European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - June 5, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday june 5, 1991 the stars and stripes b Page 3 Iraq reportedly retains n by Doyle Mcmanus and Robin Wright thevos Angeles times a Washington a a senior iraqi nuclear scientist has defected to the United states and. Told Pentagon experts that a significant part of Saddam Hussein a nuclear research facilities survived . Bombing raids during the persian Gulf War officials said monday the defector who reportedly drove up to a . Military checkpoint in Northern Iraq last month and asked for Asylum is being debriefed by . Experts As part of a wider Effort to determine How much nuclear material Iraq still has and whether Saddam s regime is still capable of developing a nuclear weapon the officials said. The scientists account could be a key to a . Effort to locate iraqis store of weapons Grade uranium and arrange for its  reported statements also cast new doubt on the fulfilment of one of the main . Aims in the War the destruction of iraqis ability to build weapons of mass destruction. Gen. Hnorman Schwarzkopf who commanded operation desert Storin in the Gulf said in january that .-led bombing raids a have neutralized their manufacturing capabilities their nuclear manufacturing  the defectors information reportedly contradicts that claim. After the War Iraq initially denied possessing any weapons Grade uranium the essential material used in nuclear explosives. A a a. 1 under pressure from the United states and other Western governments the Baghdad regime later acknowledged that it had 91 pounds of weapons Grade nuclear material. That would be More than enough to build a nuclear bomb although . Experts said iraqis research program was at least five years away from that Point. The department of defense is a taking the Lead in debriefing the scientist who is being held in protective custody at an undisclosed location a perhaps outside the United states one official said. The Bush administration refused to confirm the defection which was first re ported by National Public radio. A i done to have any a oiment on the specifies. Since they clearly involve intelligence matters of some sensitivity Quot said state a department spokeswoman Margaret Tutwiler. A several officials said they were unhappy that the incident had been disclosed. A we did no to want Saddam to know this Asaid one. He expressed concern that the iraqi regime might react by putting its remaining nuclear scientists under close surveillance thus complicating . Intelligence efforts to Contact them. A none of these cases do we want to Deal with in Public a he said. Asked if his use of the word a a cases implied that there was More than one iraqi defector in . Custody the official refused further comment. Tutwiler noted that the allegation that significant nuclear facilities had survived the bombing was consistent with earlier . Assessments. A a we vib previously said that the initial iraqi disclosures on their nuclear facilities fell Well Short of reality a she said. A a you la remember they then sent in a lengthier report and we characterized that As More in line with  said the International atomic Energy Agency which sent a team of experts to Iraq in May would probably carry out a Many inspections of iraqis nuclear chemical biological and missile capabilities in order to ensure their destruction.�?�. Poor weather again threatens gape canaveral Fla. Up despite a gloomy weather forecast engineers made final preparations tuesday to fuel the shuttle Blum Bia for Blastoff wednesday on a twice delayed medical research flight to study the effects of weightlessness. A. Carrying seven astronauts 29 rats and some 2,500 baby jellyfish Columbia was scheduled to take off on the years third shuttle Mission at 8 . Edt wednesday to o weeks behind schedule. Because of a series of frustrating technical glitches. A a technicians began loading the research., on Board Early tuesday a one rate was bumped from the flight because of problems with its Cage a and geared up to begin pumping a half million Gallons of rocket fuel into columbian a external tank around Midnight to set the stage for liftoff. But air Force capt. Mike Adams a shuttle meteorologist was not optimistic about the weather calling for a 50-50 Chance of thunderstorms and Low Clouds that could delay the flight. More of the same was on tap thursday and if Columbia is not off the ground by thursday the flight will be delayed to sunday to give engineers time to Load a fresh set of research animals on Board and to top off fuel supplies for the shuttle s electrical  National aeronautics and space administration test director Michael Leinbach said the launch team Felt no additional pressure to get the ship airborne despite a series of technical glitches that combined to delay the 41st shuttle flight a full two weeks. A As Strauss nominated to soviet Union Washington a president Bush on tuesday nominated Robert Strauss As ambassador to the soviet Union and said he  the prominent Democrat was the right Man to represent the United states in this period of a fantastic change in Moscow. Strauss is a former chairman of the democratic National committee and International Trade representative under president career. His relationship with Bush crosses party lines. Along with Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii Bush and Strauss Are texans and longtime friends. Bush said lie was certain that no one was More talented to make sure that two big ships a the United states and the soviet Union a a a done to pass in the night for Lack of  Strauss 72, had been mentioned Midway in the presidents two year search for a replacement for career Diplomat Jack Matlock but he said recently he had turned Down the Job. Bush sidestepped a question of whether he would be going to Moscow by the end of june for a Summit with soviet president Mikhail Gorbachev. He said the administration would be deciding Ori a timetable in a the next couple of Days a a a Bush made his Surprise appointment As the United states and soviet Union Are driving toward agreement on a treaty to slash Long Range nuclear weapons and to. Forge closer economic tics. Gorbachev has appealed for greater economic Aid Robert strauss1�?T Center is flanked by Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii and president Bush at news conference in Washington. You know. Its a non political appointment if Ever there was  lie added a i certainly will come out a  a Strauss said lie would not respond to any substantive questions about  relations until after his Senate confirmation. _ _ Strauss would be one of the few non career diplomats from the West and Bush has indicated a willingness to to hold the Post since the United states established Diplo help. A a Quot said Strauss a i have concluded if there a a role 1 can in a delighted to play it with this Secretary of state and this president. A a week ago if anybody told me id be standing Here id say they a be crazy a said Strauss. A a i enter this administration As a Democrat As All of malic relations with the soviet Union in 1933. Strauss has been a powerful figure in democratic politics for years. He is a former National party chairman from 1972 to 1977. He also served As . Trade representative from 1977 until 1979, and was chairman of Carters unsuccessful re election Campaign in 19,so. He also served a special envoy on the Middle East. 48th tac Raf Laken Heath England a amps a five full arc members. From the 4sth tac fighter w ing have been awarded the Silver Star medal for their actions during the persian Gulf War. Quot the award the . Military a fourth highest combat Honor was presented to it. Cols. John Slaton and Dennis Ertler and cats. Michael Mckelvey Mark Chance and Bear Daughtry. They received the awards Friday at Lakenheath from Gen. John Shaud chief offer War efforts staff at nato Headquarters in Casteau Belgium. Slaton the aircraft commander and Daughtry his weapons systems officer comprised the Crew on one of 19 aircraft sent to destroy an iraqi nuclear facility near Baghdad. But because of bad weather mechanical problems and the heavy defense around the facility Only Slaton and two other pilots managed to attack it. Intelligence reports indicate their attack was successful. A a a we weren to any better at achieving perimeters then we were in Vietnam. The bombs were just that much smarter and ivc were Able to guide them in a Slaton said. Mckelvey a Pilot and Chance a weapons officer flew together As part of a 14-plane night attack against the Al Habb Aniyah Airfield about 35 Miles West of Jig Laiad. Before reaching their target the two Lead aircraft had to pull out because of prob Lens. Mckelvey then assumed command of the flight and proceeded to the target. The Airfield was destroyed despite being heavily defended. On the first night of the air Campaign against Iraq Ertler was a member of a six plane attack Mission on a hardened aircraft shelter in Northern Kuwait. Three of the six aircraft aborted their missions before reaching the target because of heavy anti aircraft fire. Ertler continued the Mission and destroyed the shelter alone