European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 20, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse                                A a a a fro crisis in the my Mem Gulf related stories and photos pages 2, 3 and 24 authorized unofficial publication Eda the . Ahmed forces a it it a vol49, no. 250 thursday december 20, 1990 ?5t. Daily and sunday Oomen Sofnin d 8693 Ai m not read wait for full # Riyadh saudi Arabia apr one of president Bush Stop Owh Ary deputies in the persian Gulf said wednesday that . Troops would not be ready to mount an offensive by the Jan. 15 United nations deadline for Iraq to leave Kuwait. Army it. Gen. Galvin a. H. Waller the Deputy commander of . Gulf forces voiced that assessment after a meeting with defense Secretary Dick Cheney the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff Gen. Colin Powell and Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf Field commander of the american deployment. Asked How he would respond if Bush wanted to order a strike on iraqi forces before the full complement of american ground forces was ready Waller said a a in a Tell him a no in a not ready to do the  a a Waller said the full american deploy mint would reach about 430,00 troops by mid january but that late arriving a u a general says Mored units would not be combat ready for some time perhaps not until a month past Jan. 15. In Washington White House press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater was asked about Waller a remarks. A what he really said is they might not be As ready As they would like to be. For All the contingencies a he  but we Are assured they will be ready to do whatever they Are called upon to do a Fitzwater added. Cheney and Powell told reporters travelling with them that the United states will be ready to go to War by the Jan. 15 deadline regardless of whether All reinforcements have arrived arid reached combat readiness. A Cheney acknowledged some ground forces on the Way to saudi Arabia from Kansas and Germany probably would not be combat ready by mid january. Waller said he did not anticipate Bush ordering an attack immediately if Saddam Hussein ignores the . Deadline to withdraw his army from Kuwait. A a it a my understanding that he a been briefed and received briefings that the forces will not be ready for combat activities until sometime after the 15th of the month Quot Waller said in a candid 30-minute session with the reporters travelling with Cheney and Powell on their first joint visit to saudi Arabia. Waller was the first senior military offi car to say publicly that he would oppose any .-led military strike until the full Force was in place. His comments raised eyebrows among deputies to Schwarzkopf and Powell who said they were concerned that Waller had been too candid. A i would say to the president and to the Secretary and to the chairman of the joint chiefs of staff that until our full complement of forces Are on the ground that we should not initiate hostile activities a Waller said. Cheney and Powell have More strategy sessions thursday and Friday morning before spending the rest of Friday and saturday on pre Christmas visits with . Troops. A we have an offensive capability should that be required a Cheney said. Quot most of the forces will be there by then Jan. 15but obviously there is additional work to be done before you would identify them As  meanwhile two senators just Back in Washington from visiting the Gulf said they behave based on talks with . Military commanders that the United states could conclude a War with Iraq very quickly. A we believe that with the strategic Power we have particularly in the air and on the sea that we should  to com see deploy on Back Page the Sweet life in Santa Claus regalia army spec Alvin Adamsjr. Of mount Holly n.j., brings Candy canes and lollipops to soldiers at a saudi arabian base. Standing near father Christmas Are from left spec Charles Ridley Wilson Ark. Staff sgt. Jesse Marti Winston Salem . And spec Steven Esquilin san Diego Calif Given half Day off on Christmas eve by Chuck Vinch Washington Bureau Washington a president Bush has Given Federal civilian employees a Christmas present by declaring monday a half Day Holiday. A the office of personnel management set no specific quitting time for Christmas eve but Sharon Wells a spokeswoman for the office of personnel management said most workers Are expected to be let off around noon. Sec related stories on Page 24. 1 but Agency chiefs can keep workers on duty for a full shift if they re needed a for reasons of National Security. Or defense or for other essential Public reasons a Wells said. Those workers would then qualify for Holiday pay a a a she said. \ a / a there Are 3.1 million civilians in the Federal work Force Wells could riot estimate How Many of those employees May be needed for a full workday. The White House announce Merit docs not directly address military personnel. In Europe the major commands of the army air Force and Navy As Well As the european come have drawn up their Holiday plans. They have declared dec. 24 and 31 As training holidays for soldiers and a family Day for sailors and airmen. In addition the Headquarters Are urging a Liberal leave policy for civilians which would allow non essential workers to get time off. Mission requirements still will have top priority your ing the holidays represent yes from All three services said. Mail deliveries and postal operations will not he interrupted an army postal spokesman said. In 1984, the last time Christmas fell on a tuesday president Reagan said the government would be open for a full Day on Christmas eve because of the nations economic condition. In 1986, when Christmas fell on a thursday Reagan gave the Federal work Force Friday see Day off on Back Page classified ads in it Yvo Magazine