European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 24, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday january 24, 1992 the stars and stripes Page 13 commentary Richard Morin Only . Still basking in Post Gulf War glow americans big win in the persian Gulf War grows smaller by the month. One year after the Start of the conflict some of the wars biggest winners including president Bush and his High tech warriors Are wondering Why the postwar party ended so quickly. In fact Public opinion polls suggest that Only one big Gulf Winner still retains its postwar popularity the United nations. Recent surveys show that approval for the United nations which formally sanctioned military action against Iraq is higher now than it was immediately after the Gulf War. That a because Allied successes in the Gulf were followed by the .-arranged hostage releases in Lebanon and signs of a thaw in Arab israeli relations brought about in part by the . General Assembly a repeal of a hugely divisive Resolution that equated zionism with racism. An important recent Survey by the americans talk issues foundation found that approval for the United nations actually increased from 66 percent in june to 78 percent in november a period when other measures of War induced euphoria were sinking fast. The Ati Survey of 1,000 adults conducted in late november by Veteran political pollsters Fred steeper and Stanley Greenberg found surprising willingness of Many americans to surrender some piece of National sovereignty to the United nations and affiliated institutions. Margin of sampling error for the Overall results is plus or minus three percentage Points. According to the poll half of those questioned a 51 percent a agreed that a the . Should abide by All world court decisions even when they go against us because this sets an example for All nations to  that was up from 42 percent in May. More than half also would support increasing the amount of dues that the United states pays to the United nations to a help pay for a . Space satellite system to detect and Monitor such problems As arms movements crop failures refugee settlements and global  and remarkably 38 percent of those questioned said . Resolutions a should Rule Over the actions and Laws of individual countries where necessary to fulfil essential United nations functions including ruling Over . Laws when our Laws Are  while the . Public relations Victory has endured other institutions and individuals have found that War won popularity was fleeting. Among the losers president Bush and the . Military As Well As american self Confidence. A George Bush the Quick end to the War sent the presidents Job approval rating to the highest level of any president in the Post world War ii Era. A Washington Post Abc news Survey in March found that 90 percent of those questioned approved of the Job Bush was doing As president and a remarkable 65 percent strongly approved. But since March the recession and growing concerns about other Domestic problems sent Bush a Public standing into free fall. And by december Bush a approval rating stood at 47 percent the first time in his presidency that it had dropped below 50 percent in Post Abc news surveys. A National Confidence Victory in the Gulf War also sent Public Confidence momentarily soaring. In late february 58 percent of those questioned in a Post Abc news poll said the country was headed in the right direction and just 39 percent said it was off on the wrong track. That generally positive Reading was especially remarkable Given that virtually whenever that question is asked More than half of those interviewed inevitably say the country is off on the wrong foot. Not since january 1985 had Public Confidence been so High in fact that february result was the first and Only time since Bush took office that More than half of the country believed the United states was on the right course. But almost immediately after the end of the War and with stunning swiftness National optimism began to Wane. In april the proportion of americans who said the country was on the right track had dropped to 42 percent in August it stood at 31 percent. And by late october a Post Abc Survey found that just one out of four americans a 26 percent a thought the country was headed in the right direction less than half of what it had been just eight months before. A the . Military Public Confidence in the military soared in response to the High tech triumphs of american and Allied forces in the Gulf War. But even this View has moderated As the Public a euphoria dissipated in the months following the War. In late january of last year 85 percent of those questioned said they had a a great deals or a quite a lot Quot of Confidence in the . Military  positive Reading Ever obtained on this question in a Post Abc news poll. But by october Confidence had slipped to prewar Levels with 71 percent of those questioned saying they had Confidence in the . Military. And what about the War itself second thoughts dominate the thinking of Many americans. The Al l Survey in november found that eight out of 10 americans believe the United states and its allies should have continued fighting until iraqi president Saddam Hussein was out of Power. And 65 percent of those interviewed said the Gulf War was a a great Victory Quot for the United states a Down from 85 percent in March. C Tho Washington Post Bill Tammeus super bowl cities offer super contrast in style the teams in the super bowl this year represent vastly different cities with different cultures and histories. This is As it should be. We the people should use these National religious civic rituals to acquaint ourselves with different parts of our quilt of a country. In be spent time in both Buffalo and Washington. Do not Send sympathy cards. I have considered it my patriotic duty so 1 feel As qualified As the next ignoramus with cheap opinions to give you a feel for the metropolises represented by the Bills and redskins. Lots of prejudiced people who be never been there think Buffalo is a Frozen Arctic wasteland up to its Vestibule in Snow. That a a false impression. Actually Buffalo Isnit that attractive. Well let me clarify that Over the months and months when Buffalo really is a Frozen Arctic wasteland up to its Vestibule in Snow the Snow is often sooty and disgusting looking. Or anyway it gets that Way in the several hours Between each snowfall. However in the summer which in Buffalo usually comes on a thursday in mid August Buffalo can experience Beautiful weather. There Are in fact Many Buffalini ans who in the drear of Winter reminisce about Summers this Way a remember the summer of �?T88, when it got up to 79 degrees a and so Forth. The weather in Buffalo Means its pro football team usually has an advantage Over wimpy teams that play in Laid Back shirtsleeves places like Miami and los Angeles. But since the super bowl this year will be played indoors in Minneapolis this advantage will be negated a unless of course the Bills Between plays can run out of the stadium often enough to fill their lungs with Minnesota fro Stiness. One other Odd thing you might not know about Buffalo the natives olten speak in a strange Western new York twang. For instance when i married my wife who grew up just East of Bettalo she talked about wearing a Lamaack Fla Raats pronounced sort of like Block Flets. Only More nasal on her feet. And people there done to eat hamburgers and cheeseburgers. They eat Hamburgs Hamburg is also a suburb and cheese burgs. And they write with ballpoint pins and put their Money in the Bink and their socks in a  course you can to put too much blame on the people themselves for this oddness. The place got off to a Rocky Start pronunciation Wise Way Back in 1679, when a fellow with this Mouthful of a name a Rene Robert Cavelier Sicuro de la Salle a settled in at least Long enough to build a ship. Washington dc., by contrast is Wonky in almost every respect except language. Its citizens mostly Federal bureaucrats and the journalists who investigate them Are so uneducated about the processes it local and state government that Many want the District of Columbia to attain the status of statehood. What can they be thinking it they think Congress is a mess wait until they get their own state legislature Washington selected to be the nation s capital m 1700, i actually an older City than Buffalo which despite the Early efforts of Cavelier blah blah did not become incur ported As a Village until 1816 oddly enough the last year the cubs won a Pennant. Washington once described As 69 Square Miles surrounded on All sides by reality is so out of touch with the american people and their political correctness that it names its pro sports teams ethnically or politically offensive names. Redskins for example. And a even worse a senators though that baseball team eventually was impeached and sentenced to the Home for the criminally inept. I cd Ouli Tell you much More about both Bettalo and Washington but this is probably enough to help you appreciate the 1992 super bowl better. Well there is one More tiling it Bettalo were less than pm Miles Tardier North it would be in Toronto and it washing ton were less than it Miles Marthet East it would be m the Atlantic Ocean. Both moves strike me As Good ideas. Cik Ansas c y Star