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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Nov. 11, 1983)
Page 2/The Battalion/Friday, November 11,1983 by T BatU Mount E\ Grenada: Reagan’s actions ‘supported’ by Helen Thomas United Press Internationa] WASHINGTON — President Reagan and his top aides are smiling. They feel they have a success story on their hands from the Grenada invasion and all good things may flow from that — such as Senate passage of the MX missile and, judging from public opinion polls, overwhelming support of the American people. The administration officials are leav ing up in the air whether Reagan’s euphoria will prompt more military moves in the Caribbean. When Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger is next on the hit list, he smiles and says nothing is open and nothing is closed. noire at the moment in the continuing turmoil in that region. Reagan, Weinberger and Pentagon officials believe they have made the quan- Reagan, who has been criticized for not having foreign policy goals, except in terms of the East- West struggle, may decide that the military option can be used to recover some of the political ground lost over the last few de cades. But top officials have refused from the start of the administration to rule out overt action against Marxist-led Nicar agua and Cuba. In the Middle East, admi nistration officials also hedge on the p< ‘ b( siblities of reprisals against Syria, the os- ete turn leap and the United States no longer has a “Vietnam syndrome,” or apprehen sion over deep involvement again in a land war thousands of miles away. But few doubt the Vietnam sydrome would reappear in the populace if the president starts spreading the troops far and wide where they would meet more of a fight from native forces than they did in Military strategists battle with words by Dick West United Press International WASHINGTON — This being Veter ans Day, let us give some thought to pre cision in military terminology. Although President Reagan once used the word “invasion” to describe the U.S. landing on Grenada, he now says that is not the proper way to refer to the opera tion. Actually, he says, the venture was a “rescue mission” by American “liberat ing” forces. Any World War II veteran who spent time in the European Theater of Opera tions can readily understand the quoted language. The argument that some Grenadians were unaware they were captives does not, of course, hold water. A blanket liberation is about the only sort a military force can effectively carry out. If troops are required to be selective as to what they are liberating, they are likely to lose interest. When I was in the ETO, GIs were liberating just about everything in sight. Particularly if it was small enough to car ry or load onto a jeep or weapons carrier. In case you can’t recall the chronology in that part of the world, American liber ating units first landed in North Africa. That rescue mission, incidentally, was commanded by Dwight Eisenhower, ab out whom more was to be heard later. Later, U.S. troops rescued Sicily and Italy. Then came the big rescue missions in Normandy and Southern France. Terminology, as Reagan has indicated, was strategically important. When American soldiers first began arriving in North Africa, liberation was virtually an unknown science. So the practice was called other things, such as scrounging. The results were dis couraging. On the European continent, however, World War II types quickly learned that goods and services not issued by the gov ernment usually could be liberated. Some , poker players even liberated pots from each other, although that might have been carrying the terminology too far. i Liberation also served as a substitute for fraternization, which initially was for- | A blanket liberation is about the only sort a military force can effectively carry out. If troops are required to be selective as to what they are liberating, they are likely to lose interest. bidden. Any Europeans, particularly female, we boys couldn’t fraternize with, we would proceed to liberate. One memorable day, my unit liberated a cellar full of French wine that must have been confiscated by the enemy. We res-, cued bottle after bottle of champagne, I sparkling burgundy and, oh, I don’t know what all. Strategically, or maybe it was tactically,! there was nothing we could do but drink it as quickly as possible, lest a sudden counterattack cause the cache to revert to unfriendly hands. “I regret I have but one liver to cirrh- ose for my country,” cried one latter day Nathan Hale. That patriotic spirit, I’m proud to say, was prevalent among my comrades-in- arms. At a party given to commemorate the wine’s liberation, a Red Cross girl, back