European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 10, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse Excia Washington a a former Cia officer pleaded guilty monday to two Misdemeanour charges of withholding information from Congress in the Iran Contra affair. He agreed to cooperate in the continuing investigation of the arms for hostages scandal. Alan Fiers former chief of the Ciao scentral american task Force admitted that he withheld information from Congress about the diversion of Iran arms Sale Money to the contras and about Oliver North a secret operation to resupply the contras with weapons in 1985 and 1986. Gets new pleads guilty to Aid investigation a emr. Fierst plea of guilty and agreement to cooperate Mark a significant Advance in our investigation a said Independent counsel Lawrence Walsh. Iran Contra prosecutor Craig Gillen disclosed in court that Fiers already has supplied significant information that flatly contradicts North a sworn testimony. Walsh is investigating whether current and former Cia officials and aides to then vice president George Bush lied when they denied knowing about the diversion and about North a resupply network to the contras. North a network circumvented a congressional ban that prohibited the Cia from supplying the rebels military needs. Fierst testimony could breathe new life into Walsh a 4vti-year criminal investigation which republicans have suggested be brought to a conclusion. It also comes at a politically sensitive time As the Senate considers the nomination of Robert Gates to head the Cia. Gates was then Deputy director of the Cia under William Casey at the time of Iran Contra and Fiers had occasional Contact with him. A a Fiers pleaded guilty to a criminal information before . District judge Aubrey Robinson. A yes i do a Fiers replied when Robinson asked him whether he fully understood the charges. Fiers could face up to one year in jail and a $200,000 Fine on each of the two Misdemeanour charges. Now retired from the Agency Fiers is the Only Cia officer to plead guilty to crimes in the scandal that tarnished the last two years of the Ronald Reagan see Contra on Page 10bush defends Victory in Gulf As Noble feat by Norman d. Sandler United press International. Washington a Adamant that a what we did was worthwhile a president Bush lashed out tuesday at unspecified adherents of a a revisionist theory diminishing the be value of the .-led Victory in the persian Gulf War. A Irta speech to the hawkish american defense preparedness association Bush said that with the advantage of Hindsight a some Are trying to move the goal posts Quot Mea us ring the Success or failure of the War against Iraq. Contrary to criticism that he failed to achieve a instant d democracy in Kuwait or-14the-to Tal de m ise of Saddam Hussein a Bush insisted the Triumph was in assembling an International coalition to ensure that a aggression would not a with the thanks of a fantastic military the equipment and the people we did something Noble a he said. A we kicked aggression opt of Kuwait and we said to the aggressor a the International Community and International Law wont stand for this kind of behaviour in the a the defense of . Objectives and performance in the Gulf came against a backdrop of nagging questions about the extent to which Saddam was militarily and politically devastated by the United states and its allies a and at what Cost. The debate was sparked shortly after the War Bysee Bush on Page 10 wet and wild bulls barrel Over rain Slick streets tuesday in Pamplona Spain during the third run at the famed san for min festival. Although several youths were charged none was seriously ii Rcd. Sec Story on Page 8. Rebel serbs in Croatia fire on train injuring 1 Belgrade Yugoslavia up rebel serbs in Eastern Croatia raked a train with bullets tuesday injuring at least one passenger and croatian Security units exchanged fire with Federal troops in a resumption of a clash that hours earlier left at least one Man dead and three wounded officials said. The fresh unrest in Independence minded Croatia came As two members of the yugoslav collective presidency held talks in Ljubljana with secessionist slovenian leaders on their alleged failure to fully implement a european Community brokered Accord aimed at averting new hostilities with the Federal military. The eight member yugoslav presidency complained that the breakaway Republic had flaunted a Midnight monday deadline for de mobilizing All of its militia units. A slovenian official said the Federal army still posed a threat and would first have to Send Home reservists called up in other parts of the Balkan nation before the Republic completely demobilized its forces. A delegation of senior dec diplomats was expected to arrive in Belgrade for talks on arranging an observer team to Monitor implementation of the peace see serbs on Page 10 troops May remain in Gulf until december Dod says Washington a there Are 44,000 . Military men and women still in the persian Gulf and some May be there until late december the Pentagon a spokesman said tuesday. Some five months after the end of the desert storm ground War the ground remaining in the Region is composed primarily of logistics personnel dealing with the mass of equipment left behind spokesman Pete Williams said at a Pentagon briefing. A a it a basically people there who Are helping to pack everything up and get it washed off and sent Back to the United states or Europe a he said. Some 4,000 members of the 11th army Cav regt based in Germany Are still in Kuwait. Plans Call for them to leave a around the 1st of september Quot Williams said. As that Date nears Pentagon officials May a take another look and see whether we want to leave them there any longer a he said but at the moment sept. 1 is the target Date at the height of the crisis 540,000 see troops on Page 10
