opinion
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June 8,1
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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,
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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
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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
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ccttf
0961 King Syndicat*, Inc. World righti rmervsd.