ing away from the advances of a hot- blooded young Texan who shall here be nameless, toppled into a soggy compost pit we had liberated from the previous occupants of the farmhouse. I hope nothing that messy marred the rescue of Grenada. But such are the for tunes of war. The Battalion USPS 045 360 Member ot Texas Press Association Southwest Journalism Conference Editor ... Hope E. Paasch Managing Editor Beverly Hamilton City Editor Kelley Smith Assistant City Editor Karen Schrimsher Sports Editor Melissa Adair Entertainment Editor .... Rebeca Zimmermann Assistant Entertainment Editor Shelley Hoekstra News Editors Brian Boyer, Kathy Breard, Kevin Inda, Tracey Taylor, Chris Thayer, Kathy Wiesepape Photo Editor Eric Evan Lee Staff Writers Robin Black, Brigid Brockman, Bob Caster, Ronnie Crocker, Elaine Engstrom, Kari Fluegel, Tracie Holub, Bonnie Langford, John Lopez, Kay Denise Mallett, Chrisdne Mallon, Michelle Powe, Stephanie Ross, Angel Stokes, Steve Thomas,. John Wagner, Karen Wallace, . Wanda Winkler Copy Editors . Kathleen Hart,: Susan Talbot Cartoonists 1 Paul Dirmeyer, Scott McCullar Photographers Michael Davis,, John Makely, Dave Scott, > Dean Saito, Cindi Tackitt 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 matter should be directed to the editor. Letters Policy 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 and show the address and telephone number of tbe writer. Columns and guest editorials also are 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 (409) 845- 2611. The Battalion is published Monday through Friday during Texas A&M regular semesters, except for holi day and examination periods. Mail subscriptions are $ 16.75 per semester, $33.25 per school year and $35 per full year. Advertising rates furnished on request. Our address: The Battalion, 216 Reed McDonald Building, Texas A&M University, College Station, TX 77843. 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. 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. Grenada, where a ragtag leaderless army was in disarray. Whether that victory will be a tempa- tion for Pax Americana in other places where U.S. authority is being challenged by the Soviets will be a question in the presidential campaign, no doubt. Reagan, who has been criticized for not having foreign policy goals, except in terms of the East-West struggle, may de cide that the military option can be used to recover some of the political ground lost over the last few decades. Since he believes that all the political turmoil in the world emanates from Moscow, he may decide to draw a line in the dust. So far he has succeeded in making an already wary Kremlin wonder if any chance of a peaceful rapprochement is possible. The wait won’t be long. Next month will be the watershed in nuclear arms negotiations with the Un ited States bent on deploying intermedi-_ ate-range missiles in Europe, and the Soviets threatening to match them in Warsaw Pact countries. Reagan has said he is willing to keep talking even after the missiles are placed in Germany and other European coun tries. The Soviets have threatened to break off talks if the missiles are de ployed. There are reports that U.S. negotiator Paul Nitze has urged the president to make one last pass at trying to break the impasse before the deadly missiles go in. A big question mark is over the health of Soviet President Yuri Andropov and whether he is well enough to make major decisions. Reagan is in the driver’s seat. He can try to change the vocabulary and call an invasion a rescue mission and publicly charge his critics. “It is very easy for some smug, know- it-all in a plush protected quarter to say that you are in no danger,” he told a welcome-home gathering of more than 400 medical students who were evacu ated from Grenada. terhorn ma) now but by Outdoor E rock climbir be climbing The two- by Dr. Mich; ductory cot rock climl “I have wondered how many which is lin would have changed places wiili costs $40. said. Berry say recently has a j _i u n own right. Aides said that Reagan was to t he top about his congressional crii mountain v “changed their tune now thatfe of climbers the facts.” bers find c Before they left the White! Reagan enlisted the students n out, about the courage andcomit; of the military men who riskedtla to evacuate them from Grenada Fu Despite the growing violencetk^ out the world, Reagan takesamot^ mistic view of events in recenti wi by E On the eve of his Asian swingli: Japanese television interviewer, j n llie m j { | there is more of an awareness toe p r e va i ent i, in order to have peace we ran ment, tele< strength, so I am not discouraged: the comp; is going on.” software b of the Sma W17 IMDNT STOP THE PICKUP TRUCK IN BEIRUT, BUT WE