European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - January 30, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse Vol 51, no. 286 350 saturday january 30,1993 d 8693 Acourt ruling bolsters Clinton he s quite dose to ending Gay ban Washington a president Clinton said Friday he was Quot quite close to lifting the military s ban on homosexuals and the White House said it did t expect to Challenge a judge s ruling that found the ban unconstitutional. The ruling applies Only to parts of California but gave the president leverage for overcoming congressional and military opposition to his Promise to lift opposition the ban. Sailor Keith Mel Hotd gestures during a rally thursday night after a judge ruled that the military s ban on Gays is unconstitutional. Clinton said however a that the ruling could Lead him to change some details of the plan he was completing. Quot this court decision May change that and we re looking at it and i la probably have something to say on it later today Quot Clinton said Friday after a thursday night meeting with Senate leaders to reach a Compromise. White House press Secretary Dee Dee Myers said she did not expect the Justice department to Appeal thursday nights Federal court ruling in los Angeles. It said the ban on homosexuals in the armed services violates the . Constitution. Senate democratic leaders were meeting in the Oval office when the ruling was announced. The leaders reported Progress toward a Compromise though administration officials said some Loose ends remained. Clinton said he was Quot quite close to a plan that would do Quot what i think ought to be done without anybody agreeing to change their position now giving them a Chance to look into what the practical problems Quot we re waiting for an analysis of the court decision now on How it affects what we would have to do anyway Quot he added. Clinton s comments made during an Oval office photo session with Arkansas teen agers came a Day after . District judge Terry Hatter or. Ruled in los Angeles that it was unconstitutional to keep homosexuals out of the military because of sexual orientation. A Hatter said the ban violated the constitutions guarantee of equal Protection to All citizens. The decision Only applies in his courts California jurisdiction but it could give Clinton political ammunition As he fights intense congressional and military opposition to his plan. Myers said Clinton had Quot Only a Broad strokes Quot familiarity with the court ruling which covered Keith Meinhold a Navy sonar operator who was discharged after he said on a to program that he was homosexual. Hatter last fall ordered Meinhold reinstated pending his ruling. Clinton Learned of the thursday ruling during his session with Senate majority Leader George j. Mitchell and sen. Sam Nunn see Clinton on Page 2 dam begins to Austria. Zagreb Croatia Perucca dam Croatia apr water spouted from the base of a huge and strategic hydroelectric dam Friday after serbian forces fleeing a croatian onslaught blasted three craters in the Structure. Croatian authorities were preparing to evacuate As Many As 20,000 people who live downriver from the earthen dam which is a crucial source of electricity for Dalmatia the coastal Region of Croatia. The croatian presidency appealed for Calm. It said experts at the site believed there was a a realistic danger that the dam could Cave in but did not talk of imminent collapse. Serbian fighters had laced the dam with As Many As 10,000 mines after capturing it in the 1991 civil War which ended a year ago with a cease fire. . Peacekeepers had taken control of the Aam in september but they did not defuse All the mines. The troops now have been driven from the area of the fighting. The croatian government launched an offensive last week to retake the one third of croatian territory still in serbian hands. Ing All peacekeepers from Croatia. That could cause the War to spread throughout the Balkans. The British broadcasting corp. Friday Bosnia and Herzegovina o 6. Tobit Sarajevo o Belgrade Yugo. Quoted croatian authorities As saying that retreating serbs had set off explosives at each end and the base of the 190 a foot tall 550-foot-Long dam. Two craters apparently left by Retreat see dam on Page 2 n alb. Area of of ties to Berli Celebration Marks end by Ron Jensen Nurnberg Buret Berlin a the knot that tethered this City to the . Air Force was ceremonially untied Friday. The colors of the 7350th air base group were cased and the unique relationship Between City and military was celebrated in a 50-minute ceremony viewed by More than 600 people at Tempelhof a. A since the first c-47 landed in Tempelhof in 1945, the lives of Tempelhof airmen and the people of Berlin have been linked a said Gen. Robert c. Oaks commander of . Air forces in Europe. Despite the ceremony which was attended by dignitaries of the German and Berlin governments As Well As British French German and russian military officials the air Force will not leave the base until june a 30-person contingent will remain even then to train German air traffic controllers. Airmen interviewed before the ceremony think the link Oaks mentioned should continue. A i feel sad about having to leave Here a said staff sgt Tony Wood chief of communications Security for the 7350th. A i feel the americans should stay until the political situation in Europe is completely stable not just superficially Wood has been in Berlin for 18 months Long enough to form an opinion about the departure of the air Force and across town the army which is scheduled to leave by the end of. 1994, a a it a scary because this is going to be one of the most important cities in Europe a he said adding that America should not lose its foothold in Berlin techs to. Christopher Farr who is in charge of administration for the 7350th comm so also wants to stay �?o1 think they should keep the base open. Berlin is a Nice place a said the two year resident. A a in be been stationed All Over Europe and the Orient. This is the sea Berlin on Pago 3
