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About The Battalion. (College Station, Tex.) 1893-current | View Entire Issue (Jan. 21, 1991)
The Battalion Vol. 90 Mo. 76 GSPS 045360 10 Pages College Station, Texas Monday, January 21,, 1991 Playoffs decided Bills annihilate Raiders, Giants ease past 49ers See Page 8 Head over heels SCOTT D. WEAVER/The Battalion Jason Harris, of the Little Aggies Ball Handlers his balance during the half-time entertainment Group, keeps up his concentration despite losing for the Lady Aggies match with Baylor on Friday. U.S. forces suffer fatality Military historian deems nuclear strike unlikely By MIKE LUMAN Of The Battalion Staff An Israeli nuclear strike against Iraq is possible but “very unlikely,” the director of Texas A&M’s Mosher Institute for De fense Studies said Sunday. Dr. Frank E. Vandiver, mili tary historian, said Israel proba bly has nuclear capability but is trying to cooperate with U.S. Middle East policy. “I suppose Israel has a nuclear weapon, out I doubt they will use it knowing that would destroy the Arab coalition,” he said. U.S. and British estimates place Iraq five to 10 years from developing nuclear weapons, he said. Vandiver, former A&M presi dent and a distinguished Univer sity professor, predicted in Thursday’s issue of The Battalion the Desert Storm offensive would trigger the launching of Iraqi Scud missiles at Israel and Saudi Arabia. Iraqi missile attacks on the Jewish state began Thursday about 6 p.m. CST. Israeli officials repeatedly have said they will retaliate against Iraq, and will choose the time, method and target. Vandiver said he would be sur prised if Israel did not retaliate. He said they are compelled to fight back because of domestic and political reasons. The Iraqi attack on Israel was entirely political, intended to draw Israel into the war, he said. “I think he (Saddam Hussein) will use any biological or chemical weapons he has, if Israel remains on the sidelines,” Vandiver said. He added, however, any Iraqi Air Force attack on Israel would be suicidal and would indicate Hussein was becoming desperate. Hussein probably plans to ride out the allied attack, surrender “tattered but brave” and come out an Arab hero, for standing up to the coalition, Vandiver said. He said hostilities likely would go on for two or three months, giving allied forces time to knock out Hussein’s communication and transportation networks. Hussein probably now is using “middle-tecn” communications, less-sophisticated networks laid down to reach troops when high- tech communications are out, Vandiver said. If allied forces can destroy those communications and scatter Hussein’s elite troops with bomb ing runs, the only thing left will be the front line, he said. “We need to knock out his lo gistics, control and supplies,” he said. “Then there will be one wave — the front line — and that’s it.” Iraq may be hiding some of its air force in underground shel ters, though, Vandiver said. Even so, he said most of Hus sein’s money and supplies go to his ground troops. Hussein sees air power as sup portive in a ground war, and does not consider the Iraqi Air Force of paramount importance, he said. IN SAUDI ARABIA (AP) — One American has died and 12 are miss ing in action in the Persian Gulf War, Gen. H. Norman Schwarzkopf, commander of the U.S. forces in the Persian Gulf, said Sunday. He also said he believed that 16 of Iraq’s 20 mobile missile launchers had been knocked out by U.S. and allied forces. Iraq apparently used those weapons to launch Scud mis siles against Israel on Friday and Sat urday. Speaking on GBS-TV, “Face the Nation,” the commander said U.S. military officials suspected Iraq was risis in the Q ulf □ Related letters/Page 2 Q Former governor gives views on gulf war/Page 3 holding two U.S. prisoners of war. His comment came after Baghdad TV reportedly showed what it de scribee! as two captured U.S. pilots being paraded blindfolded through the streets of Iraq. Asked about the Baghdad TV re port, he said: “I’ve heard the same reports you’ve heard. I sincerely hope that’s not true. We’re doing our best to abide by the Geneva Con vention (which demands humane treatment of prisoners of war) and I would certainly hope the Iraqis do also.” Schwarzkopf also commented about four primary nuclear research facilities in Irao that have been tar geted in the coalition air assault. “I have very high confidence that those nuclear reactors have been thoroughly damaged and will not be effective for quite some number of years,” he said. Iracj said, meanwhile, that U.S.