European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 29, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Page 8 a a a the stars and stripes tuesday january 29,1991r in the Gulf desert dispatch Ron Jensen scud Row is no joke the thought that a scud missile could be whistling through the nighttime sky of saudi Arabia right now with its nose pointed at the very House where in a writing these words scares the living hell out of me. My colleagues feel the same Way i think. So of course we have spent the past two weeks making some terrible jokes about the missile whose very name is a four letter word. That a one of the jokes. We have renamed ourselves the stripes scud Bureau. We live on scud Row and Are the founding chapter of the Patriot missile fan club. Write in and Tell us the three things you like Best about the Patriot missile if a car races its engine As it passes on the Street. Outside one of us might run through the House shouting a traffic. Get up. Traffic.�?�. That a funny Here because on the night of the first pre Dawn scud attack one member of the tribe unable to sleep burst into each bedroom screaming in capital letters a get up air raid get up a that initial one came shortly before 4 . Roused by my Friend i groped in the darkness first for my Gas mask and then for my pants. Together the six of us stood in a Central hallway looking at each other through giant Eye sockets that make anyone wearing a mask resemble a huge Mcchan ical insect. A funny thing about the air raid Siren near our House its opening gasp is incredibly similar to the first tone of the Call to prayer that sounds five times a Day beginning at 5 . A a a a. ,. A a ���., i respond to that prayer Call these Days like a guilt Ridden Muslim until i realize its not a scud Alert. Then i say a prayer of my own. We have spent a Good Deal of time reminding ourselves that to Hurt us a missile would have to land inside the 8-foot Cement Wall that hugs our House. If / anything hits outside the Wall we re Home free. This is a big desert. And their missiles Are Small. The danger was greater when i stood outside my parents Illinois farm Long ago during Tornado watches hoping for a glimpse of a spinning dark funnel. But even though the threat Here is slight my fear is a not a a a a a a a a. A a a a. A a. When the Sun slides toward the razor edged horizon dropping shadows into the Street my stomach tightens. As the night wears on the butterflies grow into winged creatures that until now were found Only in mythology. We Are All combat novices Here. I have not been shot at since Grade school when a playmate misunderstood the difference Between a Cap gun and a by gun. I escaped that scrape with both eyes and will leave this one intact As Well. Common sense tells me that. It is this common sense that has led me and my Bureau mates to the roof of our House during the attacks. From there we have seen some unforgettable sights. One night a handful of Patriot missiles shot into the air from our left. They looked like giant bottle rockets marking an Orange scratch across the Black sky. We watched them climb until they vanished into a Cloud. An instant later there was a grand explosion and a Bright opaque Flash from inside the Cloud. One More for the Good Guys. We Are not Brave for staying Here. Our curiosity is simply greater than our fear. It was that curiosity that moved us to Volunteer for this and compels us to remain. The Brave ones Are the fighter and bomber pilots now risking their lives in air attacks on Iraq and Kuwait. The Brave ones also Are out in the desert preparing for a land War that is sure to come. Considering that we Are in a War there have been few deaths few injuries and few disruptions for our Side. But the worst is still to come. This will yet be a War of deaths. The Oil spill will seem frivolous. A time is coming when the jokes will end. The stars and stripes what s Iraq s next move a Crapshoot officer says by Douglas Jehl the los Angeles times with the 1st army div saudi Arabia with iraqi forces hunkering Down on the other Side. Of. The Border a Sharp debate has emerged among american military officials about what iraqis next step might be. Predictions Range from an attack on Israel to a counterstrike at . Ground troops according to . Officers. The disagreement is rooted in conflicting interpretations of iraqis Effort to move its warplanes from the path of Battle rather than to counter the Allied air attack. It is a move commanders regal d As potentially iraqis most troublesome to Date. According to officers familiar with intelligence estimates some military experts believe Iraq moved aggressively to disperse about 100 warplanes to prepare fora major air and ground attack against . And Allied forces before the allies could launch their own offensive from saudi Arabia. But others were said to have expressed scepticism about this assessment including air Force officers who contend that Iraq must recognize that such an All out attack would be suicidal Given the degree to which the allies have now taken control of the skies. In challenging the warning the analysts were said to have called attention to an earlier misplaced Alert. Military officials had warned in Early january that Iraq would Likely launch a spoiling attack on or about Jan. 11 before the United states could begin its offensive. Instead some of these experts have argued that iraqis Effort to protect its warplanes could signal its preparation for an attack on Israel on grounds that iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein would regard it As a safer and More appealing target. And still others in what some officers said was a theory gaining in acceptance have argued Iraq May be reserving its warplanes. They feel Iraq plans to launch a second phase of the War soon in which it would use the aircraft to bombard american troop columns and Supply trains mane vering inside saudi Arabia. The debate Points to continuing concern about iraqi intentions particularly among american ground Force commanders who anticipate stiff opposition from iraqi forces if the United states launches a ground offensive. A frankly a one commander said a right now its a yet even while the Fate of iraqis air Force remains a mystery army commanders in the 1st army div say they Are Content with the effect of the air Force raids to weaken iraqi ground forces. Among the benefits of the air attacks is a tire shortage which has hindered movement of iraqi ground units commanders in this unit were recently told. A a there a just a world of Hurt All the Way around Quot said col. . Riley commander of the 3rd brigade 3rd inf div now fighting As part of the 1st army div. So crucial is the air War to commanders in the heavy armoured unit that its officers constantly Monitor air Force channels to hear pilots of a-10 ground attack planes report their Progress. And with a ground War still at arms length officers say the highlight of the commanders briefing every afternoon is assessment of Battle damage to the Iraq army forces this divisions principal foe. Jehl is a reporter with a Pentagon combat Pool covering the 1st army a div \ a a a a a a a a. Wishful thinking the persian Gulf War gives a special earnestness to the arabic and English message on a Road sign near Al Ain in the United Arab emirates. A passer by was walking in front of the Large sign monday. Dec officials discuss Gulf War s costs c Brussels Belgium apr Britain told the euro can Community on monday that it has spent almost $2 illion on the persian Gulf War since fighting began. Finance ministers of the 12 dec nations discussed economic aspects of the War during a Daylong meeting in which they also assessed the Trade blocks Progress toward monetary Union. Since the War started Britain has asserted that it is paying a disproportionately Large share of the military costs. It says it have to give As much As other dec states in Aid to Mideast nations harmed by the War. German finance minister Theo Taigel told his colleagues that Germany will give Britain and other nations More Money following International talks in the next few Days. Germany has pledged $2.2 billion to the War Effort including $40 million to Britain. But Bop Nas come under heavy criticism for not giving More. British Chancellor of the exchequer Norman Lamont Drew attention to his country a War contribution at monday s meeting. Britain with 35,000 troops in the Gulf has taken a combat role second Only to the United states. -. Most dec nations have limited themselves to giving logistical help Tor the multinational Force and financial Aid for nations whose economies have been heavily damaged by the War. Officials said the dec foreign ministers will discuss adding Israel to the list of the a front line nations of Egypt Jordan and Turkey that have been earmarked for financial Aid to make up for lost income because of the War. The dec has already pledged $500 million to the three states this year
