Editorial
Bunn iMiiiiM..mi. . ...
Ill-defined strategy
means more lost lives
l.ast week's Iraqi missile attack on the USS Stark in the
Persian Gulf, which killed 37 crew members, highlights the
murky, ill-defined and often dangerous foreign policy objec
tives of the Reagan administration Shades of the 1982
Marine barracks bombing in Lebanon, which killed 241
soldiers, return with a haunting sense of deja vu Those
marines were the curators of the administration's poorly
focused "peacekeeping” mission — the Stark's crew fell
victim to similar myopic forethought.
Though the Navy has maintained a presence in the gulf
for the past four decades, the Iran-Iraq war provided an im
petus to increase U.S. forces in the area, l.ast year the war
spilled into the gulf when Iraq and Iran began preying on oil
tankers, and the administration responded by beefing up the
flotilla. At present, a total of seven IJ.S. warships, including
the disabled Stark, remain in the gulf on a three-pronged
mission that Secretary of Defense Casper Weinberger terms
as "showing the flag.” "projecting American power.” and
keeping international shipping lanes open.
While the first goal sounds innocuous enough, the latter
two entail a greater risk to American lives. Moreover, the ad
ministration has not defined what exactly "projecting
power” means or how it specifically intends to keep ship
ping lanes open.
If the United States insists on cruising the gulf, then a
clear definition of our role in the gulf is a must. Until the
missile attack on the Stark. U.S. warships in the area were
under orders to defend themselves only if there was
evidence of a "hostile threat.” Hut Iraqi and Iranian
warplanes routinely buzzed naval vessels, in fact flying
directly overhead. This practice blurred the meaning of
hostile threat to a point where the Stark was pitted in essen
tially a no-win situation. She had no air cover and. under the
rules of engagement, could not have her defenses on
automatic.
The gulf contingent now is operating on a "heightened
state of alert.” meaning our ships can now shoot at aircraft
venturing too dose to American ships. Couple this with the
imminent re-flagging of Kuwaiti oil tankers under the U.S.
banner, as well as provisions for their escort to and from the
gulf, and the chances of engaging Iranian and Iraqi fighters
increases.
Indeed, the chances of other attacks on a II.S. ships
seem likely considering Iran's vow to continue striking oil
tankers, be they American-registered or not. The Persian
Gulf clearly exists as a hostile environment, yet Keegan
recently stated, "1 don’t see the danger of a war |between the
United States and Iran).” Thus Reagan is sidestepping the
War Powers act. whereby Congress must l>e notified if
American servicemen are placed in hostile situations.
As a tangential aside, most of the crude oil flowing out
of the Persian Gulf makes its way to |apan and Europe — the
United States receives only a marginal percentage of
petroleum products from the Persian Gulf. Any action on
our part must be contingent on our allies' financial and. if
need In?, military support in the gulf.
Without congressional resolve and evocation of the War
Powers act. without air cover, without allied support and
without a clearly defined Persian Gulf strategy, the United
States continues to leave itself open for more attacks. And
with more attacks will come further loss of American lives.
4.*. / v
Letters
Recycle it
This letter is in response to
Meg Springer's article on ■'Gar
bage a Renewable Resource,”
(ODE, May 8) While the article
covered well the general theme
of recycling as a means to
reduce waste, it overlooked the
means of how and where to
recycle here in I.ane County.
For those who don't already
recycle, but would like to do so.
here are some leads:
BRING Rec ycling Depots
most accept newspapers, glass,
aluminum, tin cans, and card
board There are eight depots
located around Kugene and
outlying areas.
Dormitory residents can recy
cle at the BRING depot between
K. 15th and 17th avenues just
east of Agate Street. Recycling
depots am also located at the
Amazon ami Westmoreland stu
dent housing complexes.
For the location of the recycl
ing depot nearest you. call BR
ING and 74t»-:t02.1.
Curbside Pick-up — all
single-family home residents in
Kugene. whether they subscribe
to garbage collection service or
not, can have their reeydables
picked up by a collector that
services their area.
If you don't have collection
service, and would like to know
Oregon Daily
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Michelle Brence
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which collector services your
area, call l.ane County Waste
Management and (>87-4119.
Some collectors will also pick
up recydahles from apartment
buildings. Call the collector for
your building to set) if this ser
vice is offered.
If it is not, you can work with
your apartment manager to set
up a recycling station within
your building that could lx;
picked up by the collector.
Try recycling — the oppor
tunities are many and it's easier
than you think
Brian Koran
Graduate student
Urban and Regional Planning
Band together
I was very angry at seeing the
anti-labor, anti-worker letter by
Dan Goulet concerning the
Eugene teachers strike.
I doubt if Goulet works for a
living, but as someone who
does I sympathize with the
Eugene teachers who risked
their jobs to defend their union
and their living standards
against the vicious assault by
the 4-) administration.
Ever since Reagan busted the
PATCO union in 1981 it has
been all-out war upon organiz
ed labor and the working people
of this country.
Millions of workers have been
laid off and millions more have
had wage cuts shoved down
their throats by the bosses and
their buddies in Washington.
During the teachers strike we
witnessed the brutality unleash
ed upon working people by the
guardians of the rich, the
police. Goulet condemns the
strikers for their "violence" but
unfortunately the strikers were
far too gentle.
Hack in the ‘30s when the
unions were built and my
grandfather went on strike, if
you crossed a picket line you
took your life into your hands.
That’s how the unions were
made powerful in this country,
that's how wurking people got
what is rightfully theirs, and
that’s what it is going to take to
beat back the anti-labor assault
of the present government.
The teachers strike was a
small but important victory. It’s
time that the working people of
this country got off of their
knees and fought back!
Strikes need community sup
port and if working people band
together they can be won.
(ilenn Sacks
(oumalist
Behind
Although I find Collin and
Caitlin to be outspoken. I must
take exception to their most re
cent letter (OI)K, May 28).
Two reasons incline me to en
courage Carolyn Lamberson in
the study of politics: one, the
narrowness of her present cir
cumstances; the other, the great
use of politics to mankind and
society, and in every employ
ment of life.
1 cannot but recommend her
wise resolution to withdraw so
early from other unprofitable
and severe studies, and betake
herself to that, which, if she has
good luck, will advance her for
tune, and make her an ornament
to her friends and country.
It is with wits as with razors,
which are never so apt to cut
those they are employed on. as
when they have lost their edge.
For even sounds inarticulate,
she observed, produce forcible
effects.
Consider the meaning of this:
A person can blow his nose so
powerfully, as to pierce the
hearts of his audience, who are
disposed to receive the remains
of his brain with the same
reverence.
For as she stated, it is of no
importance through what vehi
cle it is conveyed.
I will not exploit tor political
puposes Carolyn's youth and
inexperience. She is far too
astute to be thought a fool than
to speak, and remove all doubt.
I am nut implying she is an
ass. simply behind everything.
Charley Carter
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