European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - November 29, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Thursday november 29, 1990 the stars and stripes a a a Page 3 in now demands pullout from despotic area Washington apr the National organization for women on tuesday called for the immediate withdrawal of . Troops from the persian Gulf saying the a oppressive regimes of saudi Arabia and Kuwait Are not Worth the sacrifice of american the organization in its first Public stand on the Gulf crisis condemned saudi Arabia and Kuwait for human rights violations against women and protested the treatment of american servicewomen in the Region. A saudi Arabia and Kuwait Are despotic clan run monarchies a said now president Molly Yard. A both. Systematically oppress women. This is gender apartheid in its purest most brutal form and should deeply offend All Yard also objected to the restrictions imposed on military women serving in saudi Arabia. A we would be outraged if the administration sent american troops to defend South Africa from invasion ordering Black soldiers to a respect the culture by bowing their Heads in the presence of White racists a she said. Now complained female soldiers in saudi Arabia must dress in full fatigues while male soldiers Are allowed to sport to shirts in the desert heat. Military women Are not allowed to drive while off duty or run errands unescorted and must Wear knee length shorts while swimming a even in private pools. Rep. Pat Schroeder a senior member of the armed services committee agreed that the United states applies double standards toward saudi Arabia. A we do not tolerate a cultural differences As an excuse for racial violence a said Schroeder a Colo. A Why do we tolerate it for women a Powell responds to Issue of Black casualties in Gulf by the Washington Post Washington a Gen. Colin l. Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff said tuesday he is annoyed by criticism that Blacks would take heavy casualties in a persian Gulf War because they Are disproportionately represented in the military. A if one out of four roughly one out of five is Black if the whole Force accepts casualties what would you wish me to do a he said in an interview. A move the Blacks from the positions they re in so that they will have a lower percentage of casualties every part of the Force whether its hispanic americans Pacific americans or lower income White soldiers will probably sustain casualties in relationship to the percentage that they represent in the Overall Force. A what you keep wanting me to say is that this is disproportionate or wrong. I done to think its disproportionate or wrong. I think its a Choice the american people made when they said have a Volunteer army and allow those who want to serve to a this is not a question to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff a said Powell. A this is a question to the american in a nation that is about 13 percent Black Blacks constitute 20 percent of the military and 30 percent of the army. Of the army personnel sent to the Gulf As of mid november nearly 29 percent were Black according to Powell a office. While some Blacks View these numbers with alarm Powell who is Black said he is a proud of the fact that african americans have seen fit to Volunteer to join the armed forces even if it is a higher percentage in the armed forces than their general representation in the population. Blacks and other recruits sign up for service for the same reasons Powell did As a youth the general said. A they come in for education. They come in for adventure. They come in to better themselves. They come in to serve a period of time and then get out and use the benefits we have provided them to go to College or get some kind of vocational Powell noted that earlier this year before Iraq invaded Kuwait and operation desert shield was born he was under pressure from Blacks who were concerned that the then planned restructuring and downsizing of the military would squeeze out opportunities for Blacks. Now the military is being criticized for having a High representation of Blacks. A is it unfair to allow americans who wish to join the army or the Navy the air Force or Marine corps because that a their Choice a Powell asked. A if it were unfair a and i done to accept that a the Only Way to Correct that unfairness would be for somebody to instruct me to set a limit a i wont say quota a on the number of Blacks allowed to enlist. A the armed forces have always provided opportunities for Blacks which Blacks have found attractive and have gone after and i see no reason to change that now a Powell said. Powell speculated that of the troops now in the desert in saudi Arabia Black White or whatever a maybe they did no to want to go to desert a nobody wanted to go to desert shield and maybe they were hoping that in the time of their service they would not be called. But disappointed As they May be that the Prospect of combat is Here they understand their obligation. An army exists fundamentally to fight a he said. A do they want to come Home you betcha. Do i want to bring them Home you betcha. But there a a Job to do right now and that a what the american people have paid for a Force to be used if necessary not to just sit around and eat up the taxpayers m. A. V a w a w v Mew a a 1iwvwuum1 j f lev pc a j a l _ Blacks and other recruits sign up for service for the around and eat up the taxpayers Arab troops revel in first rain of the season saudi Arabia apr it was rare As a heat wave in Antarctica. The saudi Arabia apr it was about As rare As a heat wave in Antarctica. The first rain of the season fell tuesday in Northern saudi Arabia filling jeep tracks with puddles and forcing Arab troops to bundle up against unfamiliar dampness. With a steady drizzle falling the commander of an egyptian commando unit eagerly sent his troops out for training at 6 . A this kind of weather is Best for commandos. Its an advantage for us. It helps us achieve our goals a col. Abdel Rehim Mohammad Sayed said through an interpreter. The drizzle is the Harbinger of the Winter Rainy season which lasts about two months in the North. Rain is less Likely in the South where american troops Are dug in behind Arab forces. At a Point less than 40 Miles South of the Border with Iraq and Kuwait temperatures were in the 60s. That might seem Balmy in the Northern United states but its a far cry from saudi arabians 130-degree heat of August. A stiff Breeze made it seem a it a the Best weather for arabs. In this weather we have picnics because we have Sunshine All year round a said Mohammed Khayat an official with the saudi arabian ministry of information. A we love this weather. There is no dust. The men will feel fresh. They wont feel exhausted from the heat and the break in the weather produced strange sights for . Reporters who Hadnot seen rain in months. Egyptian troops wore Caps with ear flaps Down and saudi sentries wrapped themselves in blankets. Kuwaiti tank com my it.,we bin a map r Jim w to it an egyptian commando stands Vigil by his country a Flag As a steady drizzle fills tire tracks with puddles in Northern saudi Arabia. Manders wore parkas with fur lined hoods. Gun Metal Gray Clouds dulled a sky normally Light Blue. The desert dust turned into pools of rust coloured mud which stuck to boots and tires. A now its better. Its Cool for the tanks and us a said capt. Ali 34, a kuwaiti army tank commander who refused to give his full name because his parents wife and four kids Are still in iraqi occupied Kuwait. He hoped the change in weather would bring a change in posture so a multinational Force would liberate his Homeland. A we want to go Back now but they keep us Here. I done to know Why they Are waiting a said Ali whose 35th army brigade has been renamed the Martyr brigade for his countrymen who died fighting iraqis. A we must have revenge. We ask that we be in the front. I prefer to be killed than kept out of Kuwait. A i feel some shame because i wanted to. Stay on the Battlefield. I could have done More. We want to fight a Ali said. The remnants of the brigade have regrouped in the saudi desert. They got two of their sue companies of men out of Kuwait after iraqis aug. 2 Conquest and 22 of their 80 tanks. Since then they have been reinforced with 80 tanks from Yugoslavia and about 70 More Are expected
