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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 9, 1990)
The Battalion Navy decision hits home Texans feel the effects of canceled project See Page 3 Vol. 90 No. 70 CSPS 045360 6 Pages College Station, Texas Wednesday, January 9, 1990 Mideast crisis debated Congress urged to support use of military WASHINGTON (AP) — Presi dent Bush said Tuesday that Sad dam Hussein must be offered no face-saving inducements to get out of Kuwait, as he lobbied a divided Congress to back up his threat to go to war. “I know that pressures are now building to provide Saddam some means of saving face, or to accept a withdrawal that is less than uncondi tional,” Bush said in a speech broad cast internationally. “The danger in this course should be clear to all.” On Capitol Hill, where Bush en joyed broad support among Repub licans, Democrats chose sides on the war-and-peace issue. During a Sen ate Foreign Relations Committee hearing, Chairman Claiborne Pell, D-R.I., said Bush’s policy of sanc tions and diplomacy was already working. “Before we ask Americans to die for the liberation of Kuwait, I want to be sure we have tried every possi ble alternative,” he said. “So far, this has not been the case.” House Armed Services Commit tee Chairman Les Aspin, D-Wis., force in Iraq said he would vote in favor of autho rizing the use of force when the issue comes before the House, and would urge colleagues to do the same. “If all else fails, war is a reasonable option,” he said at a news confer ence. He said the risks of future Iraqi aggressiqn and control of oil would justify the loss of 500 to 1,000 American lives, which Aspin esti mated would result from a phased U.S. air and ground attack. Meanwhile, the Pentagon said 25,000 additional U.S. troops had arrived in the Persian Gulf region, raising the total to more than 360,000. Spokesman Pete Williams said more than 245,000 troops from allied nations also are in the area, making the allied air, sea and ground total greater than Iraq’s esti mated 540,000 troops, mostly ground forces. Bush said the Jan. 15 date spelled out in a United Nations resolution for Iraq to withdraw from Kuwait is “a deadline for Saddam Hussein to choose.” Texas A&M military analyst gives outlook on Gulf crisis By JULIE MYERS Of The Battalion Staff It would take months, not weeks to win a war with Iraq, says a military analyst at Texas A&M. Two or three weeks would be needed to establish air control and support to move troops over land, says Dr. Art Blair, deputy director of the Mosher Institute for Defense Studies. Blair is a re tired army officer and former West Point professor. Even with air support, moving over land would be slow and dan gerous because of the effect of dust and sand on equipment, and mines which might be planted in the desert, Blair says. Blair hesitates to predict whether there will be war in the Persian Gulf, but says there is no question the United Nations forces would win. “So much depends on the ob jective,” Blair says. “If the objec tive is to isolate the country, then we need to know how long it takes to starve a country reluctant to give up. But if the objectives are to destroy their will, ability to con tinue fighting and occupy Iraq, that will be a long, tedious and nasty job.”. Blair cautions against moving hastily to force Iraq from Kuwait. “We have more time than money or lives, and good military commanders know this,” he says. “We (the military) have a reputa tion for wanting to be in a war, but in reality, military officers are the most ardent pacifists because they know the costs of conflict firsthand.” Politicians, not military person nel, will pressure the armed forces to act hastily. Blair says the constitutional conflict between Congress and President Bush is a bigger issue than war itself. Bush could find himself in a di lemma if Congress decides not to See Mosher /Page 4 Possibility of Gulf war prompts local meeting By JAYME BLASCHKE Of The Battalion Staff Bryan-College Station residents have the chance tonight to enter into international debate about the Per sian Gulf Crisis and the potential for war between the United States and Iraq. A town meeting is scheduled for 7 p.m. in the Unitarian Fellowship Hall on Wellborn Road in College Station. Irwin Tang, one of the organizers of the event, said the gulf crisis needs to be addressed by the local community. “We have people from our com munity over there, and we have tax dollars over there being spent,” said Tang, junior political science major at Texas A&M. He said most of the debate has been, national in