European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 29, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Vol. 51, no. 285 35 332s3ecssssisi Friday january 29,1993easing of ban reported near Linton continues consultations on Gay question Washington a president Clinton moved closer thursday to immediately suspending the ban on homosexuals in the military risking a fight with Congress that could wind up with the prohibition Back in place. Administration officials said Clinton would soon Issue an interim order directing the Pentagon to Stop asking recruits about their sexual orientation. A a we re working in consultation with the Hilf and the Mill tary a said White House spokesman George Steph Nopoulos late thursday he said the decision would be made a relatively soon a and announced by Clinton. A a we re trying to determine How to Deal with the interim sit there Art a lot of details that fwd. To be Torind out but he is committed to a a pres Secretary feed Mayem a a to oust to would be sus nation. sexual also a a Pended one administration official said. A i done to think you can continue to discharge them a the official said. However the official said the military could continue prosecuting cases based on sexual conduct outlawed by the military code of Justice such As sodomy. A you wont ask the question cases will be suspended nobody will be discharged on the basis of status for being Gay the official said insisting on a a / a a a a there Are a lot of details that need to be worked out but he a committed to lifting the ban a press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said thursday. She said Clinton asked defense Secretary Les Aspin to meet again with top uniformed leaders before any announcement thursday. She said there was Broad agreement that recruiters should Stop asking about sexual preference but that some questions remained about dealing with homosexuals until a final executive order is signed in six months formally revoking the ban. The administration was working with democratic leaders to Block Republican plans for an Early vote on preserving the ban. A i Hope americans Are Able to Back off a Little bit and say we done to want a situation where we encourage people to be hateful and do violence against somebody just because they happen to be different a sen. Robert j. Kerrey a decorated Vietnam War Veteran said on no cd a today. Myers said Clinton was a moving Forward with a policy that the ban is lifted. Coats also appeared on today. Rep. Dave Mccurdy d-okla., former chairman of the House intelligence committee said at a breakfast with reporters that concern that homosexuals in the Cia would be targets of blackmail was unfounded. A in their research the Cia found that not in discipline recruitment housing and a code of conduct Gemming sexual behaviour. A we anticipate ample time for a vote in Congress before anything went into effect a Aspin said wednesday As the administration and Cong res see ban on Page 2 not everybody agrees with but he believes it s the right thing to sen. Dan Coats r-ind., a leading opponent of lifting the ban Sain his opposition was based on a very practical for example he noted that the military does not allow men and women to share quarters because of potential problems with sexual matters and asked whether it would be appropriate to separate male homosexuals from heterosexuals if Lahty. Said. The Cia no longer asks potential employees about their sexual orientation he added. Senate minority Leader Bob Dole of Kansas said wednesday that when g Inton acted republicans in a symbolic move would introduce a free standing Bill to write the ban into Law. He conceded that the gop would be unable to get democratic consent to vote on such a measure. But republicans would try to attach an amendment including the ban to the family and medical leave Bill next week. Aspin said the six month delay was designed to give Congress time to hold hearings on issues such As military morale q Clinton surprised Over Flap 0 pro ban Calls Jam . Line 0 most nations allow Gays in uniform a seepage 7 35 Gulf soldiers to be checked for radiation welcoming the news san porters of the right Wing israeli organization victims highest court had upheld deportation of More than 400 of terror rejoice in Jerusalem on learning that israelis palestinians to Southern Lebanon. See Story on j age 10. By Thomas w. Lippman the Washington Post Washington a at least 35 . Soldiers were exposed to uranium poisoning when their tanks and personnel carriers were accidentally attacked by other . Forces during the persian Gull War according to the defense department. Starting in july the soldiers will be a medically evaluated. To determine the presence of uranium a which damages the kidneys and other organs if taken see related Story on Pago 4 into the body. Their health will be monitored for years because a so Little is known about the Long term effects of uranium in the body the Pentagon said wednesday in response to a draft general accounting office report. The troops were in my Abrams tanks or Bradley fighting vehicles that were hit by , tank shells tipped with so called depleted uranium an extremely dense byproduct of the uranium enrichment process. Some were wounded by uranium fragments and others May have inhaled uranium when their vehicles burned the Pentagon said. Besides the 35 who were injured additional maintenance and Salvage personnel from the 24th inf div May have been exposed to radiation poisoning As they see soldiers on Page 2
