European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 10, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Wednesday february 10, 1993 . The stars and stripes b pages Bush s pardons flout Law Walsh says Boston a George Bush s pardons of forme defense Secretary Caspar w. Weinberger and five other Iran Centra figures underscore the need for in dependent investigations of top government officials special prosecutor Lawrence e. Walsh told the Ameri can bar association on tuesday. It is a disparagement of the Rule of Law for a presi Dent to use his Pardon Power to prevent the trial of a personal colleague Walsh said in prepared remarks As the Aba s midwinter meeting Drew to a close. It is particularly inappropriate when the president himself is a party to the issues involved and was a potential witness to embarrassing facts As would have been the Case in the trial of Weinberger the prosecutor said. Bush pardoned Weinberger and five other Iran con tra figures on Christmas eve an act Walsh called an abuse of Power. Weinberger had been scheduled to stand trial in Early  Iran Contra affair involved an arms for hostages Deal with Iran. Profits from that Exchange were diverted to pay for illegal arms shipments to anti govern ment rebels in Nicaragua. Walsh has been investigating the Iran Contra scan dal since 1986 under the Taw authorizing the appoint ment of Independent counsels to investigate allegations of wrongdoing by top government officials. The Law was enacted in 1978, five years after president Nixon fired the watergate special prosecutor Archibald Cox. The Law was renewed twice but it expired dec. 15 after Republican senators blocked legislation to renew the measure ear Lier last fall. President Bush s pre trial pardons As he was Walsh about to leave office and just two weeks before the commencement of the Weinberger trial May in his tory be recognized  perhaps the most dramatic Possi ble demonstration of the unfitness of an administration to clean its own House Walsh said. The president is wrong in his Basic premise that lying to a congressional committee is a Mere expression of policy disagreement. It is a crime the prosecutor said. Bush s Pardon message and the View expressed by others that the Issue was one of political disagreement underscore the need for an Independent counsel Walsh said. If a person has become so absorbed by the political aspects of his activities that he ceases to recognize violation of Law and particularly a violation that undercuts the constitutional checks and balances which arc the hallmark of our system of government his replacement is necessary by a nonpolitical body that can appoint an Independent prosecutor Walsh said. He reported to Congress on monday that if Wein Berger had been tried of Iran Contra charges former White House chief of staff Donald t. Regan and for Mer Secretary of state George p. Shultz were prepared to testify that the Reagan administration misstated facts about arms sales to Iran to protect president Rea Gan from impeachment. In the stars and stripes 10 years ago feb. 10,1983 at least 2,000 demonstrators in Jerusalem screamed encouragement to israeli defense minister Ariel Sharon exhorting the embattled official not to resign. 20 years ago feb. 10,1973 speculators betting that West Germany soon will abandon the Dollar dumped a re Cord $2 billion. Financiers said the country no longer can afford to save the Dollar which has fallen to 3.10 Marks from further devaluation. 30 years ago feb. 10,1963 prime minister Abdul Karim Kassem of Iraq and three top aides were executed by a firing squad rebel held radio Bagh dad reported. 40 years ago feb. 10,1953 Gen. James a. Van Fleet bade Farewell to the . 8th army s korean Battle front say ing in Seoul my Only regret is that we did t finish the  50 years ago feb. 10,1943 Allied bombers hurled destruction on the Axis port of Sousse and the Airfield at gabes both in Tunis Tunisia they shot Down 18 enemy fighters while losing five of their own planes. World War ii 50 years ago today feb. 10 soviet tank columns converging on Kharkov capture the towns of Huguen and vol Chansky about 20 Miles from the ukrainian City farther to the South soviet troops reach the Rostov novo Cherkassky railway in the Pacific american and australian forces prepare an offensive aimed at driving the japanese from the Western part of new Guinea socket 2 9- Days of w