Page 2
THE BATTALION
TUESDAY. APRIL 19, 1977
Readers’ Forum
B-l bomber needed
By ROBERT G. OLER
One of the tough questions facing
Mr. Carter, indeed the nation, is
that of defense. This question has
been brought to the forefront with
the recent dismal failure of the
Strategic Arms Limitation Talks in
Moscow.
Coupled with this failure has
been a alarming and overwhelming
Soviet strategic buildup, featuring
both qualitative and quantitative
improvements in weapons. Along
with this has been a drastic
improvement in Soviet Civil De
fense capabilities.
To counter this massive Soviet
threat, the United States is explor
ing plans to upgrade its nuclear de
terrent force. One of these weapon
systems is the B-l bomber and this
is why the United States must build
it.
Our current bomber, the B-52, is
an aging aircraft. It is based princi
pally on three-decade old technol
ogy. Moreover the B-52 was de
signed for high altitude penetration.
This strategy was abandoned in the
60s, following development of
Soviet air defenses, in favor of low
altitude penetration, which permits
a bomber to evade enemy radar, in
terceptors, and missiles. Electronic
modifications have helped
modernize the aircraft but it is
structurally ill-designed for its at
tack mode. It is noteworthy that
none of our previous strategic bom
bers have stayed in service over 10
years, although the newest B-52 is
11 years old and by its expected re
placement date will be near 18.
The B-l is designed to meet the
demands of modern air warfare.
One of these demands is the ability
to fly at high subsonic speed at
tree-top height. Even at high al
titude, the B-l is twice as fast as the
B-52. Only advanced Soviet inter
ceptors — not yet in their arsenals
— would be able to attack the B-l,
although all current Soviet intercep
tors can attack the B-52. Further
more the weapons payload is twice
that of the B-52. The B-l will carry
twenty-four S.R.A.M. (Short Range
Attack Missiles) internally and
another eight internally. It will also
carry 75,000 pounds of conventional
or nuclear bombs with another
40,000 pounds externally.
Many people have wondered
why, in the missile age, we even
need a manned bomber? For this
reason it is essential to look at the
strategic deterrent of this country
— triad. Triad has three elements:
land based missiles, sea based mis
siles, and manned bombers. These
elements are mutually protective
and supporting. Together, they
provide a capability greater than the
sum of the parts. These elements
are deployed and operate in a diver
sity of options, locations, and
modes. While Soviet technological
advances may jeopardize one leg of
the triad, it is unlikely that those
advances could, at any one time, se
riously affect the other elements of
triad. The triad provides insurance
of strategic sufficiency by denying
the enemy the chance to concentrate
its defenses against a single force.
The manned bomber is the most
flexible leg of triad and is its only
combat-proven element. It is also
highly visible to a potential enemy
in crises and can be recalled and re
targeted at ease. The cruise missile
while useful as a supplement, can
hardly supplant the manned
bomber.
A legitimate question is what will
the B-l cost? It is not cheap — not
at 90 million dollars per aircraft.
The cost is a reflection of the sophis
ticated capabilities necessary for the
B-l to operate in a very hostile and
distant environment.
Some advocate extending the life
of the B-52. The inherent defects of
the B-52 have already been dis
cussed. To attempt to correct these
would cost about as much as the B-l
program, but leaves us with an old
airframe. Another option is to use
the F-lll. This aircraft, even in
larger numbers, cannot perform the
strategic manned bomber mission
due to its small payload and the lack
of the sophisticated design and con
struction needed to survive in a hos
tile environment.
One indicator of the success of
the B-l program is the attention
paid to it by the Soviet Union. The
Soviets are very adamant that, as a
condition to a Strategic Arms Limi
tation Agreement, the B-l be either
cancelled or limited in deployment.
This is hardly a desire to save the
U.S, money. Indeed, to the dismay
of manned bomber critics in this
country, the Russians are busily de
ploying their supersonic bomber,
code named Backfire.
In closing, manned bombers
make a fundamental contribution to
America’s deterrent. Our present
bomber is structurally ill-designed
for its job. The B-52 has finally been
confronted with a challenge it can
not meet. To insure timely
modernization of the triad and con
tinued deterrence of growing Soviet
strategic capabilities we must build
the B-l Bomber.