- led allied bombers fired Sunday on Saddam Hussein’s hometown. In a statement, the Iraqi army’s general command said other raids focused on his ground forces and elusive mo bile missile launchers. “We’ve had 13 Americans either killed in action or missing in action,” since the war began on Thursday, Schwarzkopf told “Face the Nation.” He said another nine servicemen from the coalition forces were also missing or dead. In its first detailed description ot allied air raids, Baghdad listed 14 at tacks, including two on the Iraqi cap ital and one on the city of al-Qu’im, the site of a nuclear and chemical weapons research and development center. It said a missile was fired at Tikrit, the hometown of President Saddam and most of his top leadership, but did not report any damage. New Regents Governor appoints to Board first African-American woman By JULIE MYERS Of The Battalion Staff The first African-American woman appointed to the Texas A&M University System Board of Regents said she is just realizing the magnitude of her appointment. Alison Leland, an investment banker, lawyer and vice president of Shearson Lehman Hutton in Hous ton, was appointed to the Board Fri day by Gov. Ann Richards. Richards also appointed Mary Nan West of Batesville to the A&M Board of Regents and reappointed Royce E. Wisenbaker of Tyler to an other six-year term. Pending Texas Senate approval, the three regents will assume their posts Feb. 1. Their terms expire Feb. 1,1997. “Alison Leland and Mary Nan West will bring a fresh, new perspec tive to the Texgs A&M University System Board of Regents,” Richards said. “Royce E. Wisenbaker will help maintain the continuity on this very important Board of Regents. A There were numerous outstand ing applicants for the A&M Board, and mere were difficult choices that had to be made,” the governor said. “But I believe we have appointed three outstanding Texans.” The Associated Press reported former state Sen. Kent Caperton had been mentioned as a possible re gent. Leland, 32, graduated in 1980 from Spelman College in Atlanta and received her law degree from Georgetown University Law Center in 1985. She is a member of the Advisory Council International Affairs Center at Spelman College and the Texas Opera Theatre. Leland is an active Richards sup porter. Although Leland said she is inter ested in University finance matters and minority issues, she said she does not have a particular agenda. “The operations of any university of this size are so complex, I will probably be in a learning mode for a while,” Leland said. “Getting used to the role of a regent will be difficult enough without having an agenda in mind.” Leland’s husband, U.S. Rep. Mickey Leland, was killed in a plane crash in August 1989 while trying to deliver foot! and supplies to famine- stricken areas of Ethiopia. Leland replaces L. Lowry Mays of San Antonio. Mays was appointed to the Board six years ago by former Gov. Mark White and supported White in last year’s Democratic primary. West, a San Antonio native, grad uated from St. Mary’s Hall before at tending the University of Arizona and University of Colorado. When she was 18, West took over her grandfather’s 36,000-acre south Texas ranch, the Rafter S, near Ba tesville. She also owns 10,000 acres in Val Verde County. West also was the first woman to serve on the Texas Animal Health Commission and was named to the board of the San Antonio Zoo in 1977. She worked as a volunteer for the San Antonio Livestock Exposition, Inc., for 20 years before becoming the Chairman of the Board in 1985. West has served on the A&M Col lege of Agriculture and Life Sciences Development Council since 1985. She replaces John A. Mobley of Austin. Mobley, also a White appoin tee, supported the former governor in the Democratic primary. Wisenbaker, 73, has served on the Board of Regents for the past 12 years. He is president and owner of Wisenbaker Production Company in Tyler. He also is president and co owner of Southern Utilities Com pany. Wisenbaker earned his Bachelor of Science in Engineering from A&M in 1939 and also received a master’s from A&M in 1940. He has been a member of the State Board of Health. Wisenbaker, a Democrat, also supported Richards in the gover- See Regents/Page 10 Fraternity supports soldiers Mendenhall wins by passing out khaki armbands and Gold By JULIE HEDDERMAN Of The Battalion Staff A group of Texas A&M students is showing support for U.S. service personnel in Saudi Arabia in a new way — khaki-colored arm or wrist bands. Members of Sigma Nu fraternity will be handing out arm or wrist bands on campus and in class to any one who asks for one, says Jimmy Beard, a member