European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 30, 1993, Darmstadt, Hesse                                The Sims and St ripes vol. 52, no. 195 500 saturday october 30,1993 d 8693 a High court lets Pentagon enforce Clinton Gay policy Washington a the supreme court on Friday let the Clinton administration implement its policy on Gays in the military while officials Appeal a lower court s ban on discrimination against homosexuals in the armed forces. The court temporarily lifted an order that had banned such discrimination. We re pleased said Pentagon spokeswoman Kathleen Delaski. Friday s action Means the Pentagon can return to an interim policy in which military recruits Are not asked about homosexuality but military personnel who declare their homosexuality Are transferred to Reserve  Clinton s similar Don t ask Don t Tell policy is awaiting action in Congress. The justices granted the Pentagon s emergency request to limit enforcement of the court order so that it applies Only to the Sailor who challenged the Penta gon s policy. Government lawyers argued that . District judge Terry Hatter or. Of los Angeles lacked the authority to Issue a nationwide ban on discrimination against Gays in the military. In response to Hatter s order on sept. 30, the Pentagon instructed units to Stop Banning homosexuals from serving in the military. The Clinton administration also put off implementation of its new policy which states that recruits will not be asked their sexual orientation but that openly declared homosexuals will not be allowed to serve. Hatter earlier declared that the Penta gon s longtime ban on Gays in the military was unconstitutional. In broadening that ruling in september the judge barred the Pentagon from denying enlistment or pro motion or changing someone s enlistment status or duty assignment because of sex Ual orientation. Hatter ruled in a lawsuit filed by Petty officer 1st class Keith Meinhold who was discharged in August 1992 after disclosing his homosexuality on National see Gay of Page 2 California firefighters race against wind  ruins Are All that is left of this Section of Laguna Beach calif., after this week s devastating fires. By Sally Streff Buzbee the associated press firefighters raced to make headway Friday against wildfires that have burned across 143,000 acres and chased some 25,000 people from their Homes. The Cal breezes of morning were expected to hit gusts of 40 Mph by evening. Hopefully we can get a handle on these fires before the winds come Back los Angeles county fire in Spector Steve Knevelbaard said. With the help of Cool sea breezes thursday firefighters gained the per hand on most of the tires that have charred car Voo see related stories of Page 5 Homes and other structures along a Swath of Southern California from Ventura county South to the mexican Border. Three fires totalling 6,500 acres were extinguished thursday or Early Friday in Riverside county East of los Angeles. That left 10 still burning. Damage estimates reached More than $330 million but officials cautioned the figures were incomplete and very rough estimates. They Don t have firm figures said Bonnie von Hoffman of the California department of forestry. They won t know until the damage assessment j Cam is done evaluating. That could be up to a month or  James Lee Witt director of the Federal emergency management Agency toured devastated areas and see California on Page 2 potential atomic threat from terrorists foreseen Washington a defense Secretary Les Aspin ordered the first Post cold War review of the . Nuclear weapons Arsenal Friday and warned that renegade states or terrorists could threaten America with weapons of mass destruction. It is a new nuclear threat we face Aspin said at a Pentagon news Confer ence. The old nuclear danger was thou Sands of warheads from the soviet Union. That threat has subsided but the Arsenal still exists Aspin said. The new nuclear danger stems from the possibility of a handful of weapons in less reliable  the Secretary said the goal of the re View is to help design a Long term strategy and Structure for the . Nuclear Force and to help shape thinking for events that could occur decades from now. For example Aspin said no terrorist groups Are known to have nuclear weapons at this time but such a development should not be ruled out. This problem is a different animal and it s not a single animal it s a mul to headed monster Aspin said of the potential for the proliferation of nuclear see atomic on Page 2