seen in Many decades a he said. A we Are going to need everything we have if we go to War against the  under military rules the precise numbers and locations of . Units cannot be reported. But the Marine forces visited saturday Are among the most Forward deployed combat units in the saudi desert. Johnston and other senior officers said they had not yet fully informed . Troops Here of the decision not to permit any units to rotate Home As reinforcements come in. A we just got the message last night a said another Marine commander Brig. Gen. James Myatt. A i think its going to have a sobering  Louisville by. A an Illinois army reservist was discharged and excused from duty in the persian Gulf after jiving she was a conscientious objector officials said. Spec. Stephanie Atkinson a is the first reservist that a been placed on Active duty Thohas refused to report a said her attorney Tod Ensign director of new York based citizen Soldier. I Atkinson who had been interned since nov. 2, was released from House arrest at tort Knox on saturday said master sgt. Len Distler a base spokesman. Atkin ones Mother picked up her daughter and Pey left he said. Military authorities on Friday approved it Kinson a discharge under a other than honorable conditions a the most Adverse of the three possible discharges in such circumstances said fort Knox spokeswoman Laurie Viggiano. I the army however does not recognize Atkinson As a conscientious objector. Unread they allowed her to be discharged h order to avoid a lengthy and costly ourt martial the spokeswoman said. The 23-year-old Murphysboro 111., resident was a postal clerk with the 300th adjutant general postal co. The unit got notice oct. 15 that it was to go on Active duty but Atkinson was not with the group when it left for the persian Gulf on oct. 30. She said she thought the . Military was in the persian Gulf solely for economic reasons. The army formally charged Atkinson earlier Friday with desertion and missing movement to an overseas assignment Viggiano said. In order to avoid a lengthy proceeding Atkinson requested a a discharge for the Good of the  if she had been convicted at a court martial Atkinson could have faced a dishonourable discharge a five year prison sentence or demotion to the army slowest rank. Atkinsons Case is similar to one in Hawaii in which a Marine is awaiting court martial for refusing to go to saudi Arabia. Cpl. Jeffery Paterson is seeking conscientious objector status and has been charged with unauthorized absence and disobeying orders. He has been restricted to the Kaneohe Marine corps air station since a Federal judge ordered him released from the Brig on sept. 21. Temporary lodgings service members from National guard and Reserve transportation units Start a new Day in a warehouse used to stage troops arriving in saudi Arabia. Rab americans split in views on Gulf crisis Washington apr Jawad George was excited a pout his engagement party. But the family affair a pmed into a family feud Over a of All things a iraqis evasion of Kuwait. Jawad a second generation Arab Merican opposed the invasion his father and Uncle pin t. The invasion has been a wrenching experience for americans of Arab origin Tom Between reluctant Pride resident Saddam Hussein for standing up to the l j aaa feelings of loyalty for their adopted Home Ana a America. Survey it one the very few conducted among Inmom a rated. Million Arab americans found a a Paum Between supporters and opponents of a a be aug. 2 invasion. 692 respondents surveyed by the Arab Ameri la a 41 percent said they supported Saddam a undecided Era ent s3d did to and 12 percent were conducted in Detroit which has a Large int he hum Arab americans also found 86 per Abiata All deployment of . Troops in saudi Lun put a Mer can leaders dispute the findings a i Amnia f cd by the Arab american Institute for intent Law Onty 60 percent opposed the deploy i but i percent 0pp0sed the invasion. A Man agr the or so a has presented members of the Muty with a painful conflict. Kitha government could be involved in War Fate Cutie causes great consternation a said George american lre1ct��?~ of the National association of Arab Sununu it a a buying organization which counted John f a no is of lebanese descent As one of its most Active members until he became president Bush a chief of staff. George like a majority of Arab americans was bom in the United states. So were his parents. Their parents immigrated from Palestine Early this Century. Georges father Fred a retired carpet store owner from new Jersey is rooting for Saddam. When George went Home to his parents for his engagement party a vehement argument broke out Between the younger and older generations. A my father feels Pride. He thinks Saddam is standing up to the United states. He feels that very strongly a said George. Many Arab americans share that niggling Pride in Saddam for in their View paying Back the Western Powers which have humiliated the arabs for decades. Like Many Arab americans Fred George also believes Saddam is championing the cause of palestinians under israeli occupation his son said. But George and Many of his contemporaries while sympathetic to such views also feel iraqi atrocities in Kuwait must be stopped. The largest group of Arab americans Are descendants of immigrants from Lebanon Palestine and Syria. Arabs from Iraq Kuwait or other persian Gulf countries account for a Small minority. The largest group among More recent immigrants Are palestinians Many of whom fled israeli occupation. A the newer arrivals distrust . Policy As blindly siding with Israel a said Tony Mansour chairman of the american Arab heritage Council an anti discrimination group in Detroit. Indeed 57 percent of those polled in the newspaper Survey said the decision to Send american troops to the persian Gulf would ultimately Benefit Israel. And 90 percent of those asked by the Aai a lobbying group which encourages Arab americans to run for political office accused the administration of a double Standard a one toward its ally Israel and another toward Iraq. A there has to be a recognition that there a no difference in Iraq occupying Kuwait and in Israel occupying the West Bank Gaza and other lands it captured in its wars with the arabs said Mansour. A Many feel its hypocritical to get riled up about one and not the  the administration rejects such parallels arguing that while Israel must eventually give up occupied territory in return for peace the lands were captured in wars of self defense. Community leaders have encouraged debate about the Gulf crisis and about worry that a War with Iraq will result in a backlash against Arab americans. Many Arab americans feel the discrimination they encountered in the past has been intensified by the conflict with Iraq. A the Issue is to feel comfortable with America a said James Zogby executive director of the Arab american Institute. A i keep telling people this is your country even if you disagree with what the administration is doing. Mohamed Hallam editor of the quarterly Palestine perspectives thinks most Arab americans oppose the deployment of . Troops because a they can to understand what american interest justifies a possible catastrophic  but that does no to Call their loyalty into question he says. Just like opposing the decision to Send . Troops to Vietnam in the 1960s, he says a did no to make those people any less