European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - August 14, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday August 14, 1991 the stars and Stripe Scarl t. Rowan Page 13 commentary squabble Over land threatens Baker efforts when the White settlers give the Dakotas Back to the indians. When the . Cedes Texas and Cali a fornia to Mexico. Those Are the answers. The question is a when will Israel give the Golan Heights Back to Syria and the West Bank and Gaza strip Back to other arabs athe answers May seem terribly pessimistic at a time when Secretary of state James a. Baker Iii seems close to pulling off a diplomatic political Miracle he has Syria Jordan and Lebanon willing to sit face to face with Israel in peace talks. He has saudi Arabia willing to lift a four decades old economic embargo against Israel. He has Egypt pushing the other arabs toward a peace settlement. Still a heavy Cloud called a land for peace hangs Over these Baker efforts. The saudis have set a precondition that Israel Stop building settlements on conquered Arab lands. The syrians who Nave become the key to peace efforts certainly will demand the return of the Golan Heights. The United states is pressuring Israel with hints that it will be the co Host for a peace conference with the soviet Union whether Israel attends or not. Some forces in America which regard Israel As an arrogant territorial aggressor Are saying loudly for the first time that . Aid to Israel should be Cut off if the jewish state kills this Chance for peace. Prime minister Yitzhak Shamir and israeli hard liners such As Ariel Sharon May decide that they must go to the table but the talks could founder on the Issue of returning land. Israelis View the Golan Heights As a Buffer strip that provides a measure of Security against Syria which they distrust deeply. Many israelis say that they won the West Bank and Gaza fair and Square and need to keep it. Were Israel to give Back land for peace they ask what would they do about the thousands of israeli families that have settled on the conquered lands where would Israel House the on Waves of jews coming out of the soviet Union Quot All these practical matters regarding jewish settlements May not be As much an obstacle to peace As the belief of powerful israelis that god gave the territories in dispute to the jewish people As Samaria and Judea and that these lands must forever remain a part of Israel. The irony is that the United states that is pressuring Israel to be reasonable is the same United states that has Given Israel the military and political strength to allow it to stay unbending. Not Only has the United states supplied Israel with the most sophisticated weapons of War but it has deranged Egypt As a possible foe and launched a military assault to decimate the army of Iraq which the israelis feared. The United states looked the other Way while Israel developed nuclear weapons but now talks of another military assault to ensure that Iraq cannot develop such bombs and warheads. Israelis Oft demonstrated clout in con Gress also encourages the Tel Aviv government to stall and then obdurate by reject any land for peace arrangement. Shamir May still Wager that in any crunch Israel will have More support in Congress than Baker and president Bush. The Cost of 40 years of israeli Arab conflict has been so great though that despite the troublesome Outlook the United states must go full Speed ahead in starting peace talks. C North America Syndicate Steven Komarow Ress leans toward shutting open doors after nearly two decades of government in the Sunshine Power to the people and All that reformist stuff there a a new rallying cry emerging on Capitol bring Back the smoke filled rooms. Actually its not much of a cry. Or even a shout. Its More like a hint a whisper and a nod. But its a real manifestation of the frustration lawmakers feel about their inability to get things done and the Low esteem their jobs retain among the populace. A i think that members of Congress Are elected As politicians and politicians ought to be Able to be left to work and perform As politicians. To strike deals a said rep. Lee h. Hamilton a ind. A a lot of reforms i used to support i no longer  its been nearly two decades since Capitol Hill was a Haven for the closed door butt burning sessions that people expect a maybe not like but expect a of their elected officials. The Post watergate class of lawmakers vowed their Congress would stand As a shining contrast to the secretive bugged and brutal tactics of Richard Nixon a executive Branch. So they changed the system. They took Power from the a old bulls and spread it around. They pried doors open to reveal inner Workings of the legislative process. But it Hasni to worked out the Way they hoped. To Butcher an old Butcher analogy its As though Jimmy Dean opened the doors of his sausage factory to show How he makes his product clean and wholesome. Maybe so but its not pretty and neither is legislating. A ironically by doing too much of a Good thing i think we be made Congress less influential rather than More Quot said sen. David Lyle Boren a okla. Also ironically Congress seems to get no credit from the Public for operating under those  president Bush who makes All his decisions in secret meetings with his Cabinet Republican operatives or foreign leaders is widely viewed As an open and honest fellow while the Capitol is still seen As the Home of the sleaze bags. A a there a a kind of disdain for politicians and the work they do the Messy business of Compromise a Hamilton said. And while not conquering its unsavoury reputation Congress has added in recent years to an impression that its unwieldy. A humongous staff of 12,000, up from 2,000 just after world War ii promotes a Tail wagging the dog atmosphere As the bureaucracy tries to impose its Agenda. Meanwhile overlapping jurisdiction Between the 302 House and Senate committees and subcommittees leads to ugly intramural spats. The closed door budget summits of 1987 and again last year were examples of the Lack of Confidence lawmakers and the White House have in the Normal legislative process. Boren and Hamilton joined by Sens. Pete v. Dome Nici . And rep. Willis d. Gradison jr., a Ohio have announced legislation calling for a special joint committee to review Congress operations and to recommend streamlining. It May seem like a modest proposal to outsiders but its not within the institution. Now that Power has been diffused it could prove very hard to gather it up again. And As for the staff Well who was it who hired All those folks in the first place since any streamlining would Lead to re concentrating Power the ultimate result could be a reinventing of the Power sessions in which a few party leaders meet privately to Chart course on a wide Range of issues. Maybe we re talking Perrier fizz instead of Cigar fumes but otherwise it could be 1938 again. Or could it rep. Steny h. Hoyer d-md., said that a the real problem is we be had a divided government a a Republican White House and democratic Congress. And we be he a Long called for More centralized Power for the speaker of the House Hoyer added a from my standpoint institutional organizational Structure is not the  with their legislative process Reform plan the bipartisan group is proposing to kill a monster by going for the capillaries instead of the jugular. And the nostalgia some hold for the Good old. U. F Freer to use political skills to make sound decisions. No process change can make that guarantee. C tha associated press the opinions expressed in the columns and cartoons on this Page represent those of the authors and Are in no be considered As representing the views of 1 he stars and stripes or the United states government