European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 27, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday March 27, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 3 in the Gulf a a a a a a a a a a ,. A. A car conversion exemption extended a a k a m m. A Aby Mideast by Randy Barnett Auto motor sports editor the environmental Protection Agency has extended the car conversion exemption to anyone a military or civilian a affected by the persian Gulf War. The Epa agreement involves up to 2,000 car owners in Europe who had qualified for an Epa exemption before Jan. 1,1991, but were unable to ship their vehicles before that deadline because of the Mideast crisis. Gars manufactured in Europe must meet . Safety and pollution standards before being shipped into the country. The Epa however had established a onetime exemption procedure for americans overseas for some types of vehicles. That exemption program ended Jan. 1. A a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a a Quot Gar owners applying for an Extension need not have served in the Gulf area. The owners need show Only that they have been affected to the extent that they were unable to meet the shipping deadline. A trans car shipping of Kelterbach Germany an cafes concessionaire can help car owners file Extension requests. Those needing help can Contact Kay Lester the traffic manager at trans car at German civilian 06107-8051. The address is trans car . Box 1315, 6092 Kelterbach Germany. Details of the Extension Are contained in a letter from Charles n. Freed the Epars director of manufacturers operations division to col. James w. Burns the chief of the army transportation management division in Washington. Burns office requested the hardship Extension. Freed stated that the hardship Extension applies to a those who qualified for the original exemption for vehicles purchased by dec. 1, 1987, and manufactured before sept. 1, 1985, and who have not previously shipped a non conforming vehicle. A those who were designated to return to the United states before Jan. I 1991, and had their orders changed because of the Gulf operation. A those who although they did not have orders to return to the United states before Jan. I 1991, had their orders changed preventing them from shipping a vehicle before dec. 31, 1990. In this Case the owner must have evidence of intent to ship the vehicle before Jan. 1, 1991, such As a five year exemption previously obtained from the military or a letter of inquiry or contract with a shipping company. The deadline for the Gulf hardship Extension is dec. 31, 1991. Vehicles must be shipped on or before that Date the Epa said. No Battle plans existed top iraqi prisoners say by Knut Royce new Day Washington a the iraqi military never prepared detailed Battle plans against an Allied invasion because it knew it could not win and believed president Saddam Hussein would reach a last minute political settlement senior iraqi officers held As prisoners of War have told Allied Deb Riefers. A the iraqi general officers knew they  win the War and weren to. Planning to fight a War a said a . Official who returned last week from the persian Gulf and is familiar with the substance of the military debriefings. A they did no to expect to fight a War because they knew Damn Well they a be  the iraqi officers a assumed Saddam was playing a game of Chicken and would turn off the Road at the last minute or reach a political Compromise a said the official who did not want to be indent find further. He described the revelation of iraqis Lack of adequate War preparation As a a credible because it was based on interviews with a enough senior level officers up through brigadier  seven iraqi generals have been captured or surrendered to Allied troops a Pentagon spokesman said monday the . Official familiar with the substance of the debriefings said that iraqis inadequate a Spade work for War was not limited to officers in the Kuwait theater of operation. He said that military planners in Baghdad also failed to draft contingency plans to counter an offensive by the Allied Powers led by the United states if the game of Chicken failed. By inference he said Saddam himself appears not to have believed that the allies would attack. Otherwise As Overall commander of iraqis military he would have ordered the drafting of War plans tailored to meet an Allied offensive a if not to win then to make it costly enough to produce a face saving settlement. Another source an administration official familiar with . Intelligence in the Gulf confirmed that iraqi pow officers including generals have told Allied Deb Riefers that they failed to prepare adequately for Battle because they believed a War would be suicidal and would be averted at the last minute. One of the exceptions to the Broad Lack of planning and initiative by the iraqi military was the torching of kuwaiti Oil Wells an act of sabotage the iraqis hoped would create a smoke screen against Allied bombing according to . Intelligence. But the torching proved relatively inconsequential to the outcome of the War. A Quot Quot a a a the . Official who returned from the Gulf said iraqi War planners had a no strategy beyond what they did in the Iran Iraq  he was referring to iraqis Reliance during most of that War on Static defensive lines with units held in Reserve for counteroffensive. As it had done on occasion against Iran Iraq did launch battalion strength probes into Allied positions notably at Khanji during the air War phase of the Battle. These probes appear to have been aimed at gathering intelligence on Allied forces and riot in preparation for an iraqi offensive according to informed sources. Schwarzkopf visits Oman Muscat Oman a Gen. Ii. Norman Schwarzkopf commander of the persian Gulf forces made a Surprise visit to this sultanate tuesday to meet with Fahr bin Teymour Deputy Premier for Security and defense. The official Media did not provide any details on the talks. Diplomatic sources said the four Star general who has his Headquarters in Riyadh saudi Arabia was discussing Lon term Security arrangements in the Region. Oman a Leader Sultan taboos is chairman of the supreme Security committee set up by the six nation Gulf co operation Council to plan a collective strategy against outside threats. The committee was formed at the december Summit of the acc leaders in response to iraqis aug. 2 invasion of Kuwait. Saudi Arabia Kuwait Qatar the United Arab emirates and Bahrain Are also members of the acc. Schwarzkopf was expected in Bahrain on wednesday. The Island state in the Gulf off saudia Arabia is expected to play a prominent role in future Security arrangements for the Region. Food line a member of the 3rd army div helps control a group of refugees waiting behind barbed wire for food being distributed by the International red Cross. The scene monday was near the iraqi Border town of Safwan