iPiPMPPMPPRIUWIilWI.WIjii Br"*‘w -w^ Monday, June 7,2004 The Battalion •■(imp OPINION: Disastrous undertaking? Page 5 oil lamp. Reagan’s death brings tributes from world rs oncer mas, a trongi By Jeff Wilson THE ASSOCIATED PRESS SANTA MONICA, Calif. — Ronald Reagan was remembered with jelly beans, flowers and American flags on Sunday at memorials in his hometown and outside the mortuary where the former president’s body lay. “Thank you for changing the world,†said a handwritten note among the tokens of remem brance left in Santa Monica for the nation’s 40th president, who was 93 when he died Saturday of pneumonia, as a complication of Alzheimer’s. The family’s spokeswoman said Nancy Reagan was thankful for thousands of expres sions of sympathy over the death of her husband. and despite her sadness was relieved he was no longer suffering. “I can tell you most certainly that while it is an extremely sad time for Mrs. Reagan, there is definitely a sense of relief that he is no longer suffering, and that he has gone to a better place,†Joanne Drake told a press conference outside the mortuary where Reagan’s body lay. “It’s been a really hard 10 years for her,†Drake said of Nancy Reagan, as nearly a week of tribute to the former president was detailed. In a piece written for Time magazine before Reagan’s death, Nancy Reagan remembered her husband as “a man of strong principles and integrity†who felt his greatest accomplishment was finding a safe end to the Cold War. ‘T think they broke the mold when they made Ronnie,†she wrote in the article appear ing Monday. “He had absolutely no ego, and he was very comfortable in his own skin; there fore, he didn’t feel he ever had to prove any thing to anyone.†Former President Jimmy Carter said Sunday that the death of Reagan, who defeated him in the 1980 presidential election, was “a sad day for our country.†“I probably know as well as anybody what a for midable communicator and campaigner that President Reagan was. It was because of him that I was retired from my last job,†Carter said before teaching Sunday school in his hometown. Plains, Ga. Carter added: “He presented some very con cise, very clear messages that appealed to the American people. I think throughout his term in office he was very worthy of the moniker that was put on him as the ’Great Communicator.’†On Monday, the Reagan family was to travel in a motorcade with the body to the presidential library in Simi Valley, northwest of Los Angeles. After a private ceremony, the body was to lie in repose for public visitation through Tuesday. On Wednesday, the body will “be flown to Washington, D.C. The family accepted an offer from President Bush to use one of his jets, nor mally used as Air Force One, for the trip. The body will then be driven to the U.S. Capitol for a state funeral. Reagan’s body will then lie in state in the Capitol Rotunda through Thursday. See Reagan on page 2 inthsai - Jates discusses shortcomings in U.S. intelligence linassi okoui. (end Ik ce the By Erin Price THE BATTALION Texas A&M President Robert M. Gates said I iinerican intelligence agencies failed to predict the Sept. 11 attacks even after receiving numer ous warnings and attacks from terrorists. Gates, former director of the CIA, said it |iok the United States too long to realize that was at war. Gates spoke at the Bush Museum Issues Forum hosted by The Bush Museum on hursday at the Annenberg Presidential lonference Center. Time and again, the government was warned that a catastrophic attack was planned,†Gates said. “Nothing was done to prepare (for it).†Gates said the war on terrorism will continue into the distant future because of people like Osama Bin Laden who hate the United States with such passion. “Terror has always been the primary weapon for the weak against the strong,†Gates said. “America will continue to be a target.†Gates said the recent photos of Iraqi pris oners being abused by American soldiers will be used as a recruitment tool for the terrorist groups and will result in more Americans being killed. “United States intelligence agencies have always been good at detecting the technologi cal advancements of threatening nations,†Gates said. Gates said that over the past decade there has been a serious lack of resources for the CIA, and that he saw many presidents and members of Congress distort, exaggerate and ignore facts given to them (by the CIA) to match their political agendas. Gates said a huge change during this time of war would be very dangerous and that cre ating the Department of Homeland Security was a mistake because of a lack of a common computer system between the agencies involved. See Gates on page 2 SHARON AESCHBACH • THE BATTALION University President Robert M. Gates spoke at the George Bush Presidential Library Thursday. Miracle on Rice Kyle Nicholson, a freshman right-handed pitcher, cele brates the No. 14 Aggie baseball team's 7-5 victory per defending national champion Rice University BRIAN WILLS • THE BATTALION Sunday evening. A&M came from behind in the eighth inning to score four runs off a grand slam. See story on page 3. Wiatt given heartfelt sendoff By Michael Player THE BATTALION A standing-room-only crowd was in atten dance at the retirement ceremony for University Police Chief Bob Wiatt at the Annenberg Presidential Conference Center on Friday. University administrators, state legislators and local law enforcement officials were on hand to share stories about Wiatt and to wish him well in his retirement. Wiatt, 77, served 53 years in law enforcement. Twenty-one of those were at A&M. “Over the past half-cen tury, Bob has been shot, stabbed, held hostage and been over campus park ing,†said Texas A&M President Robert M. Gates. “No wonder (he’s retir- ing). “Enough is enough.†Chuck Sippial, A&M’s vice president for administration, said Wiatt threatened retaliation if the University were to force him to retire, and that would include suing for age discrimination. “Wiatt had been heard to say that the only way he would ever leave would be in a box,†Sippial said. Wiatt had been heard to say that the only way he would ever leave would be in a box. — Chuck Sippial A&M vice president for administration Wiatt was seated in the front while the pro cession of speakers and well-wishers continued to address the group, bringing laughter and tears. College Station Police Chief Ed Feldman spoke of how Wiatt helped him with his career in law enforcement and how Wiatt represented the mold for area law enforcement officers. Feldman ended his address with a quote from the ‘Lonesome Dove’ movie. “Just like Augustus McRae said to Woodrow Call,†Feldman said, “It’s been a hell of a party, ain’t it.†Wiatt has been involved in some high profile cases throughout his career. Wiatt once traded himself for hostages at a prison riot in Huntsville and was shot twice during the incident. Wiatt’s life was even chron icled in Steven Spielberg’s “Sugarland Express.†Sen. Steve Ogden was on hand to present a letter of appreciation from the Texas Senate which described Wiatt as a “most distinguished Texan and American.†A tearful and thankful Wiatt then addressed the crowd and gave special thanks to his wife Ann and his son and his family, who were also in attendance.