Editorial
Where did all the Aggies go.
The Student Government elec
tions are over. In their wake lies a
student body attitude not at all like
the one written about so glowingly
or spoken of so boldly. Those
Fightin’ Texas Aggies with their un
surpassed unity and incredible
school spirit seem to be a rather
embittered lot today.
Not everyone is upset over the
various goings-on that characterized
this year’s Student Government
elections. Many who are upset,
however, are people in the public
eye, and their stands on how they
view the actions of such-and-such a
group and person have publicized
those thoughts shared by a signifi
cant number of this student body.
While various factions on campus
are battling out their differences of
opinion, the less politically moved
sit back with a cold Lone Star and
watch like it was Saturday Night
Wrestling.
The time has come to call a halt to
this carrying-on. A new slate of Stu
dent Government officers has been
elected and, favored or not, they
need the support of a unified stu
dent body. Moreover, they need
the support of an active and think
ing student body, one that is faster
with its reasoning than its mouth.
Too often, we jump to the de
fense of traditional causes at the
^lightesHm^^ometl^n^^ls^conv^
ing along a little bit different. With
out just consideration of the alterna
tives we battle to the death for the
popular cause. It takes merely a
sideways glance to gear up a group
to defend itself, without a word
being spoken. We jealously guard
our reputations, whether we be
Greeks, Gays, Non-regs, Corps—
yes, The Battalion, too.
The point is we jump too harshly
and too fast too often. A university
is, after all, a forum of learning and
exchanging new and different ideas.
We come here to digest new mate
rial and patiently consider different
ways of thinking. Understanding is
the key and cooperation a necessity.
This is where we learn to deal with
ourselves and those around us.
Many harsh words have been said
and many feelings hurt in the quest
to see who will be the leaders of this
University. It is my hope that our
student leaders will put last week
behind them and deeply consider
the jobs ahead of them. A school of
this size has tremendous potential
for student activity, but it takes a
great amount of dedication and sin
cere diplomacy to fashion a campus
this large into a viable community.
As long as there are groups there
will be rivalries. To the extent that
friendliness prevails over mock
grudges, such rivalries nurture a
healthy atmosphere, all taken to
gether in “that certain spirit.”
What is needed right about now
is a Texas A&M-U.T. football game.
A midnight yell practice would be as
the doctor ordered to mix everyone
together for one noble cause. We
are capable of pulling together,
though, without the aid of a crutch
or two aspirin. There is no reason a
school full of rational human beings
can’t shrug off a bad experience and
get back to being Aggies. During
the last few weeks Aggies didn’t die,
they just seemed to have forgotten
who they were.
This is the most hallowed week of
the year at Texas A&M and for Ag
gies everywhere. Aggie Muster
takes place Thursday. This is a time
to honor those Aggies who have
died during the past year and renew
that Aggie loyalty that is recognized
around the world. We recall the
many years in which this ceremony
was observed even in war-time.
What better time than Muster for
the students of Texas A&M — the
individuals making up a myriad of
clubs and organizations — to re
group under that certain spirit that
impressed us all the first time we
visited here. Let’s remember who
we are and understand what an
awful thing it is to lose sight of the
common denominator that holds us
all together.
This is a time to work togethi
get things done. Students have
they need at their fingertips to
a contribution to A&M. The.plactj
start is helping those newly eli
Aggies put together a viable
dent Government. Is Student Gj
ernment too detached from you,
student body it represents? Chais
it. There are people waiting tob
from you. Is the administrai
closed door? Open it. It takesoj
the interest.
Student Government needs
support of the student body, not
‘yes man’ but as its boss. Shu
Government needs to be criti®
when it fails in its duties, and
quires student input to make it
representative. Without input,
can hardly be expected to be
cient. Who’s fault is it really!
student body is dissatisfied
representation?
Those loyal Ags c
battlefields didn’t need
pull them together, and it shouldi
be necessary now. A little morepu
itive thinking and a little less ui
picking would go a long way hi mil
ing something substantial
here.
See you at Muster to remeuijii
the good Ags and break out.
howdies and handshakes to those
around.
