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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 31, 1980)
the small society by Brickman A\AY0£ 4U0DLP W&LP OJf2 AWUALLY- THEY TAXg^ IN AH / Et-EcTl^M r£AfZ- /-W> 'fc’ici&At** Opinion Iowa proves substance over style The very magic that made Sen. Edward Kennedy’s entr ance into the Democratic presidential contest so easy may well prompt the senator to disappear. The humiliation resulting from the Iowa Democratic cau cuses is evidence that magic is a fragile illusion on which to pin presidential hopes. Kennedy’s campaign pandered to the disappointment of Iowa farmers stung by Mr. Carter’s grain boycott against the Soviet Union. Although Kennedy accused the president of lurching from crisis to crisis, it was in fact Kennedy who lurched from issue to issue, grasping for something that would spark the campaign fires. Carter is sustained by international crises. Just as a boxing champion only loses the crown if he is soundly beaten, so a president is supported in times of world danger unless the alternative is particularly compelling. Ronald Reagan’s loss to George Bush in the Republican caucuses also hints of voter resistance to style over subst ance. To be sure, the nation might well prefer a more entertaining articulate president than Carter, but other components in the presidential makeup can compensate for such weaknesses. Reagan will no longer remain distant, gracious and above the fray. If he is hungry enough to want the White House, if he has stamina enough to serve as president, if he is intellec tually competent to lead the nation, he must now prove it on the road and in the television studios and on the newspaper pages. If the GOP is seeking an “anyone but Reagan’’ alternative, Bush — at least at this early stage of the campaign — may be an attractive choice. He has considerable experience in national government, an asset that may well prove to be an issue in a campaign against President Carter. And Bush has avoided the rightist fringe of Republicanism from which GOP candidates never seem to be able to return in time to win a national election. Hartford, Conn., Courant Strong, responsible CIA needed The country needs a strong intelligence gathering agency so that rapidly changing events around the world won’t catch us by surprise. The CIA has to be free to do its job and that includes spying. Seven U.S. senators plan to introduce legislation that would strengthen the CIA’s ability to keep its agents’ names from public disclosure. This comes after President Carter said a CIA charter is needed to make sure the agency doesn’t abuse its power while at the same time removing unwarranted restraints. Currently the president is required to inform eight congres sional committees if the CIA is ordered to engage in any covert activities abroad. That’s about 180 legislators and their staffs. Hard to keep a secret like that. The bill would make a person criminally liable if he dis closed the name of a spy if he learned it through authorized access. That might put a damper on former agents who want to make big money writing books regardless of people’s lives being at stake. Intelligence is a tough business. The Atlanta Constitution The Battalion u s p S 045 360 LETTERS POLICY Lt’tUr.i to the editor should not exceed 300 u ords and un- subject to being cut to that length or less if longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit such lettirs and does iu»t guarantee to publish any letter. Each letter must be signed, show the address of the writtr and list a telephone number firr verification. Address correspondence to l^-tttrs to the Editin'. The Battalion. Room 216. Reed McDonald Building. College Station. Texas 77643. Represented nationally by National Educational Adver tising Services, Inc.. New York City. Chicago and Los Angeles. The Battalion is published Monday through Fridas from ieptember through May except during exam and holiday )eriods and the summer, when it is published on Tuesday hrough Thursday. Mail subscriptions are $16.75 per semester; $33.25 per school year. $35.00 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Address; The Battalion. Room 216. Reed McDonald Building. College Station. Texas 77H43. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it Rights of reproduction of all other matter herein reserved. Second-Class postage paid at College Station. TX 77843. MEMBER Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Congress Editor Roy Bragg Associate Editor Keith Taylor News Editor Rusty Cawley Asst. News Editor Karen Cornelison Copy Editor Dillard Stone Sports Editor Tony Gallucci Focus Editor Rhonda Watters Senior City Reporter Louie Arthur Senior Campus Reporter Diane Blake .General Assignment Reporters Richard Oliver and Andy Williams Staff Writers . Nancy Andersen, Tricia Brunhart, Mike Burrichter, Angelique Copeland, Laura Cortez, Meril Edwards, Carol Hancock, Kathleen McElroy, Debbie Nelson, Steve Sisney Chief Photographer Lynn Blanco Photographers Lee Roy Leschper Opinions expressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or of the writer of the article and are not necessarily those of the University administration or the Board of Regents. The Battalion is a non-profit, self- supporting enterprise operated by students as a university and community newspaper. Editorial policy is determined by the editor. Letters Readers differ over registration Editor: This letter is in response to a letter printed in the January 28, 1980 issue of The Battalion by Davis Northcutt IV. Maybe not all Aggies agree that draft registration is needed, wanted, and/or morally right. But certainly the majority of Aggies do agree with the registration (NOT reinstatement — nobody has been or will be drafted until military necessities dictate reinstatement) for the draft as a precaution ary measure in a troubled world. For today we are faced with more than a “vague Soviet threat.” A sovereign, inde pendant nation has been violated in a way that the world has not seen since 1938 — and ignoring that incident proved dis astrous. No, war should not be declared instantly, but it must be shown to the Soviet Union that further aggression can not and will not be tolerated. It may be asked, why should we care about what happens in Afghanistan? Why should we care about a landlocked, barren country thousands of miles away from the U.S.? All right, for convenience’s sake, we will ignore such trivial things as the rights of men and nations to choose their own gov ernments, such emotional and irrational ideas like preventing tyranny, or such in consequential things as defending the pre rogative of all people to choose what reli gious beliefs, if any, they may wish to hold. Let’s stick to the facts. Over the last 20 years, the Soviet Union has been