European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - May 3, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6the stars and stripes Friday May 3, 1991 Panama firms lose suits for invasion damages Washington apr panamanian businesses that suffered millions of dollars in looting damage after the United states invaded in december 1989 May not recover damages from the . Government a Federal judge says. On wednesday . District judge Stanley s. Harris dismissed 16 lawsuits that sought at least $80 million in damages. He said courts do not have the Power to second guess government decisions on using military forces. A a it is Well established that decisions pertaining to National Security such As whether and How to use military forces Are entrusted to the political branches a Harris wrote. A a. A. A a a the judge rejected the plaintiffs claims that the United states is responsible for property damage because it dismantled Panama a Only police Force and left panamanians virtually unprotected from their fellow citizens. Harris also dismissed a class action lawsuit asking that the government be ordered to consider damage claims for people killed or injured during the invasion. Douglas Mcfadden attorney for Many  Plain tiffs said the decision would be appealed. The judge noted that the plaintiffs said they were not questioning the . Decision to invade Panama but were claiming a failure to exercise proper police Power after the invasion  addition the judge said the government a refs not waived Sovereign immunity for lawsuits in cases involving discretionary actions by officials. A this Case involves executive Branch judgments that Are grounded in political military and foreign policy considerations a he said. Some of the plaintiffs contended that army troops watched As their businesses were looted. A insurance companies have refused to pay damages on grounds that they were related to acts of War. The . Army claims service has also rejected the requests. Government briefs filed in the lawsuit contended the United states does not pay for damage resulting from combat. Also they said the United states never officially took Over Panama a government and thus was not responsible for exercising police Power. Watery path to safety a a Man wads through Chest High water As firefighters Aid other residents evacuating their waterlogged Home in Savannah a. Rescuers helped bring at least a dozen Savannah arca residents to safety after thunderstorms brought torrential Rains triggering area flooding this week. See Story on Page 11. To steer . Man slays estranged wife 2 children then kills self from wire reports Rhinecliff . A a 29-Yearold Man fatally shot his estranged wife and their two children in the head before killing himself state police said wednesday. The bodies of William Allen Walberg of Rhinecliff Dawn Walberg 26, of Hyde Park and their children John 7, and Kayla 3, were found wednesday morning by Conrail workers at a freight Yard said capt. William Deblock. The couple had been having marital problems and were living apart though they were not legally separated Deblock said. The children lived with their Mother. Walberg used a 16-gauge Shotgun to kill his family and himself Deblock said. The positioning of the bodies did not indicate that anyone was running from Walberg said Deblock who would not say if there had been a struggle. Sauces losing fresh Label Washington a the makers of Ragu fresh italian Brand pasta sauces agreed wednesday to Stop using the word a a fresh on the Label of five kinds of sauces that Are heat processed the food and drug administration announced. The agreement came after a meeting Between the company a president and chief executive officer Arthur Gonis and Fra officials. The Fra had charged that such use of the word a a fresh was false and misleading. The settlement with Ragu follows a similar agreement with Procter amp Gamble last week to Stop putting a a fresh on its Citrus Hill Orange juice. In the pasta sauce business there is a distinction Between sauces that Are made directly from fresh tomatoes in what is called a a a traditional process and those made from a Tomato concentrate or  sex sheriff wins stress pay Wenatchee Wash. Officials granted a former sheriff disability payments for stress from weathering a theft and penury trial beating a recall drive and losing re election. The Chelan county disability Board unanimously agreed monday that Joe Collins 43, should receive full Deputy pay of $2,333 per month for at least six months. The Board then will determine whether to make the disability pay  member Vergil Murren said wednesday that Collins application was supported by letters from two clinical psychiatrists who said the Strain of office caused the former sheriff to suffer. A one of them said that due to the election and recall that he really Isnit suitable to work right away a Murren said. He lost a bid for election to a third term last fall. He survived a recall attempt in 1988 after being tried and acquitted in March 1987 on theft and perjury charges. A the charges stemmed from a 1985 trip to the Fri National Academy at Quantico a. He was accused of charging some expenses to the county for which the Fri later reimbursed him. War Washington up Gen. Colin Powell chairman of the joint chiefs of staff last fall had reservations about the Bush administrations shift toward an offensive persian Gulf military strategy and suggested containment of Iraq through economic and military pressure a new Book says. Powell believed containment could accomplish . Objectives Short of War the Washington Post reported thursday disclosing details of the Book by Post editor Bob Woodward. In late october before president Bush a crucial decision to double . Ground forces in the Gulf Region Powell argued his Case individually with defense Secretary Dick Cheney National Security adviser Brent scowcroft and Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii. Only Baker supported Powell a position the Post said. It said Powell finally raised the Issue with the president a arguing that containment would take time maybe As Long As a year or two but it would  Bush replied a i done to think there a time politically for that strategy a according to Woodward a account. The Book to tied a the commanders a does not elaborate on Bush a political considerations. After the meeting with Bush Powell Felt he had gone As far As he could the Post said. He was quoted As telling his predecessor retired adm. William Crowe jr., a a in be been for a containment strategy but it Hasni to been Selling around Here or Over there a pointing from his Pentagon window toward the White House. A once Bush committed himself to developing an offensive strategy against Iraq Powell supported the decision the Post said. A the commanders a which was to be published Friday contains numerous disclosures about decision making at the highest Levels of the Bush administration. According to the Post the Book also said that the administration embarrassed Over political failures to dislodge panamanian dictator Manuel Antonio Noriega from Power began searching in 1989 for any provocation to use military Force to oust him. After an unsuccessful panamanian coup do eat failed to overthrow Noriega in october 1989, Bush told the National Security Council a Amateur hour is \ Over a the Post said. A Quot the Post reported other disclosures i the Book including a two Days before iraqis aug. 2 inv Sion of Kuwait a defense intelligent Agency analyst warned in a memo the iraqi Leader Saddam Hussein intended i invade the emirate. A after an initial High level meeting c the crisis Bush and scowcroft conclude that the other top Bush advisers were in taking the invasion seriously enough. A Baker harboured reservations Abri the initial Gulf military buildup. The Boc portrays Baker As Powell a chief ally the administration2upper ranks in try ii to develop an alternative to offensive m itary