European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - September 4, 1991, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday september 4, 1991 the stars and stripes a Page 13 commentary Steve Gerste probes aplenty to spice fall legislative session a wild three ring circus faces Congress in the fall with the spotlight on the nominations of Clarence Thomas to the supreme court and Robert Gates to head the Cia As Well As a series of investigations a one of which is known As the a october  in addition. Congress will have to conduct a critical examination of a newly cast world defined by the sweeping changes in a Post revolution soviet Union and the Impact of that upheaval on the United states. The Senate and House will proceed with the Normal routine of legislation but the attention will be riveted elsewhere. For instance almost every committee that can find a plausible excuse to do so will delve into  relations. Congressional committees that Deal with foreign affairs intelligence and the military Are sure to hold showcase hearings and some others probably the Commerce and agriculture committees will get in on the act too. These hearings in addition to providing a Broad View of the situation in the soviet Union will probably concentrate on such issues As the recognition of the republics the form of economic Aid the United states should extend and when and the Impact on . Defense. The question that could command the greatest attention a and for which the administration might not have an answer a is who controls the strategic and tactical missiles now and in the future. The changed situation in the soviet Union could also affect demands for still deeper cuts in the military and a reduction in costly weapons systems such As the b-2 and the a Star wars Quot anti missile defense. Even before Congress puts out a general Call for administration officials to discuss the soviet Union the Senate will begin hearings on the controversial nomination of Thomas Black and conservative. The nomination of Thomas to succeed civil rights Standard bearer Thurgood Marshall the last of the pure liberals on the court has ignited opposition from Many of the same special interest groups that masterminded the defeat of the Robert Bork nomination to the High tribunal. Yet with the hearings set to begin sept. 10, Thomas has not been subjected to the same intensity of opposition that felled Bork and he has been helped by an adroit and sophisticated Campaign for confirmation led by the White House and sen. John Danforth. Thomas confirmation could hinge on the hearings As he explains his judicial philosophy As Well As his past actions As chairman of the equal employment Opportunity commission to Senate judiciary committee democrats some of whom Are openly hostile to the nomination. Six Days after Thomas takes the stand Gates will appear before the Senate intelligence committee his confirmation hobbled by a lingering uncertainty Over How much he knew of the Iran Contra scandal. A one time loser a his earlier nomination to the Cia was withdrawn during the turmoil of the Iran Contra investigation a Gates faces renewed questions about his knowledge of the Clandestine operation in which arms were sold to Iran to get Money for the nicaraguan contras. Own a a it a a raw Newnon Minook of we Bozym  a there Are some in the Senate and elsewhere who cannot believe that Gates then the Deputy director to Cia chief William Casey did not know about the illegal operation. Alan Fiers former chief of the Ciao scentral America task Force who ranked under Gates pleaded guilty july 9 to two Misdemeanour counts for not telling congressional committees what he knew. Fiers and perhaps others May be called to testify perhaps under a Grant of partial immunity. The investigation with the most potential but so far the least substance a deals with an accusation that members of Ronald Reagan a Campaign team asked Iran not to free . Hostages until after the 1980 elections As part of an Effort to defeat president Carters bid for re election. The captives were released the Day Reagan was inaugurated. After a preliminary inquiry in the House Senate and House democratic leaders reluctantly ordered investigations into what is called the a october  although Reagan and president Bush then the vice presidential candidate deny any knowledge of a hostage Deal even the suggestion is political dynamite. Congressional leaders spurred by photos a possibly bogus a of american prisoners of War allegedly still held in Vietnam or Laos ordered an inquiry into the entire pow Mia Issue. Sen. John Kerry chairman of the new Senate committee and a Vietnam Veteran went to Southeast Asia last month to seek some preliminary answers. Cd Bro. I m. A xxv Senate and House banking committees shortly before the recess launched investigations into Bank of credit and Commerce International Boccia $20 billion banking Empire that Lias been charged with being a a corrupt criminal organization Quot that had close political connections in the United states. Clark Clifford the Veteran adviser to presidents has resigned As chairman of the first american Banks arcs one of the Banks the government claims was secretly bought by Bocci. Clifford said he did not know acc la a ownership and is ready to testify. The Senate ethics committee also appears ready to finally make a judgment on sen. Alan Cranston accused with four other senators of soliciting favors for Charles Keating the flamboyant savings and loan Kingpin. The other four received letters of reprimand. The committee failed to recommend a punishment for Cranston at the same time the panel ruled on the other four senators. The decision was delayed by a heart attack suffered by sen. David Pryor Ami then by a surpise announcement by his replacement. Sen. Jeff Bingaman that he had a conflict of interest and finally by squabbling on the committee. A recovered Pryor has now agreed to rejoin the committee to Complete work on the Cranston Case indicating the committee might decide quickly on whether to ask the Senate to censure the Veteran California Democrat who is retiring after this term. C a mod press International Leon Daniel failed coup put spotlight on booze Issue the Vodka Putsch is a grim reminder that the disintegrating soviet Union is afflicted with rampant alcoholism. No one is laughing at the Boozy bozos who starred in the abortive Kremlin coup a tragicomedy fuelled by alcohol. They Are after All. Traitors. But hard drinking soviet citizens have been known to tolerate drunks. Even before Boris Yeltsin was elevated to hero status the president of the russian Republic was unscathed by disputed press reports that he went on a drinking spree in the United states. Russian voters laughed off a report by former Interior minister Vadim Baratin the new Post coup Kab chief that Yeltsin was found wandering dripping wet in an area of elite private Dachau outside Moscow claiming someone had tried to assassinate him. As for Mikhail Gorbachev the soviet president certainly is no Boozer. He tried Back in 1985 to discourage his countrymen a fondness for the Jug by launching an All out Campaign against alcohol. The government raised the Legal drinking age from 18 to 21, limited the hours when alcohol could be sold and More than doubled the Price of Vodka to the Ruble equivalent of $16.50 a liter. Moscow beginners the first anti drinking group for soviet citizens that is registered with alcoholics Anonymous was started in Moscow in 1987 by the Rev. . Canty an episcopal priest from new York City. The ministry of health endorsed the groups self help concept and hailed it As a new weapon in the soviet unions struggle against alcoholism. Since the failed coup things should be even easier for Moscow beginners which teaches members to rely on a a higher  that teaching May have created an inevitable conflict in a society considered officially atheist. One muscovite who evidently never attended Moscow beginners meetings is ousted prime minister Valentin Pavlov a plotter so drunk at a meeting of the conspirators on the night of the coup that he could not be understood. Former vice president Gennady Kanayev the front Man for the plotters was drunk during most of the three Day Putsch. A Nancv whose hands Shook uncontrollably at a news conference was so smashed he reportedly had to be awakened to be arrested. The kuranty newspaper mincing not a word reported a the coup was staged by  in a Lead Story kuranty noted a your Long suffering country Quot is Short of food clothing housing and fuel but opined a the worst shortage was that of sober people in the state s  it is to be hoped that there is no such shortage in the leadership that emerges in the republics that composed the pre Putsch soviet Union and seem Likely to inherit from the collapsing Central government nuclear weapons. To Fult Foj put Psi inter