ARE' ' WORKRt© ON WKiS TO STOP INCONVING SOVIET MISSILES. tration saic i Com pi n|1|1 software s '4|!l lucrative, 1 ||| Howev |dedicatio, coco, hours arc ments of a business, “Eddie” H by Gas prices: People vs. industry Brazo Stone wi Down S Center, down, w will help half-way J Musi country and Don .calling fc and non available Art K ction of] ing a br diamonc style rug given. ■ Laur organiz says she bring ir money ' long-te by Bruce B. Bakke United Press International DALLAS — Strong opinions abound, but no agreement is close, on the question of what would happen to natural gas E rices if Congress should pass decontrol :gislation. Industry organizations, lobbying hard for decontrol, are fervent in their belief that under decontrol prices would be held in check by natural forces of supply and demand. Suspicious consumer organizations counter that the only reason the industry wants decontrol is that it would lead to higher prices and greater profits. “Consumers who use natural gas could reap significant savings on their monthly gas bills if Congress would enact decontrol legislation now before the Sen ate,” a news release from the Natural Gas Supply Association in Washington claims. “Under decontrol all of the gas would rise in the first year to prices between $3 and $3.50 (per thousand cubic feet),” says Ed Rothschild of the Citizen-Labor Ener gy Coalition in Washington. After the first year, he said, prices would climb even higher. Suspicion and distrust between the two sides, built up over the past volatile de cade, makes agreement almost impossi ble on this or any other issue. The NCSA says if a bill now before the Senate is passed, consumer savings could amount to more than 90 cents a thousand cubic feet in five states — California, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire and Virginia. Savings of at least 30 cents per thousand cubic feet would occur in 42 states by one year after enactment, it 'ays. “This bill has a tremendous amount of consumer protection in it,” said Nicholas J. Bush, president of the NCSA. “It would have a strong downward trend on the important cost components of gas prices. If this legislation is enacted, con sumers would then be in a position to demand that state utility commissions force pipelines and local gas distribution companies to pass these savings on through the system to the household.” Of course, the Citizen-Labor Energy Coalition has an entirely different view. “Our bottom line is that if you dereg ulate all gas the cost will go up over the away and dent but cents. Stepp profit org troversial provision which wouldea provide ; price burden of take-or-pay contra n ced of The NGSA says if a bill now be fore the Senate is passed, con sumer savings could amount to more than 90 cents a thousand cubic feet in five states — Califor nia, Maryland, Michigan, New Hampshire and Virginia. pipelines Congressmen approach legislatif volving gas prices with the caution hunter approaching a trapped gr. The potential exists to enrage mil voters. In 1979 42.5 million households,;' percent of the homes in America, natural gas for heating. Another! lion households used natural gai other purposes. With almost twoll of all U.S. households involved, no^ gressman wants to be accused of fi gas prices to consumers. some re; next few years, because most gas flowing is old gas. Almost half the gas being sold today in interstate pipelines is pre-1977 gas. The average price is about $1.50,” Rothschild said. The price of gas from wells drilled be fore 19/8 is regulated under present law. Industry leaders have said present reg ulation of gas prices is a factor inhibiting drilling and exploration for new gas sources. But Rothschild said it is the cur rent gas glut that has caused drilling activity to drop. Economist Stephen Brown of the Fed eral Reserve Bank in Dallas says consum er fears that elimination of controls would cause higher prices is a formidable obstacle to total deregulation of natural gas prices. “Decontrol will not lead to both a high er consumer price and increased produc tion,” Brown wrote last summer. “Decon trol will yield a higher consumer price only if supply contracts. If decontrol in creases supply, a lower price will result.” It is the position of many in the indus try that old gas is being held off the mar ket because of low controlled prices. In some areas, such as Kansas, pipeline com panies are letting old gas stay in the ground because they have newer take-or- pay contracts which compel them to take gas from other sources. Although this is a different issue, it is related to any question of gas availability. The bill now before the Senate has a con- - Slouch by Jim Eaij It keeps outstanding time, bn of course, there is one dm back. ” *0