European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 31, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Vol. 49, no. 290 thursday january 31,1991 a a 25t daily and sunday d 8693 a 12s. Marines die repelling iraqi attack from wire reports . Marines fired anti tank weapons and called in air strikes to repel an assault by tank led iraqi forces wednesday. Twelve marines were killed and heavy iraqi casualties were reported . Military officials said. The marines were the first american ground forces to die in Battle in the 2-week-old War with Iraq. It was the heaviest ground fighting so far in the persian Gulf War. A the Battle which started tuesday night began when iraqi tanks were spotted moving into saudi Arabia. As the fighting intensified Allied troops engaged iraqi soldiers along a 25-Milc front sex War in the Gulf see pages 2 through 8 a saudi army tank sits at the Southern Entrance to Khaki on wednesday As smoke rises from the Border town. / / tending from Kuwait Sal Zafra of Field to the abandoned saudi Border town of Kuji Aoji a saudi mini tary spokesman said. In addition to the 12 marines killed two were wounded in the fighting the . Commander Gen. Ii. Norman Schwarzkopf said at a news conference in Riyadh saudi Arabia. Schwarzkopf could not give the number of iraqis killed but said Allied pilots reported seeing 41 iraqi tanks and seven armoured personnel carriers destroyed. Of those 24 tank kills were confirmed he said adding the . Marines lost two Light armoured vehicles. A i would Tell you i done to think that Bat tic is Over by a Long shot a the general see marines on Back Page Washington apr president Bush on wednesday invoked the memory of another wartime president Franklin Roosevelt to rally support for operation desert storm and said the goal of the persian Gulf War is the Triumph of a new Quot moral order in the world. A we ask god to bless us to guide us and to help us through whatever dark nights we still May face a the president said in remarks to lawmakers in the Capitol. In a Brief speech that came on the heels of his state of the Union address Bush made no mention of the first reported . Ground casualties of the War in a Battle with iraqi troops a few Miles inside saudi Arabia. Instead he noted that 50 years ago wih the United states on the verge of world War ii Roosevelt articulated four freedoms a Freedom of expression Freedom of worship Freedom from want and Freedom from fear. A no one knew better than president Roosevelt what hard work Freedom really is a he said. He quoted Roosevelt As saying a the Justice of morality must and will win in the  Bush said a 28-nation coalition is a standing up to the evil in the persian Gulf Region and added a the Triumph of the moral order must still be the vision that compels us a he said. Bush made his comments As administration officials speculated that iraqis attack on Allied ground forces in saudi Arabia was mounted to boost Domestic morale. The clash occurred Only hours after the United states and the soviet Union offered a cease fire if Iraq took a Concrete Steps to leave Kuwait. Presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwater said the purpose of the .-soviet statement was to express the a determination of both countries that Iraq will not be demolished in this  a a there a no change in policy there a no linkage to the israeli palestinian Issue from our Point of View and massive withdrawal is the Way for Saddam Hussein to get out of Kuwait a said Fitzwater. The offer was issued by Secretary of state James a. Baker and soviet foreign minister Alexander a. Bessmer Nyoh at the state department. Sen. Sam Nunn d-ga., chairman of the Senate see Bush on Back Page