European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 17, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Thes Fais vol. 50, no. 277 350 Friday january 17,1992 d 8693 army Halfway Home today troop cuts restructuring leave . With one corps German towns involved in the draw Down by Vince Crawley staff writer the land army in Europe which once massed 1,700 tanks 200 attack helicopters and More than 200,000 troops against the now vanished Warsaw pact is being officially chopped in half today. Manpower cuts and restructuring across Germany turned two of the army a four combat divisions into ghost units in recent months and the ceremonies in Frankfurt and Baum older will formally recognize their passing. Officials Are touting the ceremonies As a Milestone in the army a reduction from two to one Europe based corps. A four divisions go into two in Onesee related stories on pages 18-20 Day a said maj. Doug Curtis of the 8th inf div which will be re flagged today. A a it a a different world in 1992 than the world of the last 40 years a said Gen. Gordon r. Sullivan the army chief of see army on Page 2 a amps Sharon Kildany Virran first hours of persian Gulf War recalled by Ron Jensen staff writer the Field Telephone jingled beneath it. Col. Lawrence Gehlhausen a bunk. In the darkness of yet another night in the empty Northern saudi arabian desert he groped for the receiver. The voice at the other end of the 2nd army Cav regt a fragile connection to the outside world told the executive officer what he had been waiting two months to hear. War had come to the persian Gulf. A just about that time i heard a fixed Wing air plane come screaming Over our tent heading North a he recalls. Gehlhausen woke his commander a heavy Sleeper and told him the news. The commanders understated response a great. Tell Mem to Wake us up if anybody comes across the Border heading  in Washington presidential spokesman Marlin Fitzwa see related stories on Page 3 Ter said simply a the liberation of Kuwait has  while the words May not have the historic ring of a a Date that will live in infamy a they succinctly depicted protesting Miyazawa a visit about 150 demonstrators burned an effigy of japanese emperor Akihito on thursday at Pagoda Park in downtown Seoul South Korea. The rally was held to protest the three Day visit by prime minister Kii Chi Miyazawa who arrived thursday amid escalating anti japanese sentiment. See Story on Page 8. The events unfolding in the Middle East one year ago today the 2nd of Rajab 1411 on the arabian Calendar but Early on the morning of Jan. 17 for much of the rest of the world. The War began when fighter jets left their bases about 12 50 . Less than two hours later just As the network news programs were beginning the bombs began dropping on strategic targets inside Iraq and Kuwait. Allied pilots flew hundreds of sorties that night blasting Oil storage facilities scud missile Sites command see Gulf on Page 2germans renew debate on sending troops into Battle Bonn Germany apr Chancellor Helmut Kohls government said thursday that Germany which has been exercising More diplomatic clout than at any time since 1945, must also be prepared to help fight for peace. During a parliamentary debate defense minister Ger Ard Stoltenberg renewed the governments demands for a constitutional amendment that would allow German troops to participate when . Or european Community forces arc used to extinguish a conflict. It was one of the strongest appeals yet by Kohls government for a loosening of constitutional shackles placed on the German armed forces after the nazis defeat. But the opposition social democrats oppose such an amendment and on thursday said other nations might object to German troops being used in Battle. A alter Kolbow a social Democrat lawmaker rejected a muscle flexing that could Only put at risk Germany a Good  Germany has already raised eyebrows in other countries with a new boldness in diplomatic matters. The most striking example of this change was Germany a successful Pursuit of dec recognition of Croatia and Slovenia Over objections by the United states and the United nations. Germany says its recognition push forced a breakthrough in Yugoslavia peace talks. Kohls government sees its activism on the Issue As proof of its commitment to assume greater responsibility in world affairs. Wolfgang Schuble parliamentary chief of Kohls coalition Tola parliament that responsibility also Means Germany should not be shy about offering troops to help preserve world peace. A a country with the size political importance and see germans on Page 2