Tuesday, June 13,2® smor ; cntic Academy Awards, andhelol' idlessly for directors to film lassachusetts. A signed pho': f DeNiro hangs in Cellucd’sc- ce — a gift from the actor lusin, a Massachusettsresider On Monday's appearanceir Boston's WB in the Morning ost Stephanie Leydon asks ellucci briefly about a teadic ■tirement bill he vetoed on St'- ay — then moved quickly in!; lore pressing business. How about that new GMr lovie? th the screen labeling R? ernor Paul Cellucd, Movie G: ellucci pronounced it"agcw ler movie." ;day. June 13,2000 Page 5 THE BATTALION If you want peace, must you prepare for war? IS. should use diplomacy, but be ready ir worst-case scenario with missiles ralization Service on a ffe| , first served basis, le to the need for high-! he first weekend in June, President Clinton and Russ- President Vladimir in met to discuss po- tial changes to the 2 Anti-Ballistic Missile aty. The conference tered around Gin 's possible buildup of the United States' tional Missile Defense (NMD) system. With Russian and international relations ree to six years. the line, many believe that a buildup of though these visas do help Ik jsiles should not occur. These arguments ?m school districts in Ameii;4 t nnst missile buildup include the belief that ring, there are flaws in the pliy "global community" will be threatened though visas are used as a life the idea that negotiations should be used , attaining them is difficult Head of force. Yet all of these reasons fail to IB visas are allocated by Mmter a serious reason for adding to the d States Immigration ar:|nited States'missile supply: While other ntries increase their security with nuclear siles, the United States is the only nation rried about how its buildup will appear to ers, the computer indust jthers. It is preposterous that the United 'ed 52.5 percent of visas tlltltes is putting faith and trust into countries leaving preschool, kindeftt do not return that trust and instead wor- n, elementary, middle or SK||their own domestic missile defense, ry teachers with fewer than 1|:|Many critics argue that the United States nt of the visas, accordingtobHl jeopardize its relations with other nations n American-Statesman. ay building even a limited NMD. According hool districts are relativi :othe New York Times, there is fear such an and lack the legal knowledfMassment will be interpreted as a threat and id for them to secure the vise begin a Cold War-type arms race among the time the school distrircountries including China, India and Pak- i hiring, the majority'o( fc|tan. While this possibility is alarming, it are gone. They suffer becatshould not deter the United States from pro- vait for visas starts in Octob tecting its citizens. Currently, the United he school year is from Aus. States has no agreement with those three na- jy. This awkward timing left tions to stop augmenting NMD systems. d1 districts with fewer rf U phis means while the United States does fied teachers. not build up its NMD because of the fear of ongress has also put a damp riskirrg internatiqnal relations, these/other re success of recruiting foreipiations will still do so Without that fear, lers. In 1998, they passed a la None of those countries have come forward iring districts to contribute$3|iplomatically to confer with the U.S. gov- teacher to a fund that traiOTment about their NMD systems, yet the rican workers. This $500feefeP'ted States seems compelled to do just d a level of difficulty to smallwt with other nations. The Chinese already ol districts that are finandalwe a small arsenal of nuclear weapons, iped. pd there is nothing stopping their govern- ecognizing this hindraiwipt from adding to it. dcultural Professionals, f Others hold to the belief that in a "global d-wide recruitment agenijf nmi -inity,'' there should not be a need for an h markets Filipino teachers,kFonse in the NMD system. These critics say e finding teachers easier this is an era of negotiations and diplo- p er j n f ac ^ freg Hey, not of weapons and violence. Yet the 1 u 1 ticu 1 tu ral Professionals ofel pective teachers a package del '6,000 per teacher, and thisscj is free to the school pective teachers pay track record for using diplo macy instead of war the past decade alone has been unimpressive. From Desert Storm to the recent Kosovo peace-keeping missions, the U.S. and other nations have found that negotia tions do not always work. Missiles should not be the United States' first line of de fense, but they should be there for a worst-case scenario. Leaving its citizens unprotected from rogue nations would be a worse crime then being prepared for the unlikely. While it is admirable that the United States is trying to keep international rela tions open, this diplomacy should not get in the way of protecting the country. The Unit ed States should save its diplomatic per suasiveness for explaining to these na tions that it is in the United States' best interests to build a limited NMD system. With Russia's some 3,000 missiles on hair-trigger alert, a system where there are fewer steps in launching a missile, and other nations augmenting their missile supplies, the United States should not shy away from building a passive defense system, many of the missiles the United States already has are be coming obsolete, and the need to build ones with newer technology will arise. While critics whine and complain about how a limited NMD will still threaten other countries, the U.S. government needs to real ize that missiles should be available in case negotiations with those countries break down. At the risk of upsetting China, Russia and others, the U.S. government needs to re alize its job and protect its