European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - February 11, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Page 6 the stars and stripes . Friday february 11,1994 . Viruses sent to Iraq senator says by the new York times Washington a democratic senator says the Commerce department approved the Export of lethal viruses to Iraq that May have been used against . Soldiers in the persian Gulf War. Shipments of genetically weakened viruses have Long been rumoured but the senator Donald Riegle of Michigan said full strength viruses had been shipped and could have been used in the creation of Iraq s biological weapons Industry. The defense department concluded after the War that Iraq had stockpiled such weapons but found no evidence that they had been used. Riegle is waging a Campaign for the departments of defense veterans affairs in the stars and stripes 10 years ago feb. 11,1984 soviet president Yuri v. Andropov died at 69, exactly 15 months after the death of his predecessor Leonid i. Brezhnev. 20 year Sago feb. 11,1974 Union leaders announced a strike by West Ger Many s bus and Streetcar Drivers As Well As garbage collectors and mail carriers to press demands for a 15 percent pay increase. 30 year Sago feb. 11,1964 the defense department announced that the serv ices of a number of cuban workers Are being terminated at Guantanamo naval base and a new Perma nent water production Plant will be installed  40 years ago feb. 11,1954 the Western big three rejected a soviet proposed european Security plan that would put the continent under Moscow s domination eliminate nato and the european army and exclude the United states from the defense of Europe. 50 years ago feb. 11,1944-. 8th air Force b-17s and their fighter escorts smashed through some of the Hea Viest fighter opposition yet to Ham Mer Braunschweig Center of Ger Man warplane production for the third time in 30 Days. World War ii 50 years ago today feb. 11 1944 the germans launch a two pronged offensive in an Effort to break the Korsun pocket on the Southern soviet front armoured forces attack toward the pocket capturing a key Bridge at Giloy Tiroch and the surrounded to oops strike outward late in the Day. In itary. The . Army s 34th div fails in to final attempt to capture Monte Cassimo. Source 2194 Days of War. W h Smith publishers Loc the Wori almanac of world War ii. Bison books corp .1961 a and health and human services to pay disability benefits to veterans who have developed mysterious diseases that can not readily be linked to their military service in the persian Gulf or any other cause. Riegle chairman of the Senate Bank ing committee  that the committee had obtained Commerce department records of Export licenses is sued to the american Type culture col Lection during the Reagan administration. The organization i Rockville md., acts As a nonprofit inter National Clearinghouse for samples of viruses which Are stored at very Low temperatures. The licenses were for the shipment of anthrax and at least four other viruses that can be used in medical research Orin biological warfare Riegle said. Anthrax is common in the Middle East As Are some of the other viruses allegedly shipped said or. Joseph e. Mcdade of the centers for disease control and prevention in Atlanta. Or. Richard , associate director for science at the culture collection  that he was unaware of the details of the shipments and that his colleagues who could find the information were not available. When provided with the names of the strains of viruses that Riegle said were shipped Roblin said these were potent strains according to the collection s Cata Logue but he said the catalogue did no indicate whether the strains were weak ened before shipment. Riegle said the last shipment occurred in january 1989. Iraq occupied Kuwait in August 1990 and was expelled by . And Allied troops in february 1991. James p. Desler a spokesman for the Commerce department said the Agency had never approved the shipment of biological weapons to Iraq. But before a change in regulations in 1989, the Agency did approve the shipment of biological agents which Are samples of viruses that can be used in medical research an manufacturing As Well As in weapons he said. Riegle said that it was not Clear Why the culture collection would have made the shipments or Why the Commerce department would have approved them. Sex Navy Secretary disputes ruling of Tail Hook manipulation by Kelso Washington a former Navy Secretary Sean o Keefe disputes a judge who ruled that adm. Frank  ii manipulated the Navy s investigation of the Tail Hook sexual harassment Case. O Keefe also took Issue with the judge s ruling this week which runs counter to three separate investigations into the matter that the chief of naval operations also lied about his actions atthe september 1991 convention of naval aviators. I have known Frank Kelso for 10years, and he is one of the world s great est naval officers. I would never have doubted Frank Kelso s veracity okeefe said in an interview wednesday. In a pretrial decision issued tuesday i Norfolk va., Navy capt. William t. Vest said Kelso tainted the charges against three Navy aviators facing trial for alleged misconduct at the Las vegas convention by lying about his own actions at the event and manipulating the inquiry. Vest threw put charges against  r. Miller and Gregory Tritt and it. David samples saying it was improper for Kelso to have appointed the Admi ral in charge of the disciplinary process because Kelso had a stake in the out come of the inquiry. O Keefe said such a decision docs no reflect reality since he was the one not Kelso who came up1 with the planto appoint vice adm. Joseph p. Reason and a Marine general to handle the cases. I made the decision about How to Doit. I picked them and i argued How to sell it o Keefe said. How the judge reached his conclusion is beyond  o Keefe who was the Navy s top civil Ian in the final six months of the Bush administration teaches in the graduate school of business at Pennsylvania state adm. Frank b. Kelso ii accused of lying University. Kelso was not available for comment wednesday. A Navy spokesman cmdr. Steve Pietropaoli said it would not be appropriate to comment while reason was consid ering his response to Vest s ruling. The Pentagon inspector general concluded that 83 women were assaulted or molested at the convention Many of them on the third floor of the Las vegas Sean o Keefe. Never doubted Admiral Hilton where men lined the hallway an grabbed women As they tried to pass. Of the 140 cases cited by the inspector general no one has been court Martiale and about 50 have received administrative discipline. The final Case against a Marine lieu tenant colonel was dropped wednesday because of insufficient evidence said the Quantico Marine corps base in Virginia. Last Case from convention scandal dropped Quantico a. A the last remaining Case stemming from the Drunken debauchery at the 1991 Tail Hook Conven Tion has been dismissed because of insufficient evidence an attorney . Of 140 cases stemming from the scan dal no one has been court Martiale. About 50 Navy and Marine officers received administrative discipline. Quantico Marine corps base issued release wednesday saying it. Gen. Charles c. Krulak had adjudicated the Case against a Marine lieutenant colonel accused of misconduct without imposing punishment. It did not identify the lieutenant Colo Nel but the attorney for Marine it. Col. Cass d. Howell identified his client As the defendant. Howell s attorney David l. Beck of Knoxville tenn., said All charges against Howell were dismissed tuesday because of insufficient evidence. We re just pleased with the results Beck said. He s maintained his inno Cence  Howell had been charged with lying and obstructing Justice during the Tail Hook probe. He also had been charged with assaulting a Tail Hook investigator and with spending a night during the convention at the Las vegas Hilton with a woman other than his wife. Pentagon investigators concluded that 83 women were assaulted or molested atthe convention. Many of the women were molested on the hotel s third floor where men lined the hallway and grabbed women As they tried to pass. Howell was travelling from Washington to his Home in Mission Viejo calif., an could not be reached for comment his office said. Krulak handled the cases against marines charged in Tail Hook. On tuesday a military judge capt. William t. Vest Dis missed Tail Hook charges against three Navy officers. Vest concluded that despite denials by chief of naval operations Frank b. Kelso ii Kelso witnessed sexual misconduct at the Tail Hook convention. Vest also said Kelso tried to limit the investigation of Tail Hook to Junior officers to protect himself