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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (June 8, 1982)
opinion Battalion/Paj! June 8,1 v du in loi or lo ic > c du dr th it] ic ir tir :o rn at ati :h :v< :h aa et la' rb g 2 J g E 3 1 VC >f ir< ni 11 .u ic Vli o if ir ii i c , 4 s Slouch By Jim Earle “Last week? You mean we were supposed to come back last week?” Reagan movie clips by Arnold Sawislak United Press International WASHINGTON — The Republicans have hired lookalike actors again for their TV commercials slamming the opposition — and the Democrats, forget ting the principal dictum of retributive politics, are howling. The GOP has signed up- a pair of actors who resemble former President Jimmy Carter and Speaker Tip O’Neill to sit alongside a mock lawyer as he reads a will leaving the country’s economic woes to the Republicans. This commercial is a spinoff of a 1980 spot using the same O’Neill character to damn the Democrats for their spending habits. It seemed to work well then so the GOP went it one better in 1982. The Democrats are yelping with pain about the new spots, huffily complaining that they amount to dirty tricks. But what if they cool down long enough to remem ber the axiom of all hardball politics, “Don’t get mad, get even,” and under take to produce their own look-alike commercials? With thousands of feet of Ronald Reagan’s old movies available, the Demo crats, who are always short of money, might be able to save some by using film clips from the president’s old movies for their commercials. For example, a judicious snippet from “Bedtime for Bonzo,” showing the hero and the chimp in apparent deep conver sation would be potential political gold. The voice-over on this spot could be a simple, “President Reagan and his advis ers have worked out a plan to solve the country’s economic problems.” Another possibility would be for the Democrats to hire Ed McMahon to play Ed Meese and Rock Hudson to play Jim Baker in a skit about waking the presi dent after he has retired for the night. “Let’s not be hasty, the situation is under control,” says McMahon. “But Ed,” says Hudson, “The White House is on fire.” Actually, the Democrats are not likely to do any of these things. The party, which used to have a good sense of humor even when it lost, now seems to have become as creative as a firm of probate lawyers and as somber as a convention of undertakers. To judge from its recent attempts to counter Republican sales pitches, the party probably will entrust any response it makes to some charismatic and photo genic personality such as Sen. Alan Cran ston or Sen. Claude Pepper. Now that really would be revenge. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member of Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Letters Policy Editor Diana Sultenfuss City Editor BernieFette Sports Editor Frank L. Christlieb News Editors. . . Tracey Buchanan, Dan Puckett Diane Yount Staff Writers Cyndy Davis, Susan Dittman, Terry Duran, Colette Hutchings, Hope E. Paasch, Joe Tindel Jr., Rebeca Zimmermann Cartoonist Scott McCullar Photographers David Fisher, Peter Rocha, John Ryan, Letters to the Editor should not exceed 300 words in length, and are subject to being cut if they are longer. The editorial staff reserves the right to edit letters for style and length, but will make every effort to maintain the author’s intent. Each letter must also be signed, show the address and phone number of the writer. Columns and guest editorials are also welcome, and are not subject to the same length constraints as letters. Address all inquiries and correspondence to: Editor, The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald, Texas A&M Uni versity, College Station, TX 77843, or phone (713) 845- 2611. Editorial Policy The Battalion is a non-profit, self-supporting news paper operated as a community service to Texas A&M University and Bryan-College Station. Opinions ex pressed in The Battalion are those of the editor or the author, and do not necessarily represent the opinions of Texas A&M University administrators or faculty mem bers, or of the Board of Regents. The Battalion also serves as a laboratory newspaper for students in reporting, editing and photography clas ses within the Department of Communications. Questions or comments concerning any editorial mat ter should be directed to the editor. The Battalion is published three times a week — Tuesday, Wednesday, Thursday — during Texas A&M's summer semesters, except for holiday and ex amination periods, when it is published only on Wednes days. Mail subscriptions are$16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Adverdsing rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. United Press International is entitled exclusively to the use for reproduction of all news dispatches credited to it. Rights of reproducdon of all other matter herein reserved. Second class postage paid at College Station, TX 77843. Falklands — is it too late? At any moment now, the 7,500 British troops poised around Port Stanley will overtake the capitol of the Falklands, de fended by roughly an equal number of Argentine troops. In doing so, a whole series of related and uneasing effects will be unleashed. Promptly following the defeat of Argentina on the Falklands, Buenos Aires will very likely witness a purge in its military junta, as younger and/or more nationalistic officers take over. In light of U.S. assistance to Great Britain and appa rent Cuban/Soviet support to Argentina, the latter will gradually move into the Soviet sphere. This will probably happen whether or not a coup does in fact