citizens. In the long run, while foreign govern ments change hands and shift ideals, the United States and its citizens will be protect ed no matter what happens. To be prepared for the worst- case scenario is better then trying to stop an incoming missile with negotiations. Sufficient protection offered by current treaties, lack of international threats Brieanne Porter is a sophomore chemical engineering major. TAMARA CUELLAR/The Battalion T he defense plan for the United States has always been a great debate within Amer ican politics. Recently, President Clinton and Russian President Vladimir Putin dis- cussed the U.S. and Russian defense pl ans - Clinton and ijF Putin talked about D the 1972 Anti-Ballistic Missile treaty (ABM), an agreement between the United States and Russia limit ing short-range missiles, and the Strategic Arms Reduction Treaty (START III) program, which seeks to reduce U.S. and Russian arsenals. Besides ABM and START III, Putin and Clinton talked about the hair- trigger response item, which will take U.S. and Russian nu clear weapons off the imme diate-release alert. During the meeting, Clinton also empha sized to Putin that he wants to build up U.S. missile supplies, break ing the original ABM treaty. Clinton is mistak en; there is absolutely no need for the United States to in crease missile supplies. There is no country that poses a threat to the United States. Re cently, China, Pakistan and India have in creased defensive missile supplies, but this will have no effect on the United States as it has a much more advanced defense system than those countries. During the meeting/Clinton said, "Unless Russia agrees to let the U.S. build a limited missile defense against terrorist attack, then America will with draw from the ABM treaty." However, America already has more nuclear warheads and by far more missiles than any other country. There is simply no need for America to spend any more money on weapons. Clinton contradicted himself during the meeting with Putin when he said, "America at taches great importance on enhancing the via bility of a treaty." Clinton is the one who wants America to break the ABM and START III agreements with Russia if it does not agree with the increase of American missiles. If America decides to build up its missiles and break the ABM treaty with Russia, then there will be no limits to the num ber of missiles Russia will be able to accumu late. The ABM keeps the Russian defense sys tem in check. Although Clinton is in favor of an augmen tation of American missiles, he gives no reason for one. He said, "As we enter this new millen nium, we should commit ourselves anew to achieving a world free of nuclear weapons." While the hair-trigger alert agreement will do that very thing, Clinton urges that America should build up its missiles even though he said "The United States remains committed to a weapon-free goal." If Clinton decides to break the ABM treaty, not only will he create a tense weapon environ ment between Russia and the United States but the breakup of the agreement would create in security for the American people because Rus sia would have no limitations as to the number of missiles it could produce. The ABM and START III agreements are excellent treaties that offer security to Americans. Very few consider the effect an American missile buildup will have on other countries. The increase of American missiles may cause other countries to build up their own arms. They may see America as a threat to their own security and could possibly act upon this threat. The American public should not stand for Clinton's ideal American defense plan. If Clinton feels a need for America to break its ABM agreement with Russia, then he needs to consider the effects of this decision, such as the creation of a bad relationship between the United States and Russia. America has no need for a buildup of mis siles. The increase of missiles would establish an insecure relationship with Russia, and many other countries could feel threatened. The augmentation of U.S. missiles could be a major error in governmental judgment. Sunnye Owens is a junior journalism major. overnment stock scandal calls for F. Lee Bailey’s disbarment 2-minute video introdudi A dmitit — iselves to the districts for L \ celebrity •ict administrators to vie»t jLcriminal ign transcripts are evaluatsefense attorneys skills tests are administer® to be slime, re the teachers, get to Americ'the case of F. he $500 fee and the cut-off Bailey, this applications have continued®irstereotype e a decline in the numberoh-comes a fitting teachers regardless of Famous for defending the likes rts made by MulticulwfO.j. Simpson, Patty Hearst and the essionals. ibn Strangler, Bailey has been in Maublic spotlight for decades. Al- he classes seem easier be0#8 h hated by many for defending of them cover less mate^Hges of society, Bailey is a are also taking a lighter b 3Werful and res P ected defense attor- vith less hours, you are able^ Wi * a sim P le act of S reed ' how mtrate more on ^ Bailey has managed to destroy iciano said. Campus is a!T red ofcredibi,it y he ever had ' laid back. It is not as chaoW At a disci P lina ry hearin S two £ „ , „ pks ago, attorneys representing the g your fall classes. ■, , , r , , ,, , „ , >onda Bar argued that Bailey should dy Brown, a sophomore agff ° J business major, said sheist ummer school to get ahead. feel that there is no sen% ■ .. . . . . ing time it s better Jocker, Knight stories ,i if i am not going jghtfully covered by SI on taking summer school 1 ’ w ^ ner, too," Brown said. lose his license to practice law because he stole millions of dollars in stock from the federal government. To