European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 8 the stars and stripes wednesday january 30,1991 War in the Gulf italian callers seeking to fight for . By Gary Miller Mediterranean Bureau Naples Italy a italians eager to join the fight against Iraq have kept phone lines Busy at some . Military units in Naples. Base Telephone operators have received several dozen Calls a Day from italians wanting to join the . Armed forces in the persian Gulf. Some of those Calls were referred to chief Petty officer Terry Brown and Petty officer 1st class Shay a Jones career Counselor with the Mediterranean retention resource Center at the naval support activity Naples. A one woman called from Reggio Calabria 300 Miles South of Naples talked to  for 25 minutes and then became upset when she  to me because i Don t speak italian a a Brown said. A she called the operator Hack to complain about  a a a a i. A a the incident illustrates one of the Points Brown was trying to convey to the woman and other callers the . Military Only enlists people who can speak read and write English. A they get really frustrated because we done to speak italian a Brown said. Brown and Jones said they re receiving fewer Calls now that operators know its futile to connect people who can to speak English. In addition to English language skills recruits must be citizens or alien residents of the United states and meet service education standards. Brown said. The Rush to enlist does not seem to extend much beyond Naples. Neither the . Navy recruiting station in Frankfurt Germany nor the air Force Recruiter at nearby Rhein main a reported an increase in inquiries from non-. Citizens. Bases in Northern Italy also received few Calls spokesmen said. Callers to Naples Haven tall been italians. A 49-year-old retired czechoslovak Soldier called from Rome to Volunteer for Gulf action with the marines Jones said. And while standing watch recently. Chief Petty officer Terry Briggs received a Call from a yugoslav interested in becoming a  rallying round yanks in desert storm a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a. A. Media Pool a British Soldier in saudi Arabia lobs a grenade from his Trench during an exercise. By Matthew c. Vita the Cox news service London a to supporters of Anglo Quot american Friendship on this Side of the Atlantic operation desert storm is prov my to be a desert feast. For the first time since the defeat of Adolt Hitler Britain a jingoistic tabloid Piess is filled with accounts of  boys standing tall with the yanks fighting a hated dictator. A More sober minded but equally emotive headline came from the Independent newspaper a closer links As special friends go to War  the conflict has provided a needed boost to British morale after a year that saw the departure of prime minister Margaret Thatcher americans favorite foreign Leader and in which a resurgent Germany had seemingly replaced Britain As the no. 1 ally in Washington. A the Gulf crisis whatever else it has done has Given a fillip to the relationship  United states and Britain thanks to the readiness of the British to stand up and be challenged a said sir Nicholas Henderson a former ambassador to Washington. Writing in the Spectator Magazine Henderson said the War had proven once again to the americans that Britain is a the ally on whom they can  More than once commentators Here have referred to an editorial in the european edition of the Wall Street journal that contrasted Britain a unqualified support for the War with the lukewarm backing of the europeans. The War has received Broad support with All three major parties a the conservatives labor and social democrats a backing the governments decision to commit 35,000 British servicemen and women to the persian Gulf. A we Are determined to give our forces every ounce of support to ensure that Iraq is Defeated and the United nations resolutions Are implemented a said prime minister John major. A nothing More and nothing less will  in office just two months major has seen his Public approval ratings skyrocket to Levels rivalling those of Winston Churchill at the height of world War ii. British Public opinion has grown More hawkish on Iraq since the crisis began while american memories of War Hearken Back to the tragedy of Vietnam Here they focus on victories in world War ii and the Falkland islands in 1982. Even with the loss of six Royal air Force Tornado jets in the first 11 Days of fighting a a proportionately higher number than any of the other Allied forces a Public support for the War remains High. In an opinion poll in the sunday times of London 86 percent of those surveyed supported Britain a military involvement up from 80 percent a week earlier. Seventy percent viewed iraqis president Saddam Hussein As a legitimate target. Anti War protests have been sparsely attended in contrast to elsewhere in Europe where demonstrations in Germany and other countries have drawn huge crowds. A weekend anti War rally in London attracted about 7,000 people. Loveland Colo. Apr cupid s helpers have aimed their arrows this Valentines Day at . Troops in the persian Gulf. At a Loveland Post office Assembly line they Are stamping love notes on Valentines Day cards. Kids in Conway ark., Are sending thousands of cards. Everyone in Marshalltown Iowa is invited to sign a Hugh Valentine. Loveland a operation Valentine Aims to deliver a card to each of the More than 450,000 . Servicemen Bers in the Middle East by feb. 14. A i feel like All of us have somebody Over there a said Cathy Minter the . Postal service employee in charge of operation Valentine. A even if we done to know them its like All of us have a real stake in what a going on Over  Dayton Ohio residents have launched operation support which spokesman Dennis Geehan Hopes will Send up to 500,000 Valentines Day postcards to service members. The cards show stealth fighters dropping hearts. J a a the Arkansas schoolchildren in Conway Are sending More than 18,000 Valentine s Day cards to the 50 local men and women serving in the Gulf. The project is called a from our hearts to  Quot i wanted to come up with a constructive Means to lift the hearts in the Community a said Carla Smith the project sponsor. A iowans in Marshalltown Are creating a huge Valentine that townspeople Are signing at the mall. Because of its size the card will be photographed and the photos will be sent to the so men and women from the area who Are in the Gulf. In Oak Cliff near Dallas residents met at a restaurant sunday to make five and 10-minute Valentine videotapes for troops in the Gulf. A we just want people to come and take the tapes Home and Send them away a said Kim Kennedy owner of shooting stars the company that did the taping for free. A a a in Loveland a which Calls itself a the sweetheart City a Minter has meshed operation Valentine with the Loveland Post offices 45th annual Valentine remaining program expecting to handle 700,000 Valen for Valentine s tines from around the world. Over the next two weeks 100 volunteers will j postal employees in stamping a special cachet of Val tines both for the troops and for romantics sending s Cial messages to loved ones. Stamps Are cancelled with the words a Valentine 1 ton sending love worldwide a and a graphic show the world and a heart inscribed with a Loveland feb 1991 80538 co a. Since 1947, More than 7 million letters and cards h been stamped at the Loveland Post office with a Calt written by Ted and Mabel Thompson of Loveland. This years cachet reads a the artistry of cupid brings Home his Loveland shrine. The Thomps 45th cachet., and this special  Valentines headed for the persian Gulf Region she be received at the Loveland Post office by this Sun but workers will continue to process them after deadline Minter said. Mph ,0 Valent nes should be stamped and addressed to any be  �peratl0f1 desert storm Apo . 09848-0006, for army Ainy any service member operation desert storm or Mich d. And Manre personnel. They should be bundle mailed to. Postmaster attention Valentines Loveland Colo. 80538