of Sigma Nu. Beard and his roommate, Rob Thorpe, not a member of the frater nity, initiated the activity called Op eration Storm Home. Beard says Storm Home means, “Support To Our Returning Mili tary from Home.” Thorpe says they first thought of SOS — Support Our Soldiers — as a name for the activity. That slogan, however, seemed to imply a cry for help which he says was not the meaning intended. Beard says Operation Storm Home is not making any political statements by taking a stance for or against the war. He says he respects everyone’s point of view and would like this ac tion to be a unifying factor for both sides of the issue. “This is an opportunity to show we support the soldiers,” he says. “We want them to know that we want them to do their jobs and get home safely.” Thorpe says military personnel have said in interviews they are con cerned about support in the United States. However, Beard says he has no ticed that almost everyone, even those opposing the war, support the troops. He says by wearing the arm or wristbands, students publicly demonstrate support for U.S forces in the Persian Gulf. Although Operation Storm Home is not set up to be a support group, Beard says the group will be there for families of U.S. service people. Beard also says he organized this effort to try to avoid what happened after the Vietnam War. “This is our generation’s chance to take a stand,” he says. “We want them to be welcomed with open arms.” Thorpe says they chose desert khaki as the color for the bands as a positive reminder of Desert Storm. Thorpe says he would like the See Armbands/Page 10 Activities honor King Music, speeches and a video history are among the activities at Texas A&M today in honor of Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., the slain civil rights leader of the ’50s and ’60s. Though King was born Jan. 15, the nation celebrates his birth- Q Columnist considers King’s message/Page 2 □ Dallas parade honors Iwng/Page 3 day on the third Monday of Jan uary. To honor King's work in help ing to achieve equality in the United States, a celebration will begin at 3 p.m. in the Commons. T he birthday celebration will include a skit by C.P. Time Play ers, speeches by Dr. Norma Guerra of the University of Texas-San Antonio and the Rev. Delvin Atchison of the Progres sive Baptist Church, music by the Voices of Praise and closing re marks by Ron Sasse of A&M’s De partment of Student Affairs. A reception will follow the cele bration in Krueger Lounge. A video about King and his life will be shown at 9:30 and 11 a.m. today in 401 Rudder. The video, titled “In Remembrance of Mar tin,” features L’.S. Sen. Edward Kennedy, D-Mass., Bill Cosby and other important educators and leaders paying tribute to King. By ISSELLE MCALLISTER Of The Battal ion Staff After sur viving rigor ous interviews and dazzling the audience with a dra matic mono logue, a Texas A&M sopho more won the fourth annual Miss Black and Gold schol arship pageant Saturday night at Rudder Au ditorium. Dana Le- juan Menden hall, a chemi- c a 1 engineering major from Ir ving, had to think quickly during prelim inary selec tions as she was asked questions about current events and her values in spe cific situations. “I thought it was a very formal, prestigious and strict interviewing process,” she said. For the talent portion of the com petition, Mendenhall performed the inspirational monologue, “I’m De termined To Be Somebody Some day,” by William Herbert Brewster. The other 10 contestants sang, danced, played musical instruments and performed other dramatic pieces, she said. SONDRA ROBB I NS/The Battalion Dana Lejuan Mendenhall competed against 11 other contestants to win the crown Saturday. Ham Price, pageant director. “We don’t exploit them,” he said. “There is no swimsuit competition.” The contest is a learning experi ence for women, he said. “We’re not so much concerned with the winner,” Price said. “We are concerned with each contestant get ting something out of it. They all learn something.” The women were scored by five Mendenhall became interested in judges in the following four catego entering the Alpha Phi Alpha-spon sored pageant last year because she was impressed with the treatment and presentation of the contestants. “The purpose of the pageant is to find a woman to represent Alpha, a woman who embodies all the charac teristics of the fraternity,” said Wil- ries: introduction, talent, modeling and an evening gown portion. The women were asked questions during the evening gown session. “This is a scholarship pageant,” Mendenhall said. “Not once did they See Pageant/Page 10