scope, often ignor ing local interests. He feels a town meeting can help remedy that situa tion. Josh Busby, another organizer, emphasized that the meeting will fo cus on a peaceful solution to the problem. “All of us are at. an age where we could be drafted if a draft were en acted,” Busby said. “He (the Presi dent) can’t just rush into war without the support of the American people. He can’t avoid asking us if we want our children coming back in body bags.” Busby said he hopes the meeting will pave the way for future local in volvement. “We can establish a framework with this meeting, so in case war does break out, we have the foundation for an active, informed community,” Busby said. “I don’t see this as being a one-time deal.” Tang said the response so far has been positive. He said six speakers are scheduled, ranging from Dr. Larry Yarak, an expert on Middle Eastern affairs, to Floyd Wells, a dis abled Vietnam veteran. “We’re going to have open dis cussion with an open microphone, so everyone can express their feelings on the matter,” Tang said. “We’re really hoping for an attendance of around 200 people. That would be wonderful.” Busby said College Station Mayor Larry Ringer, College Station city council members, U.S. Rep. Joe Bar ton, State Senator Jim Turner and local attorney Jim James were in vited to the meeting. “Out of this discussion should come a greater understanding of what we want — a commitment to a peaceful settlement,” Busby said. Bad weather hinders paving of A&M roads By KATHERINE COFFEY Of The Battalion Staff Texas A&M physical plant crews have been working to repair poorly paved campus roads, but weather conditions have kept them from fin ishing before the spring semester be- gins. Tom Williams, parking, transit and traffic department director, says previous street concrete repairs con structed a few years ago have failed, but the physical plant is working as fast as possible to repave the roads. Joe Sugg, director of the A&M physical plant, says the failures in the pavements have caused the roads to collapse. The roads being constructed on campus include Ross Street, Ireland Street and Throckmorton Road. Williams says Throckmorton Road, near the Rudder Complex Center, is temporarily blocked to make utility connections to the new parking garage. “We wanted to get this done sooner but the rain during the holi day has held us back,” Sugg says. But Sugg says even though Col lege Station had so much rain, there was not as much cold weather as last year to cause damages on campus. Williams says a lot of construction takes place during holidays, includ ing Christmas break, Spring Break, after the spring semester and the month before fall starts. “We take advantage of students being gone to clean up parking areas,” he says. “Our peak work is cleaning, painting and construction when students are gone. “When school starts there will be temporary closures of roads, but parking will not be affected except some access to staff lots, ” Williams says. “But there should not be any See Roads/Page 4 PHELAN H. EBENHACK/The Battalion Head football coach R.C. Slocum and the rest of the football team celebrate after singing the Aggie War Hymn with the Ag gie Band after whipping Brigham Young University in the Holi day Bowl on Dec. 29. A&M surprised the Cougars before a sold- out crowd in Jack Murphy Stadium in San Diego. Many BYU fans had complained that A&M was not a worthy opponent. Teen’s suicide shocks students RICHARDSON (AP) — A 16- year-old high school student shot himself in the head Tuesday in front of his horrified classmates, but edu cators said the youth’s death was not symptomatic of a larger problem in this Dallas suburb. Counselors helped Richardson High School students and faculty cope with the death of Jeremy Wade Delle of Richardson. He had re turned to an English class with a .357-caliber Magnum revolver and pulled its trigger before about 24 students. “He said, ‘This is what I came back to do,’ stuck the gun in his mouth and pulled the trigger,” said student Jason Fiveash, who wit nessed the incident. “He seemed like kind of a bitter person, or maybe that’s just to me, but he obviously had some kind of a problem.” The shooting occurred shortly be fore 10 a.m., said Susan Dacus Wil son, a spokeswoman for the Rich ardson Independent School District. Authorities found a suicide note, but did not immediately divulge its con tents. Delle, a sophomore, was pro nounced dead at the scene. Nobody else was wounded, Wilson said. “I just sat there in disbelief,” Fi veash said. “The initial shock is over with, I think, but it’s still