European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 03, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Sunday february 3, 1991. The a tars and stride <5? Page 13 . Rosentha Bush picks dangerous time to mix signals the United states says that the decision to postpone the Moscow Summit meeting had nothing to do with Mikhail Gorbachev a use of Force to throttle the Baltic nations do you believe that of course not. Everybody with an ounce of political sophistication knows it s a falsehood and that congressional and Public anger in the United states about the Baltic crackdown was at the heart of the Bush administrations decision. Quot All right try this one 7 the Secretary of state and the soviet foreign minister suddenly Issue a joint statement it is immediately interpreted by capitals around the world As changing the conditions for Saddam Hussein to climb out of his trap in Kuwait. It seems to hint at new cease fire possibilities based in part on Saddam Hussein sword. And most certainly it creates the link Between the persian Gulf and the israeli palestinian struggle that Washington had said it would not accept. Well now the White House reacting to the astonishment around the world says there is nothing important in the statement just an innocent announcement that somehow got misinterpreted by just about everybody everywhere. Do you believe that some do most done there you have the danger. At a time when it is essential for the american Public and the world to understand precisely what the United states is doing politically in the Gulf and Why the word of the United states is becoming fuzzy subject to different interpretations and sometimes simply not would be a grievous self inflicted wound for any free country even in peace time. Domestic and International belief in its political Good Faith is one of a democratic country a strengths. And in time of War against dictatorship which sacrifices Trust by its very nature clarity of intent and objective become the critical advantage for a free country. Lives can depend on it. _ the White House picking up the pieces strewn by Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii says there is nothing new in the statement really. But the White House just barely manages to Swallow its anger at the Way the soviet american communique was handled. The statement was released about an hour before president Bush delivered thearry Schweid state of the Union message. He was unaware of the communique hanging on the press bulletin Board at the state department. It was quite different in tone from his staunch was blindsided. But few people in a Washington or other capitals Are buying the line that the communique was innocuous and unimportant a none that i happen to know. Some editorial writers Praise it As a new opening for Saddam Hussein to get out of the War while staying in Power. V certainly Moscow sees it that Way and is boasting to the Arab world about its great Triumph in Washington. Some administration officials even say that maybe the reason Baker committed the statement was to give a present to his new soviet counterpart foreign minister Aleksandr a. Bessmer Nyoh. Other diplomats and journalists including myself see this move As quintessentially dangerous. It created the impression that with Victory in sight but not yet in grasp the United states was suddenly unsure of itself of Why the War was being fought and How to end it. Kind of an expensive present. At Best it was a Baker foul up. It was not As bad As the instructions to our embassy in Iraq to Tell Saddam Hussein we were not terribly interested in Arab Border disputes. That encouraged him to move his own Borders right across Kuwait. And even now the United states is not being candid about War objectives. Suppose Saddam Hussein eventually surrenders Kuwait. Washington says that ends hostilities. Fine a but what about War crimes against Kuwait Israel and coalition prisoners and what about any War supplies he has on hand a like those planes stashed away in Iran do we leave Iraq to use them again some Day what troubles me most about the mysterious persian Gulf communique is that the administration does not seem to understand what almost every child knows. If you fail to Tell the truth once people won t believe you the next time. So there is a connection Between what Washington says one Day about cancelling the Moscow Summit meeting How it explains the Baker stumble if it was a stumble and not a leap and what it does not say about what happens after the War. Its Fine for a Diplomat to be Clever. It is dangerous w Hen he is Tori Clever by half. The now York times a a a misstep by sure anyone can make a mistake even James Addison Baker Iii the sure footed Secretary of state whose department foolishly released a controversial joint communique with the soviet Union Only two hours before president Bush gave his state of the Union address. The apparent easing of . Conditions for a persian Gulf cease fire and an urgent cell for Mideast peace talks rocketed around the world with such Force that what the president had to say tuesday night seemed almost superfluous. Bakery a Well deserved reputation for precision and for deferring to his Boss and longtime Friend took a she lacking in the process. As Fiorelo Laguardia the mayor of new York a half Century ago remarked after an unfortunate appointment a when i make a mistake its a Baker s flub was not simply one of poor timing. He left Alexander a. Bessmer Nyoh the new soviet foreign minister alone to announce the results of talks in Washington. If As Baker s spokeswoman Marga ret d. Tutwiler said the next Day of the superpower declaration a there is nothing new in this a no one was at Bessmertny Khz a Side to try to sell that spin to reporters assembled at the state department. And if it was just old news Why was it issued in the first place some have said it was a message meant for Moscow not Baghdad a that the Bush administration had pledged to tone Down its rhetoric on the soviet crackdown in the Baltic in return for continued soviet support for the .-led Gulf War. Bakery a Success in All his big political jobs a As president Reagan a Campaign manager and White House chief of staff As Treasury Secretary and now As Secretary of state a is based on intelligence thoroughness knowledge of the bureaucracy and care not to upstage the statement not Only overshadowed Bush a speech it took his National Security assistant Brent scowcroft and his press Secretary Marlin Fitzwater by sur prise. And with Good reason. The text was not sent to the White. House before it was released. The reason Tutwiler said is that the statement broke no new ground and was consistent with similar statements by the president. Apparently _ though the first Bush heard of it was from Fitzwater on the drive to Capitol Hill. John Sununu the White House chief of staff complained night that Baker a broke the first rules of politics which is not to tape the president. A a a a a a Wea. Most of the press corps and several foreign leaders including a surprised israeli. Prime minister Yitzhak Shamir found a lot that was significant in the .-soviet statement. A it offered a cease fire in the Gulf War if Iraq made a an unequivocal commitment to withdraw from Kuwait and took a immediate a Concrete Steps toward a total pullout. What a significant about that is that All Quot iraqi troops would not have to quit Kuwait before the shooting stopped. Iraqi president Saddam Hussein has shown no interest in the proposal according to state department officials so the offer May be academic. But it provide him with a Chance to Salvage some of his military might since the pummelling would Stop once he began the withdraw Al. Shamir said he had not been consulted in Advance which would be a curious Blunder because the statement concerns israelis vital interest. It says a a meaningful peace process should begin right after the Gulf War is Over to reconcile Israel the Arab states and the palestinians that signals a push by the Bush administration into talks Israel May not be ready to hold. And it appears to link the Arati israeli conflict to the Gulf War. In the emotional aftermath Baker called in ambassador Zalman Suvual to Promise Israel would be Consul cd and informed in the future even though Tutwiler said Dennis Ross the departments Point Man on the Middle last had Given the envoy a a full briefs during Bessmertny Khz a visit. The associated press
