European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 25, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 columns the stars and stripes sunday november 25,1990 James j. Kilpatric Congress should stand firmly behind Bush a dilemma by definition is the unavoidable Choice Between two equally unattractive alternatives. Since aug. 2, when Iraq invaded Kuwait president Bush has been impaled on a dilemmas horns. Now he has another Tough decision to reach. The Choice on aug. 2 was Clear. Bush was damned if he intervened and damned if he did no to. He chose to Send in the 82nd airborne div. In the beginning he enjoyed apparent widespread support. To listen to the radio talk shows that support is slowly eroding. The presidents approval rating has fallen under 50 percent. He needs a boost. Once again he faces a hard Choice Between calling or not calling Congress Back into session. The risks Are evenly balanced. If Bush could be assured that a Resolution of firm support for his action would be overwhelmingly adopted it would be Worth the Effort. Such a gesture by Congress would carry a Strong message to Saddam Hussein in Iraq that american resolve has not wavered. The presidents hand would be strengthened. A ringing Resolution of congressional approval would encourage our allies in this venture. The trouble is that the leadership cannot give such Assurance. Let us recall a recent piece of dumb show. In the House rep. Dante Fascell d-fla., took the Lead in crafting House joint Resolution 658. It was a Long document that began by condemning iraqis unprovoked aggression and went on to a a affirm the presidents five stated objectives and to a a support the deployment of troops in the persian Gulf Region. The Resolution concluded by acknowledging that Bush had reported his actions to Congress in compliance with the War Powers Resolution of 1973. On oct. 1, the House passed her 658 by the resounding vote of 38029. The Senate meanwhile was engaged with its own concurrent Resolution 147. It was a much Shorter document carrying the Uncertain beat of muffled Drums. In the Senate version Congress a strongly approves the leadership of the president in successfully pursuing the adoption of . Resolutions. And Congress a sup Anthony Lewis message to c0h6ress rent Resolution by a vote of 96-3. The House sent its Resolution to the Senate foreign relations committee. It died there. The Senate sent its Resolution to the House foreign affairs committee. It died there. It was an ignominious Peri Mormance All the Way. If this was the Best Congress could do in the first week of october what could be expected of Congress in the first week of december the president urgently needs an expression of Strong bipartisan support. What he does not need is a tentative watered Down Milquetoast Resolution adopted by a widely divided vote. An irresolute Resolution would be worse than no Resolution at All. Other avenues ought to be explored for providing the moral support that Bush deserves. House and Senate leaders made a helpful gesture by joining the president this week in saudi Arabia. If major National organizations a veterans groups labor unions patriotic societies Trade associations a would adopt Well publicized expressions of support they could strike a blow against the rising voices of discontent. And these voices Are rising. The press has to cover the visit to Iraq by Ramsey Clark. This notorious peace Monger May be a Limp Noodle but his name makes news. Student protesters Are always Good for a photograph. Those who fear another Vietnam Are entitled to be heard a but they ought not to be the Only voices that Are heard. Bush is right in what he has done so far. He has stated the five goals clearly and repeatedly to achieve Hussein a unconditional withdrawal to restore the legitimate government of Kuwait to provide for stability in the persian Gulf to protect american lives and to move toward a new world order of peace. His policies Are to Stop aggression to help our friends and to protect our National interest in Middle Eastern Oil. ,.a. R. These Are sound goals and prudent pol ports continued action by the president m iraqi aggression and to protect american ices. It is High time for those who support accordance with United states cons Titu lives and vital interests in the on the president to let him know it tonal and statutory processes to deter oct. 2, the Senate approved its concur Universal press Syndicate Bush strays off course with War preparations Boston a president Bush a thanksgiving Day message to the troops in saudi Arabia and to the world could not have been clearer. He is Gung to for War on Iraq. The presidents mind has been moving in that direction since mid october when he invited some eminent friends to the White House and discussed the possibility of War. The direction became explicit two Days after the congressional elections when he ordered up to 200,000 More soldiers to the Gulf to provide an a offensive Mili Tail since then Bush has escalated his rhetoric. He and Secretary of state James Baker have been urging other governments to support a United nations Security Council Resolution authorizing military action. If All this Means what it says a War a then George Bush is taking his country and the world into a tragedy of appalling dimensions. It would be a War with enormous casualties and with destabilizing effects beyond calculation. I say that As someone who thought that Bush was Wise to react quickly in August sending . Forces to the Ulf after Iraq gobbled up Kuwait without that action raq would almost certainly have moved on into saudi Arabia. Then the president marshalled a remarkable International coalition against iraqis aggression. The Security Council passed resolutions applying Tough sanctions against Iraq and enforcing them. The sanctions began to work strangling Iraq s supplies of Industrial parts raw materials and food. In that situation time was on the Side of the United states and its partners. All we needed was patience. And patience is what president Bush by All signs does not have. The order to Send More . Forces to the Gulf makes time run against the United states and its allies. It is not possible to keep 400,000 . Soldiers in the desert for Many More months. The very fact of that Large a deployment pushes us toward War without waiting for sanctions to achieve their end of an iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. Moreover the massive troop increase has Cost Bush much of the Domestic support for his policy. Sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., Congress most important figure on military policy has become a critic. Conservative commentators Are deploring the Rush to War As Are liberals and the roman Catholic Bishops. Can Bush really plan to March on to War with that kind of division in his own people if there is significant dissent now think what it would be like if american bodies started coming Back from the Gulf in Large numbers. Amp listening to the president talk to the marines one might think that a War with Iraq would be Quick and easy. Bush might have been giving a Pep Talic before a game. Err a a but it would almost certainly not be Quick or easy and not simple in its results. A War with Iraq could devastate a huge area of the Middle East. O my arabs even those critical of Saddam Hussein against the United states. War would risk turning the moral equation upside Down. Saddam Hussein is seen by most countries now As a brutal aggressor. It is not so Clear that the sympathies of people outside the Industrial countries would stay that Way if the United states attacked. The Puzzle is Why Bush would sound so Gung to for War at a time when Saddam is visibly a flailing about under serious those words were used the other Day by Winston lord former . Ambassador to China and a leading figure in the foreign policy establishment. Lord writing in the Washington Post praised Bush a polity m the Gulf. But his Praise seemed to be for the policy before the turn toward War. The president should scrupulously engage Congress lord said. A the should rotate the troops. Let us Hunker Down for the Long that is a Call for patience for letting the sanctions work. To it should be added one More crucial step undertaking serious diplomacy with Saddam Hussein. A Leader interviewed last week by Peter Jennings of Abc news repeatedly urged negotiation. He said he was ready to talk with saudi Arabia and with the United states. Ftjflu4 than flailing about. It was a signal a one that the United states should be exploring through a third party such As Sweden. Patience and skill without War Bush can achieve his legitimate goals in the Gulf. C new York times
