European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - December 30, 1990, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 10 the stars and stripes sunday december 30, 1990walter Mearson honeymoon for the 102nd Congress a for the new Congress convening on thursday the questions of peace and War Are waiting with added urgency As the Days dwindle toward the Jan. 15 deadline for iraqi withdrawal from Kuwait. Five months of intermittent debate and a dozen House and Senate hearings have produced no answers and scant guidance to define the role of the democratic Congress in a crisis under Republican management. At this Point it s a crisis on hold for the holidays. At a quiet Capitol recorded Telephone messages report some offices closed until after the new year. President Bush is at Camp David md., on an t break. There s Little traffic and less tension in he capital even As reinforcements arc deployed in the persian Gulf and the saudi arabian desert building to the troop strength that could deliver on the , threat to take the offensive after mid january. That a when the United nations has authorized the use of Force if necessary according to the democratic leaders of Congress . Forces cannot be sent to fight without congressional approval. According to the Republican administration Bush already has All the author to he needs to act. That debate will resume when Congress does. It wont be conclusive. The answer has been elusive for two centuries under a constitutional system that makes the president the commander in chief and empowers Only Congress to declare War. There were demands during the fall that Congress be summoned Back to declare War. There were Calls for a Resolution of approval for Bush s policy of threatening military action against iraqi occupation of Kuwait. There were proposals to invoke the Creaky machinery of the War Powers system under which a president can to Send troops into danger unless Congress approves. None of that happened and none of it is Likely to happen now. But in one form or another the 102nd Congress is going to have to come to Clear majority decisions on the persian Gulf possibly but not necessarily on direct questions of policy certainly on the . Rose nth Al let Geo Corr stg Gotashe voir l Bacr bore do i r / let George Doit let George do it v Leric amp of amp eco it s a Ergo ase co it letgg0r&6 ponia Leree Owse do it a amp cd amp a amp re f Doit Lerse Fase Quot Porr a Mui a i ii Iii rut a a a.,a a a. I. A. i a a a a v a a. a 11 hit j11 t Lill ill a. a j i i a profiles Ihl Money and manpower to Back up that policy the administration will need a supplemental appropriation of up to $20 billion Early this year to finance operation desert shield. Call up authority for some support units summoned to Active duty will begin expiring in March unless Congress extends it or Bush declares a nation a emergency. And there May have to be action later in the year to change the timetable for cutbacks that Are supposed to reduce Active duty military forces by at least 80,000 before next sept. 30. An attempt to write a policy Resolution and get it through House and Senate would be risky for both Congress and the White House Bush has been quoted As telling members of Congress that he would Welcome a Resolution of support along the lines of the United nations Resolution authorizing Force after Jan. 15, but Quot if you re going to debate this for months and not reach a conclusion and argue about it then that May not be helpful. Resolutions endorsing his policy were adopted by overwhelming votes in the House and Senate Early in october backing a continued action by the president. To deter iraqi aggression and protect american lives and vital interests a but the authors of those measures said they covered Only what had been done to that Point and did not authorize the use of Force. When those measures passed the strategy for forcing iraqis withdrawal from Kuwait was built around economic sanctions against Iraq with the United states assigned to defend saudi Arabia against any attack by Sadda Rrt Hussein a forces. On nov. 8, Bush ordered . Forces doubled to create the capability and raise the possibility of military action to retake Kuwait. Democratic leaders were told of the decision shortly before Bush announced it. And support that had been almost unanimous began to fray with democrats urging patience to give economic sanctions More time to work. But democrats can t risk becoming the party of dissent while american forces Are at risk. That could weaken the . Position in the current confrontation at a time when Bush says the Best Way to avoid War is to convince Saddam Hussein that he faces War unless he relents. And if could do them lasting political damage. Vice president Dan Quay la produced a preview of a Republican counterattack saying earlier this month that a patience at any Price would amount to appeasement of Saddam Hussein. As the debate resumes sen. George j. Mitchell a Maine the majority Leader says whatever the differences on timing and tactics the United states is United on the goal of getting Iraq out of Kuwait. The question is How. A. A c associated press. A. This is a news Alert and warning for the american press and members of Congress. The chinese communists plan to announce the release of Many political prisoners who were rounded up after the springtime revolution of 1989. They have been kept without charge or trial. About 2, May be freed. The announcement is scheduled for the first months of 1991. A Quot. ,. a a. The Freedom of even one political prisoner is Good news so Why the Quot warning about communist China a still undisclosed plans to allow Many Freedom fighters out of their cells these arc the answers the most important prisoners a the a a ringleaders will get heavy sentences. Nobody Wall know How Many remain incarcerated. In China the Public is never told How Many Are arrested where they arc or How Many have been executed a the cruel and cynical marxist Leninist criminal code will remain in Force. It makes a crime out of any action comment or written word that the government decides is against its interests. The a a trial system makes a guilty verdict automatic. Even an attempt at defense is taken As an anti government insult and can Lead to a heavier sentence a the massive police apparatus will remain in Force. Crackdown and arrest of dissidents will continue a with the newly freed a special target. And finally the reason for americans particularly to beware \ ing a the plan for release of some prisoners while be cup a the Best and the bravest incarcerated is carefully aimed at strengthening the Power of communist China a leaders through More american Trade and credits. Most of the Western sanctions imposed on China in horror at the 1989 massacres have disappeared on dec. 5 of this year Page am of the new York times carried a Story from Beijing about How the communists obliterate the very memory of political prisoners. The same Day on Page a13 was a Story reporting that the world Bank had approved $114.3 million in Loans to Beijing the first Quot Loans since the 1989 massacres still the men who Rule behind Beijing a guarded compound Walls fear one possible economic weapon against their Power. They fear Congress May lift their immensely valuable Tariff privileges in the most favored nation status. a a a. a a. A. . This is a gift prolonged every year by the Bush administration. With these Low tariffs communist China has been helped to flood the american Market with dumped goods piling up billions. Selling goods at Low Quot Cost is not difficult for China considering How much of its manufacture is turned out by labor that a a costs Only a Lump of bread and a bowl of thin Gruel a Day. Slave prison labor is an economic tool written into the very Law and economic planning of the state. A. Congress has voted against most favored status for China. But so far it has failed to Muster the two thirds vote to Block the president. A but the Bush administration May realize it will be More difficult to keep giving Tariff gifts to China. Recently a wisely sent Richard Schifter assistant Secretary of state for human rights to China. 1 be is a tested fighter for human freedoms and is not the kind of Man to spare the truth about any country. Congress will fight again this year to Stop buttressing. Beijing by Tariff privileges Beijing a pm Washington both know the vote is certain to be influenced by whether . Media present the prisoners release As a communist turnaround or an Effort to paint Over the truth about the gulag that is China. I Congress should demand a series of specific Steps before extending the Tariff Breaks w hich allow Bei Jug to subsidize corrupt or miserably inefficient government enterprises chinese Freedom fighters plead for them unconditional release of All political prisoners. Free emigration. Lifting the do Facto martial Law in Beijing and Tibet ending harassment of chinese students in the United states and religions worshippers m China. Ending forced labor a taste of Freedom in the press and universities. We cannot Force China s communists to take these Steps so frightening to despots. But we can refuse to subsidize their Economy until they do. In Beijing communist officials hug the thought that the persian Gulf crisis has shifted american Public attention from human tights in China. Congress and the press have the Chance to show they Are wrong. So does every american who cares As ouch today about those youngsters at Tiana men Square As the Oay they were shot Down. C new York times a