make matters worse, Bailey has been accused of ly ing about it un der oath. Which would a rea sonable person believe — the word of a morally ques tionable de fense lawyer or that of the fed eral govern ment? It does not take Judge Judy to figure out that, in all likelihood, Bailey is throwing up garbage for defense. This mess is yet another example Bailey's alleged actions give the public more reason to resent those in the legal profession, and the sooner he is disbarred, the better. of how some lawyers go overboard in milking the cash cow. Obviously, Bai ley's alleged actions give the public more reason to resent those in the le gal profession, and the sooner he is dis barred, the better. At issue are 602,000 shares of Biochem Pharma, Inc., a Canadian pharmaceutical firm. Originally owned by narcotics kingpin Claude Duboc, the shares had to be given up when he was con victed on federal drug charges in 1994. In exchange for a plea bargain arranged by Bailey, Duboc agreed to give up over $100 million in securities, real estate and other assets amassed through illegal drug trafficking. Two weeks before Duboc was set to plead guilty, however, he mysteri ously transferred the stock over to Bailey. Under the terms of the plea bargain, the federal government claimed that the "stock and any pro ceeds derived therefrom were the property of the United States." Bai ley's only role was to manage and prepare the property for turnover to the government — a role that Bailey supposedly understood. Federal prosecutor David McGee confirmed Bailey was aware of the federal gov ernment's intentions before Duboc's guilty plea was set to take place. Obviously, Bailey's version of the story was completely different. He claimed the $6 million value of the stock as reimbursement for represent ing Duboc. He further attested that he was unaware of the government's initial court order that froze all of Duboc's assets. When questioned about it under oath in 1996, Bailey claimed the federal government had approved his activities. Agreeing with the prosecution. Federal District Judge Maurice Paul threatened to place Bailey in con tempt of court unless he turned over the stock and its proceeds immediate ly. The stock's worth had skyrocketed to a staggering $24 million in the span of two years — quadruple the initial amount. Bailey did not comply with the judge's mandate and was subsequently put in jail for 43 days. Federal prosecutors finally agreed to Bailey's release after drawing up a loophole-proof repayment contract. Under the contract, Bailey will give the government $700,000 within a year and gradually turn over all significant income until the balance was paid off. "Frankly, we do not trust Mr. Bai ley," Assistant U.S. Attorney David McGee told Judge Paul. "It has re quired us to construct a financial noose through which we think he could not slip." It is a no-brainer — Bailey pocket ed drug money meant for the govern ment and lied about it to save him self. Ultimately, he turned his back on the virtues he swore to uphold when he became a lawyer. In any other pro fession, despicable actions along these lines would warrant serious ac tion. Accordingly, disbarment is a jus tifiable action. David Lee is a senior economics and journalism major. •ponse to Mark Passwaters’June 12 column. what we're saying 1 ce# ,n his ran1; ’ Passwaters insists that ,ort [the resolution! and tf p ' )rt , s fans d0 " ot read 31 for °P'"'°ns. . f , „ niy for scores and pictures. 1 have to ques- 1 ol u liU ' on that belief because I have always found ichard Carlson, profes^ J 0 pj n j 0ns expressed in SI to be much ogy, said that the i ! ‘ tore interesting. Passwaters then ex- ite is "trying to cast the recessed that the John Rocker and Bobby so it shows all sides of tonight issues are unimportant and old. Knight is one of the most well known col- 1 a mock vote to show f^ e basketball coaches, and has long a . i.doen known as a madman on and off the ,te support for the resol , 1, N() one wgs surprised t0 hear the ac . enators voted in favor 1 jg^tions that Knight choked a player. lution, and five voted ^laliy people thought Indiana would finally resolution. Mail Call fire him after years of childish outbursts. When the university let him off with a small suspension people became out raged. The Sports Illustrated cover "Indiana caves, Bob Knight stays” simply expresses the disbelief that many people feel. Rocker used his celebrity status to speak out about many touchy subjects, which is wrong to do, on or off the record. Rocker’s reception at ballparks across the nation had been reasonable and he was very lucky to still have a job. However, when Rocker went off on the reporter who wrote the original article it showed that he has not learned his lesson, keep his mouth shut. Both men are sports figures and their actions are definitely within Sports lllustrat- ed’s scope. SI will continue to cover the soap opera that Knight and Rocker produce with their words and measures. I suggest if Passwaters is tired of hearing about these two topics he should either quit writing about them or stop reading any news source such as SI or even Time. John Purcell Class of ’00 The Battalion encourages letters to the editor. Letters must be 300 words or less and include the author’s name, class and phone number. The opinion editor reserves the right to edit letters for length, style, and accuracy. Letters may be submitted in per son at 014 Reed McDonald with a valid student ID. Letters may also be mailed to: The Battalion - Mail Call 013 Reed McDonald Texas A&M University College Station, TX 77843-1111 Campus Mail: 1111 Fax: (409) 845-2647 E-mail: battletters@hotmail.com