European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - March 15, 1992, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Carrier s Gulf presence called routine Washington apr a senior Pentagon official is downplaying the presence of the aircraft Carrier America in the persian Gulf calling it part of the military a routine postwar presence in the Region. But a top iraqi official called the move part of a a unilateral intimidation Campaign by the United states. The . Official who spoke on condition of anonymity denied Friday that the movement of the vessel was intended As a threatening gesture toward any nation in the Region. A a we be kept a Carrier in the Region since the War. The America went into the Gulf As part of the Normal Post War deployment of our forces a the official said. But iraqi Deputy prime minister Tariq Aziz told can a this escalation by the american administration is an act of unilateral intimidation to Iraq. It is not the position of the Security Council. In a really surprised about this atmosphere that i hear on the  he called last weeks meetings with the . Security Council relatively productive. A the . Official pointed out that the America replaced the Carrier Dwight d. Eisenhower which left the Gulf feb. 4. One Navy official who also spoke privately said that carriers enter the Gulf to practice a Battle group  in the shallower Waters and to practice air operations meaning aircraft takeoffs and landings. A Pentagon spokesman it. Col. Stuart Wagner said there Are 20 . Ships in the persian Gulf the Gulf of Oman and the Northern arabian sea. They include the America the command ship la Salle three cruisers four destroyers two frigates and five amphibious ships. There Are five . Vessels in the red sea a two destroyers two frigates and one auxiliary ship. The total presence of . Forces in the Gulf Region is about 24,000  toll could top 1,000 Fca Vav Yvo. 1811" Quot % a a a building in Erz incan Turkey stands a barely a after the City was hit by an earthquake Friday night. Ankara Turkey a the cries of turks trapped in the rubble were heard saturday As rescuers searched for hundreds of people believed caught under buildings collapsed by a killer earthquake in Eastern Turkey. At least 570 people were killed and there were fears the death toll would climb past 1,000. The minute Long temblor Friday evening estimated As High As 6.8 on the Richter scale flattened 200 buildings in Erz incan a City of 150,000 that was hit the worst by the quake officials and reports said. State television reported that 280 bodies were recovered from the wreckage in Erz incan about 350 Miles cast of Ankara. A More accurate count of the quake see quake on Page 2democrats push tax reduction through Senate Washington apr democratic leaders on Friday night rammed through the Senate a tax Cut for 29 million Middle income families that would be financed by raising taxes on the nations richest 800,000 people. President Bush has promised to veto it. The vote was 50-47. No Republican voted for it four democrats voted no. A this proposal is aimed specifically at those families that have taken the hardest hit Over the last decade and they Are Middle income families with children a said sen. Lloyd Bentsen a Texas chief author of the Bill. Republican Senate Leader Bob Dole of Kansas said the biggest benefits would go not to the Middle class but to a the a ruling class a the democratic incumbents who Only want election year benefits for  a final Compromise be see Senate on Page 2 curfew rules in Iceland lifted for lower ranks on trial basis by Meridith Winder . Bureau Nas Kef Lavik Iceland a an assignment to Iceland for lower enlisted military members no longer Means having to Cut Short an evening of fun to get Back to the base by Midnight. As of january curfew rules that had been in effect since world War ii for . Forces were lifted for All ranks. And in july american and icelandic officials will decide if the change is permanent. A i Felt that having a curfew in place where the people had to come in at Midnight if they were properly enjoying themselves was a Little outdated a said rear adm. Thomas f. Hall commander of the Iceland defense Force. A they were put in for Good reason for those times a said Hall of the curfews. A but my View was that in today a world perhaps those things had outlived their  the curfews were imposed to head off any conflict Between the forces posted in Iceland during the War and the icelandic people officials said. Under the curfew rules enlisted people Al through e-5 had to be Back on base by Midnight. A some younger Guy who a been downtown for a couple of hours would decide he might As Well stay a said tech. Sgt. Gary Cunningham a Security policeman assigned to the town patrol made up of . Forces police who patrol the Urban areas off base. A then the icelandic police would pick them up because they knew what the curfew was. We would then pick them up and process them for non judicial punishment or  the service member a commander then would determine the charges and the severity of any punishment. Cunningham said that once in a while they would get somebody who tried to run. But eventually they were caught because they still had to get through the Gate to the base. Identification cards for americans travelling on and off base were checked to make sure see curfew on Page 2