European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - July 30, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Friday july 30, 1993 commentary the stars and stripes Page 13 certainly the president is decisive just ask him president Clinton usually keeps his Cool. But t Call him the great compromised. Them s fighting Helen Thomas do words. Clinton prides himself on Fielding any question thrown at him during talk shows and town meetings. But he goes ballistic when he is depicted As Wishy Washy or As a Man who can t make Aphis mind. The Issue surfaced again after Clinton announced his Don t ask Don t Tell Don t pursue policy to permit Gays to serve in the armed  policy which backed away from an outright lift ing of the ban on Gays in the military that Clinto promised during the 1992 Campaign was criticized by homosexuals As a sellout. Nor were members of the military jumping up and Down with  Clinton knew Congress would defeat him if he tried to lift the ban altogether. When told that Survey portray him As a compromised rather than a Strong Leader Clinton charged. Let me Tell you i regret those opinion polls he said firmly adding he suspects such answers could evolve from the Way the question is asked. Clinton told a talk show recently that for the mos part criticism does t bother him unless it gets in the Way of what he wants to  of it Rolls off of me he said but not All of it. The one thing that bothers me to Tell the truth Clinton said is when i think the bashing is in some area that prevents the american people from focusing on issues. Or if it undermines my ability to get things  Clinton has also said the criticism is a part of the  was the first president to take on the Touchy Issue of Gays in the  that a sign of weakness he said in his defense. It might be a sign of madness. But it is not a sign ofweakness.". Furthermore he made it Clear that As president of democratic society he cannot arbitrarily Issue orders. When you live in a democratic society and you reelected president you Are not a dictator. On Capitol Hill the ability to wheel and Dealand bring about a magical Compromise is considered Ahart form. ,.but the Leader in the White House is admired by standing firmly on his convictions and Only giving i when he is forced to do so. Clinton has been accused of going for the Gray and disdaining the Black and White approach. He Digap _ _ Al  a  a Slimina Ottja yol know or president before. This iraqi mjssiom1 thought yowl a a/0  the Middle class a tax Cut turned out to be a tax in crease. He also talked loudly about about stopping the carnage in Bosnia but that is All. So Clinton has taken his political lumps an alienated former supporters in some of his decisions. And he seems to be learning the hard Way that some one s constituents and to make a Strong stand than to Cave when the going gets Tough. He seemed to be approaching that Mode recently when he showed frustration Over the delay and Grid lock in Congress saying let s vote. I Don t have Towin them All. But let s make  c United press internationalvfti�u01ii��bk Tlly to for if �  to pointed a lot of his supporters when Nis Promise to give times it is better to go Down to defeat in the eyes of perception of . Weakness has led 4o War Honolulu right Here was where general Walter Short was stand ing on dec. 7,1941, when he saw the Jap anese planes begin their attack it. Gen. Johnnie h. Corns the army com Mander in the Pacific said earlier this  we stood there on his Lanai at fort Shafter we were reminded that most four wars in this Century have been fought in Asia the Pacific campaigns of world War it the korean War in North East Asia the Vietnam War in Southe Astasia and the persian Gulf War in South West Asia. And three of those four wars world War ii. Korea and the Gulf began with strategic  All three cases we were attacked for one simple reason. The enemy thought erroneously As it turned out that they could get away with it. And they though they could get away with it because in their View America was lacking in com Bat  Power is the product of the physical capabilities of a nation size and strength of its armed forces numbers of troops guns ships an planes plus the much More important intangible ingredient the moral will tonight and persevere. The japanese thought we lacked both and that with one decisive blow they could cow us into submission. Nine year Slater in june 1950, Given our Secretary of state s expressed indifference to the fat of South Korea and the parlous state of our defences North Korea also dismissed our physical and moral ability to defend our erstwhile South korean  were wrong but it Cost thousands of american lives at Pearl Harbor Bataan and Corregidor and almost a decade later at Taejon the Kum River and the Paktong perimeter to demonstrate America s will while the nation worked feverishly to assemble and deploy the physical dimensions of its combat Power to the Battlefield to match the moral dimensions already there. While com Bat Power alone cannot save us from being at tacked it can at least save our Soldier from being slaughtered. The persian Gulf War is a Case in Point. This time it was our moral Power that was perceived lacking. America was regarded As a paper Tiger said an asian Diplomat at the time. It was beaten like a wet rat i Vietnam and because of this we tended to underestimate it. While mindful of us Harry. Summers Perior american muscle we had until now figured that the United states would Lack the will to  this misreading again led to War but this time the enemy paid the Price i blood. American muscle alone did not deter attack but at least it ensured we would not have to buy time with the lives of our soldiers for our perceived Lack of moral courage. Our physical military capabilities As army chief of staff Gen. Gordon  said recently Are fast approach ing the razor s  that s particularly True with ground forces. Air forces and navies Are vital to our War fighting capabilities but because of their ability to Fly or sail away on a moment s notice they do Little to assure Al lies and deter aggressors this can Best be done with troops on the ground and in Asia today we have the 2nd inf div in Korea the marines on Okinawa the 25th inf div standing by in Hawaii. Weighed in the balance of our vital National interests in Northeast Asia that s about As Low As. We can afford to go. Thankfully the moral dimension four combat Power in Asia recently got a significant boost. In Stark contrast to his democratic predecessor Jimmy Carter who made a particularly stupid and ill in formed Campaign Promise to pull All . Forces out of South Korea president Linton recently reaffirmed the critical importance of those Forward deploy ments. We have to show foresight and Cau Tion in reducing our defences he told the soldiers of the 2nd inf div. North Korea s stubborn refusal in recent months to fully comply with the require ments of the nuclear nonproliferation agreement is the most urgent example of this. I know that you All noticed no cuts were made in troop Levels in Korea and Japan. Because that is what the National Security requires and North Korea hopefully noticed As Well. In Case they did not Clinton s warn ing during his visit to Seoul that if they Ever used nuclear weapons it will be the end of their country ought to have got their attention. North Korea s leaders have mis judged in the past How far they can push the United states and the . Security Council noted the economist in its july 17 Issue the Hermit kingdom could yet plunge the korean Peninsula into an other military  but this time the United states has the Means of deterrence at hand the phys ical capabilities of its military and the moral dimensions of its leadership. Let s Hope we have the Pood sense to keep it that Way. C lot Angie times Syndi Caia \