Flunking percentage unfair
Grading policy
needs review
Editor:
In Thursday’s Battalion, Carlton
Stolle made comments concerning
the accounting department policy
on flunking out more students.
One statement was that faculty qual
ity has gone up with course quality
and therefore student’ grades have
gone down. Somehow this does not
Bad attitudes seen
Editor:
Upon reading the April 12 issue
of The Battalion, I was not only dis
appointed in some Aggies’ attitudes,
but mostly the hostility which has
been shown between Aggies during
election time. Voting is a privilege
to be respected and not to be de
graded so that the candidates are in
any way jeopardized. Viewpoints
are one thing — accusations are
another.
I think a few Aggies better start
thinking before they speak and
wake up to find their selfish criti
cisms on the front page where over
30,000 people can read about
tragedy. Tragedy is when one Aggie
can look in the eyes of another
Aggie and not recognize him as a
brother. By brother, I mean there is
a binding loyalty between Ags that
should always reflect trust and hon
esty.
You can knock the Corps for their
mass voting — but you had better
take a second look at their brother
hood. They have something which
at least shows teamwork. If
everyone else had followed their
example of going to the polls, there
would be no suspicion about the
elections. Nothing is wrong with the
system — there’s something wrong
with the Aggies.
—Gray-Leigh Wilson,’80
make sense to me. If a teacher is
better, why should his students do
worse? Is this the way it was when
Mr. Stolle went to school? If this is
the way things are supposed to go,
perhaps we as students should re
quest horrible teachers in order to
keep our grades decent.
Notice I said decent. Last semes
ter I enrolled in Accounting 327. On
the first test, over half of all the 327
students flunked. (Approximately
21 per cent made A s.) Over 400
students were enrolled. Is this what
Larry Pointer calls ‘realistic grad
ing’? I was with the majority. I con
sulted Mr. Stolle; he suggested I
drop the course and change majors
because accounting would get worse
instead of better. I followed his ad
vice. I hope this does not cause me to
be labeled an unhireable ‘Rum-
dumb’, as Rondal Schorn states. I
have been a member of Alpha
Lamba Delta and am currently in
Sigma Iota Epsilon, both nationally
recognized honor societies. I gained
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Slouch by
admittance to them on the basis of
my grades achieved at A&M.
Schorn feels that not everyone
should pass. Few believe everyone
should. But when over half of the
class flunks, and the class continues
to get worse, perhaps the grading
system should be reviewed. I have a
feeling that many of the employers
would prefer to have the majority of
students succeed rather than be
flunked out. I am not at A&M be
cause I want to take snap courses or
because I want it easy. All I want is, a
fair grade. That is why I got out of the
accounting department.
— Debbie Hicks
Count your
friends dearly
Editor:
This message is directed toward
all Aggies, but will especially touch
Jim Earle
“DUE TO POPULAR DEMAND, I WILL AGREE TO
DROPPING ONE OF YOUR TEST GRADES — THE
HIGHEST ONE!”
the hearts of the 1975 graduate!
Northbrook Senior High in Hoitj
ton, many of whom are attendi:[
Texas A&M.
This past Easter vveekeik
Northbrook graduates lost
classmate who was very close!
many of us.
Gene Park was stabbed to deal
in front of his home by vandals.?
was a sophomore at Stephen F. Ais|
tin State University.
Aggies, summer vacation is gt
ting close. When you get ho*
take the time to visit and remerah
members of your class.
Tears are often shed as tl
academic year ends in May. We
like leaving A&M, our friends,o:
lovers. But how often are tlios|
tears shed when we leave home:
return to school in the fall? Thos
that we leave behind at the close
summer vacation are often peopi
who have been close to us sine
Junior High or even Element!!
school. Their presence is neverap
preciated more until they re got
for good. Don’t wait until aclassra
union is organized, some of)«
classmates may not be then|
Morbid yes, but it’s reality.
When Gene and I speculatfdo
ing our senior year of chanp-
within the class by our fifth yearn
union, neither one of us though!
the possibility of the other notbeii
t n p rp.
—Charlotte Mead, IS
-
The
Battalion
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paper. Editorial policy is detcrmincd bi) ^ f
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News Editor Debby Krc^ L
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