European Stars and Stripes (Newspaper) - October 23, 1994, Darmstadt, Hesse                                Can s Wolf Blitzer in 1991. Here we go again Kuwait Iraq can by Verne Gay new Day wait a Sec. Something on to suddenly seems vaguely  it be pictures of the Kuwait desert or Wolf Blitzer s splendidly Bushy face or interviews with the retired general who is now a paid consultant cum Star or those shots of can s Peter Arnett from Baghdad s Al Rashid hotel All of the above. Iraq is Back in America s living rooms. It has been More than 3m years since the first bombs fell in Baghdad and the most intensive cover age of a news Story in modern network to history began coverage that spawned its own cottage Industry. Stars were born Abc s Arthur Ken reputations were enhanced Blither a in particular con a month after the Gulf War in 91, Peter Arnett displays a clip at the National press club in Washington. Troy crises raged Arnett s coverage and books were written. However the current crisis resolves itself and there have been signs that tie iraqis Are to withdraw viewers have gotten a blast from the past. It s old Home week around Here Arnett said by phone from Baghdad where he arrived after a 14 hour drive from Amman Jordan. Arnett said that while some things were exactly As he remembered them the same stains on the carpet at the Al Rashid much had changed. Iraqis Are More sophisticated with the Media. It was easy to get visas we could get our satellite flyaway in easily and everyone was  the major networks Abc lbs Abc and can began mobilizing their Crews two weeks ago when it became Clear that a crisis had begun. The first thing that hit me says de Turner can executive vice president was Here we go again we d been through this once before so we knew what the reality was and that we had to move  the networks say they have not encountered the kind of restrictions iraqi authorities had placed on them in 91. To the contrary says Lane Venardos vice president of hard news and special events for lbs news which has Gulf War news veterans Allen Pizzey in Baghdad and Mark Phillips in Kuwait. " the iraqi authorities seem to be organizing Tours to make sure that we can take  Abc nightly news executive producer Jeff Gral Nick says that the amount of network satellite dishes has just sprung up in Baghdad like mushrooms after a Spring  he says there have been no difficulties with the iraqis. So far the minders Cen sors Haven t shown up As they did the last time and there s to indication that they  along with their correspondents arriving in Bagh dad and kuwaiti the networks Are again trotting out the paid consultants. When the crisis began Oral Nick says he dug out what he refers to As his Gulf War playbook noting that All the phone numbers Are still  each network has its own favorite and they Are mostly the same people who became Semi household names in 9u Abc news once again is using former National Security aide Anthony Cordesman and can has retired Gen. Perry Smith. Lbs news caught a Lucky break one of its favorite Middle East experts Fouad Ajami was in saudi Arabia which continues to be closed to All Western reporters. Abc news has its own new favorite Richard Haas for Mer Bush staffer during the Gulf War. When Arnett got a Call to go to Baghdad he was in Frankfurt Germany at a Book fair promoting his recently published autobiography. It was my second Day there and i had just done 28 interviews he says. In a Way i was Happy to get out of  los Angeles times Washington Post news service iraqi soldiers Roll North on monday from Nas Siriya an iraqi City near the Border with Kuwait. Stars where Are they now the Gulf War spawned a group of to stars who for a few weeks were As famous As . Ewing. Here s what happened to some of them Wolf Blitzer can became a Staple of late night talk show monologues was promoted to senior White House correspondent in 92. Charles Jaco can left in a contract dispute. Arthur Kent Abc was fired sued Abc for breach of contract now working in Canada. Peter Arnett can took a leave to write an autobiography now a Washington based can International correspondent. Betsy Aaron lbs was criticized by some in Congress for her balanced reports from Baghdad and was Given the unflattering sobriquet Baghdad Betsy now a free Lancer for Abc news. Verne Gay l Page 6 sunday october 23, 1994