kind of a frightening experience.” Richardson Police Sgt. Ray Pen nington said the boy had been in the classroom but left for a brief period, telling his teacher he needed to go retrieve a medical slip from his locker. He then returned with the handgun and shot himself, Penning ton said. Wilson said the school and the dis trict then enacted crisis emergency plans, which included calling in ad ditional counselors and psycholo gists. “Support personnel came from throughout the district to the school to provide counseling support, psy chological support, those kinds of things ...,” Wilson said. A counselor said the death did not indicate a problem in the district. Science dean stepping down By BRIDGET HARROW Of The Battalion Staff Texas A&M College of Science Dean Dr. John Fackler will resign later this year to continue research and do more teaching after serving eight years as head of the college. Fackler, dean since January 1983, said he believes little of his efforts are presently being directed toward things he was educated to do and en joys, which are teaching and re search. “I came to A&M with the intent of staying in administration for about five years and then returning to my research and teaching,” Fackler said. “I like to understand the scientific world, and I have been able to do that to a lesser degree each year as more and more of my efforts are consumed by administrative-type decisions,” he said. Fackler will continue to serve as dean until the University hires a suc cessor. If the position is not filled by Jan. 1, 1992, an interim dean will be appointed. Dr. E. Dean Gage, provost and vice president for academic affairs, said a committee has been formed to conduct a nationwide search for a replacement. Before coming to A&M, Fackler served as a faculty member at Case Institute of Technology and Case Western Reserve University for 20 years, including five years as head of the chemistry department. Fackler said he would like to teach both graduate and undergraduate students again. “I enjoy teaching undergraduate courses,” he said. “For most of my career I have taught at least one ma jor undergraduate course each year. I enjoy the excitement of teaching young people who are still enthusias tic about learning.” The College of Science has made substantial progress since Fackler as sumed the job eight years ago. The number of distinguished pro fessors in the college has grown from five to 13, including a Nobel John P. Fackler laureate. The college’s research bud get has increased by nearly 60 per cent. An endowed chair in physics and a new endowed professorship in See Fackler/Page 4 Iraq officials deny defection of pilots DHAHRAN, Saudi Arabia (AP) — The Saudi defense min ister on Tuesday denied that six pilots manning Iraqi helicopters defected to Saudi Arabia. The Pentagon also issued a disclaimer, but there were persistent indica tions some aircraft crossed the border. One Saudi source reported Monday that four Iraqi planes were about to land in Saudi Ara bia. Another Saudi source and two separate U.S. military spokesmen later reported six he licopters crossed from Kuwait. Iraq strongly denied reports of the defections, saying there had been no Iraqi air maneuvers any time Monday. The Saudi Press Agency said Defense Minister Prince Sultan bin Abdel-Aziz “categorically denied that any Iraqi aircraft took refuge in the kingdom of Saudi Arabia.” “Most regrettably this report is fabricated and totally baseless and no pilots defected,” the de fense minister was quoted as tell ing reporters at a military grad uation ceremony in Riyadh. The Pentagon, which had been the first to officially confirm the defections Monday, released a statement Tuesday night denying any knowledge of them. “Neither the United States nor the Saudis can confirm yester day’s reports that Iraqi helicopt ers defected into Saudi Arabia,” Army Maj. Mike Dobie said. “Neither the U.S. nor the Sau dis have any Iraqi helicopters in custody.” Residence halls open Texas A&M’s residence halls open today for students returning to school. Any questions about resi dence life should be directed to the Housing Office at 845-4744. Pavilion open for registration Texas A&M students still trying to organize their spring schedules can go by the Pavilion beginning today for lists of new courses and course changes in the spring curriculum catalog. The lists are posted on a billboard near the west entrance of the Pavil ion. The course changes list will in clude new information about profes sors, room numbers or times. Stu dent Senate members will update both lists again the first day of classes.