evolve in Buenos Aires. President Leopold Gal- tieri and Foreign Minister Gosta Mendez have hinted this much. The British will find themselves forced to maintain a large deterrent con tingency on the islands in view of Argen tina’s threats of continuing the contest later on in case of defeat. Thus, a drain on both the British treasury and com mittment to NATO would ensue. Similarly, the U.S. will be faced with a most uncomfortable predicament in deed. Its previous position of influence and prestige not only in Argentina but in Latin America as a whole would be undermined. At a time when only recent- behrooz moghaddam ly, there existed the perceived threat of a domino effect enveloping Central Amer ica with communism, we see the ironic possibility of U.S. policies (vis a vis Argentina) enlarging that very threat to encompass all of Latin America. To say the least, a significant blow will have been dealt to U.S. foreign policy in the West ern Hemisphere. Clearly, there is an ur gent need to reconsider Britain’s options, if Soviet expansion in traditionally U.S. spheres of influence is to be precluded. On April 2, when Argentine troops overran the islands, no one ever sus pected the British would react with such a show of strength. They sent an armada of over 40 ships of the Royal Navy and step- by-step with brilliant military planning have retaken all but the capitol city of the islands. Throughout the ordeal,rec lacking British energy and have been rekindled and set abk memories of the olden days Thus, they have preserved their! and soil in battle. They haveyetai memory of British valor to recall years to come. Hence, in light of everythingt sed thus far, one must questiontlti for crushing Argentina to the Iasi: Britain must now weigh whatlittlt it will derive in a victory over PortSt against its costs. On the other hait extra incentive must be that itself does not appear too anxious into a bear hugjustyet. If atallpoi would, I think, prefer, for (as the Poles will testify), to rent* tions with the U.S. However,ah tion would be nothing less thantht that broke the camel’s back. In the final analysis; therefore,! of the alternative, the most minor, symbolic, British concession in a matic settlement should satisfi Argentine junta. Such a conci move would moreover provide dents Reagan and Galtieri room vage what little remains of therelr ship. And lastly, it would win for Royal Majesty’s government botlit id mas :St 11 I R r\ lC lands and magnanimity. Un LUB could aid in revenge Another possibility might be the dra matic highlight from “King’s Row,” wherein Reagan wakes up to discover his girl friend’s surgeon-father has chopped off his legs, “Where’s the rest of me?” the hero asks plaintively. “Where’s my Medi care?” the Democratic narrator might in tone. But Democrats wouldn’t be restricted to the president’s old films. For example, they might dig up one of the livelier domestic scenes with Richard Burton and Liz Taylor in “Who’s Afraid of Virgi nia Woolf?” This could billed as a policy conference between the Secretary of State and the United Nations ambas sador. 'State I being a atgii i efensi osuMtv r m summers off botsince braniff went wiperi ReuREPWHyNOTPlCKOPAFEWBWKS IN THE OFFSEASON Letters: Lebanon suffers injustice Editor: An attempt was made on the life of the Israeli ambassador to Britian. The Israeli government, without trying to identify who was behind the attack, blamed it on the PLO and ordered a raid on Lebanon. So far, two hundred Lebanese and Pales tinian civilians have died in the raid. This method of reprisal undertaken by the Israeli government is similar to that prac ticed by the Nazis in Europe and is caus ing the suffering of Lebanese and Palesti nian civilians. I wonder for how long is the American government going to keep its uncondi tional support to Israel, who is using the American support and military aid to massacre Palestinian civilians, whose sole “crime” is trying to achieve freedom and a national identity. And for how long are the American people going to allow cer tain lobbying groups to put American’s interest behind that of Israel’s? and Palestinian guerillas shelled North ern Israel. More than two hundred peo ple were killed in less than 48 hours. But in reality, Lebanon is the only loser in this war. Lebanon is suffering more casualties than any of the two par ties involved. Lebanon’s innocent and peaceful citizens are being killed. It is all happening on Lebanese soil. Lebanese villages are being destroyed, and the worst is yet to come, when Lebanese will suffer the painful consequences of this invasion. Thousands of refugees are leaving their homes and looking for a place to spend the night in. Women and children are being driven out of their houses. Where to go? Who is responsible for them? Who can take care of them?H much is left from Lebanon Lebanese authorities to secure d who are refugees in their own count Isn’t seven years of war enough for tiny country that always lived in Why should Lebanon be the only com in the Middle East to pay for of problems and mistakes? Who is charge? Who is responsible? Wheri justice in this world? If you find justice anywhere, sent it to my country. And if yout peace, apply it in Lebanon. Gabriel A. 0 Plantation 0» the small society by Brickman Ghassan S. Khader 134 Luther Hop-0oy! TALK'S 65(2- /W& - American support questioned by student Editor: Violence and atrocities have been the headlines in newspapers and top stories on television news during the last few days. Israelis attacked South Lebanon X'P UV&TOT&LL /MY -SWY- ccttf 0961 King Syndicat*, Inc. World righti rmervsd.