European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 21, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Sunday. February ?1, 1993 commentary the stars and stripes pm 15 Why in t stripes in Somalia Bill Monroe ombudsman european stars and stripes reporters returning recently from Somalia to their office in Gutc Shim Germany brought Back stories of soldiers who were angry at the soldiers paper. Angry because the gis Felt isolated and out of touch with the world and the stars and stripes the paper thai was supposed to keep the grunts in the Fiel informed was nowhere to be found. Where the hell was it the gis knew that in world War ii in Korea i Vietnam in desert storm the newspaper found its Way to the troops  in nowhere to let them know not Only How the military operation was going but whether the president and the Congress were making Nice with each other and who on the Chicago cubs if anyone was batting .300. So How come no stripes i Somalia when they encountered a stripes reporter or photographer they asked the question. They asked it Accusato Rily assuming that some mud head at stripes Headquarters had dropped the Ball. Reporter Joe Owen got the question gis kept asking me where the paper was. The were Cut off from news. They missed being in Contact. They had no radio or anything. They were out in extreme heat. Scorpions. Dirty. No regular Shower Baths. What they were complaining about was being out of  reporter Craig Martin got the question the older marines in particular the Vietnam vets from California would ask us hey when is stripes getting out Here?1" returning to Griesheim Martin found his next door neighbor was getting letters from her husband in Somalia saying we Don t get any  her husband asked her to Send him three copies of stripes every Day so he could pass them Arouna. Reporter Bob Klose got the question it s a wrecked country. Just a Bunch of gis twiddling their thumbs trying to find a piece of Shade bored one moment scared the  they find out you re from stripes when you Gonna get the paper out Here How come stripes in t Here reporter Steve scholar anticipated the question we took 30 copies of stripes into Somalia with us. We could have sold pm for their weight in Gold. We gave Emall out and then two or three Days later when we returned to the same unit there were still soldiers different Guys Reading  the questioning gis did t know was that the stripes reporters not to mention the editors and staffers Back in Griesheim and at Pacific stripes Headquarters in Tokyo were themselves frazzled and frustrated Over their inability to get the stars and stripes into  Buck on the matter had travelled up to the desk of Marine u. Gen. Robert b. Johnston commander of the multinational forces in Somalia. And stopped right  said no to the admission of the stars and  when a Small contingent of armed forces radio and television service people showed up in Somalia at the express invitation of Central come in Florida the general sent word that their services would not be needed they should pack up their equipment and return Home. There would be no radio news and no soldiers paper for troops in Somalia. But Why there was talk of a logistical problem not enough flights to deliver stripes from Germany to Mogadishu. But that would t account for the arts radio to Crew being invited  was talk of a problem Over which military unit would put up the Money to import stripes. But nobody said to stripes you Guys solve the budget problem and Well be glad to let you  there was unofficial word put out that Johnston did t want to bring in radio and newspapers for the troops because that would make it look As if the  Force was settling in for the Long  wanted to keep pressure on the United nations to get a substitute Force into Somalia now not next  rationale had some plausibility to it. But then Johnston while maintaining the keep out . Marines assigned to escort a food Convoy in december killed time playing cribbage. They were unable to receive the stars and stripes and troops in Somalia still can t get the newspaper. Sign for the stars and stripes agreed to admit 1,000 daily copies of us a today. And when . Secretary general Boutros Boutros Ghali announced specific plans for the United nations Marine Lance Cpl. Justin Hughes of Spokane wash., rests near where his unit clashed with somali gunmen in Mogadishu. To take Over in Somalia within a couple of months the need for continuing lets get going pressure on the United nations disappeared. So Why would Johnston effectively bar from Somalia a paper sponsored by the . Military a historic soldiers paper a paper staffed by experienced military reporters some of them civilians and others military a paper that has already shown its interest in the somali Rescue operation by sending five reporters and three photographers to cover it and Why would he admit to Somalia As if to offer a gratuitous insult to the stars and stripes a civilian paper designed not for the be Grimes soldiers airmen sailors and marines on duty in Somalia but for those eminently comfortable Well groomed Folk in the business sections of the airliners flying Between America s big cities the stripes staff Felt kicked in the stomach. And As people will do when they re angry they invented their own reasons to explain the general s behaviour he was probably nourishing some hidden grievance against stripes. Or possibly knowing that stripes sometimes reported complaints against the brass he was making life More comfortable for the generals and admirals. That kind of speculation about motives while perhaps understandable in this Case u never fair and rarely accurate. But it s hard not to conclude More than two months after . Troops landed in Somalia that somebody owes the soldiers on the ground a better explanation than is now available of Why they re not allowed to receive the newspaper designed by the defense department and fostered by the Congress to keep military men overseas in touch with the military Community and in touch with Home. If Dwight d. Eisenhower insisted that stripes follow his troops into Normandy is there a Good reason in 1993 to deny it to . Men and women in Somalia the stars and stripes represents a historic uniquely american military tradition an uncensored newspaper provided by the military itself that follow the troops into lonely and dangerous places. It is a gesture of respect from the leaders to the Ruak and file. Is there really a goo dec that tradition pot �