enlarging their armed forces to a point where they now outnumber the U.S. forces by a 5 to 1 edge in tanks, 2 to 1 in artillery, 2 to 1 in warships, and 3 to 2 in total manpower. Now isn’t that a little bit much to defend Russia against all 4 divi sions we have stationed next to them in Germany? What is even more alarming is the Soviet Union’s recent tendency to utilize all this hardware on other countries. Russian aid ind/or proxy troops have been used in Angola, Ethiopia, Somalia, Cambodia, South Yemen, and Afghanistan. Now, Rus sian troops and tanks are poised only 300 miles away from the Strait of Hormuz, the passageway through which Vs of the U.S. imported oil supply flows — about 15% of our total oil supply. In comparison, only 5% of our supply was lost in the 1973-74 oil embargo, with disastrous effects on the world’s economy. That constitutes a serious threat to the U.S. and its allies. In response to this, draft registration is a necessary measure to show the Soviet Un ion and the world that the U.S. will not tolerate further aggression, is willing to commit itself hi defense of freedom, and remains a major factor that the Soviets should think about before the next “Afgha nistan ”. Patrick M. Condray (This letter was accompanied by 24 other signatures) Editor: I am writing in response to Ron Bucchi’s letter in The Battallion, January 29. In the letter, Mr. Bucchi implied that those opposed to mandatory registration were “cowards. ” He has the right to his opinion, but he should not consider those who do not agree with him cowardly or unpatriotic. I am opposed to mandatory registration. I am probably in the minority, but it is doubtful that support for registration is as unanimous as Bucchi would like us to be lieve (How about a survey on the issue?). Mandatory registration would make it easier to reinstate the draft. This would increase the temptation to intervene in places we have no business in — Vietnam would be an example. Mandatory conscription is a socialistic principle. It is the individual being forced to serve the state. Lenin was once quoted as saying: “We will force the capitalists into military conscription until the uniform be comes a symbol of servitude, instead of patriotism.” The draft should be reserved for emergency situations to be effective. We are not in an emergency situation now. President Carter is trying to create crisis situations to serve his political pur poses. He used the Iranian hostages as an excuse to avoid debating his rivals for the Democratic nomination in Iowa. Is this new crisis designed to influence the voters in New Hampshire? What is planned for future primaries? Another energy crisis scare? Maybe Ron Bucchi wants to support this political play, but he should not imply that all “Aggies” agree with him. William D. Hancock ing your views about the registration for the draft, your answer (in my opinion) to quote you, is not legally or “morally right.” I must admit, you did get one fact right in the article — this is a free country, and everyone should defend and protect their homeland. After all, you do enjoy your freedom, don t you? Furthermore, to compare this situation with the one in Vietnam iy somewhat in accurate. Our freedom in the Vietnam War was not in any way directly threatened, whereas in Iran the lives of our american citizens, our freedom — along with our integrity — is of a big threat at this time. Let me also add that should you desert or evade the draft by skipping the country, please don’t think about returning to this Land of Freedom. While many proud men and women will fight to protect the free dom of this country, why should you come back to enjoy the freedom that others risked and lost their lives for. Margarita Jaime ’81 Karen Kauffman ’82 means putting up with thoughts thal have. How much else has to happenin world before you realize what the Sot understand? If a war does break out and I Iw doesn’t, I won’t be with you and the draft evaders in South America, my country needs me. And I assure, Northcutt, that I will uphold thetnitr justice our people believe in as thousands of others. Jimmy On' centr Un updai distri erv fi Th elect ingji (This letter was accompanied 26 signatures) Editor: I am writing this letter in response to! l Davis Northcutt IV’s letter, Monday, ing with WW III and his “patrioticrigl dissent draft registration. Mr. DavisM' cutt IV obviously claims an experts t military affairs that several of us spending several years trying to oW Mr. Davis Northcutt IV has ca Editor: Contrary to a recent letter in The Batta lion by David Northcutt IV about his co wardly views on the selective service rein statement, I’m sure there are many Aggies out there who would deplore his views ab out this “selective slavery” he is so afraid of. Soviet attempt at gaining a warm water[l in the Indian Ocean, relatively free b blockades (which can be imposed oat at Bosporous or Dardenelles) as a' vagi' threat. Mr. Davis Northcutt IV ap sees no military implication to a Soviet[f Editor: Contrary to the letter from Davis North cutt IV in The Battalion (Jan. 28) concem- Where have you been lately? What is this “vague” Soviet threat you are talking about? What is vague about an invasion of a country by a 100,000-man army? What is vague about using nerve-gas on anti communist resistance? What is vague ab out Afghanistan being some 300 miles from western oil supply routes? You are the only thing that is vague, and ignorant! Contrary to your thoughts about our president, he is trying his best to control the situation; and bringing America into a state of readiness is the best idea to back our policies. I don’t support aggression by any country Mr. Northcutt, but our national interests are at stake here. How can you say that dissent is patriotic, when it goes against our national well-being? Who are you patriotic to? You are a draft evader left over from the hippies’ rally of the 1960s and if you had any guts you wouldn’t complain. You talk about this country being free, well I’m sorry freedom sence in the Persian Gulf area. I wi argue over his erroneous and irrespoi assumptions. Instead, I’ll quote a inan«l has earned recognition as an authority modern warfare (with whom Mr. Di Northcutt IV should be well acquaint* f Carl Von Clausewitz, from On War, I' “If bloody battling is a dreadful spectS that should merely be the reason ciate war more and not allow our swoH | grow blunt by and by, through rianism, until someone steps in sharp sword and cuts our arms body. " Mr. Davis Northcutt IV’s coli 1 argument stems from the definition oft substantiality of a Soviet threat in the! regions of the world. Either Mr Northcutt IV failed to research hispos® adequately or else he is willing only topi take of the fruits of America and notdefe them. Ron Bucclii thotz By Doug Graham L