EDITORIAL Cutback brings hope, 5 but not too much It was a typical President Bush announcement: pre spccch speculation, a national television audience, a presentation delivered in a way that suggests drum beats and fanfare. This time. Bush announced a plan for "major” cut backs in the United States nuclear arsenal. For those accustomed to the creeping lethargy of arms control ne gotiations, it is a daring plan. But now that the Oval Of fice is empty and the teleprompters have been turned off, it's time to take stock and assess what benefits Bush’s plan will actually bring. It calls for elimination of all short-range nuclear weapons, be they ground or submarine launched: tak ing the U S. strategic bombers off alert and warehous ing their weapons: killing the plan to put the MX mis sile on railroad cars; and withdrawing the ballistic mis siles scheduled for destruction by START off alert stat us. It is the biggest reduction in nuclear weapons ever proposed by an American president. The plan has the capability of being the symbolic first step toward real peace between the superpowers. But the cuts Rush proposed are not as sweeping as he would have the American public believe The Asso ciated Press reports that fewer than 3,000 nuclear weapons — out of the total U S. arsenal of about 22.000 — are affected, and two-thirds of those were already slated for removal because of obsolescence. Any change in the U.S.—Soviet nuclear policy, however minute, is welcome. The nature of arms con trol necessitates slow movement, as mutual distrust precludes slash-it-all affairs. So Bush, admittedly with pressure from Congress and foreign allies, did do some thing right. Removal of short-range nukes from Europe hits al ready begun, and Bush took it one step further by pro posing elimination of all tactical nuclear weapons from the European theater. These weapons were designed to deter the Soviets from attacking Western Europe — something that is now almost inconceivable. So battle field nukes in Europe have become an unnecessary, costly program. Final analysis: a money-saving move, nothing more. Same thing with taking the doomed missiles and bombers off alert. It makes no sense to keep missiles slated for destruction on alert, and satellites and other early-warning systems eliminate the need for rapid re sponse strategic bombers. The weapons still remain, just the cost of keeping them on alert is gone. The rail-based MX missile system was killed by the Senate on Thursday. Rather than push for an unloved pet project, Bush scrapped it. cloaking it in the excite ment of the moment. Analysis: politically motivated. The “bold and exciting” plan dissolves into a sym bolic gesture, trimming the unnecessary fat off the nu clear arsenal while keeping the most destructive weap ons systems. The most telling of Bush's statements was where he forestalled attempts to take money from defense budget cuts and plug it into domestic programs. The proposal. Bush said, might actually cost taxpayers money, though he didn’t elaborate. "The peace divi dend I stark is not measured in dollars, but in greater security," Bush said. It's nice to know that some things remain the same. Even in the face of historic change, Bush continues to ignore the domestic issues while casting himself in the role of World Peacemaker. While Bush’s proposal sig nals a possible, significant change in the nuclear arms race, it's time he started looking inward to America's own problems of poverty, national debt, trade imbal ance and crime. C’mon George, close the curtain on the world stage and start making "bold and exciting" statements about America. TWERE'S A10 COM MONI5T UNDER yooft B&D. NOJ TURN OUT THE UOUT! J+J ■ +%* 'J*. Ofi# l J * wtf But Tvi gottim us£Dro. "1 figured everyone, includ ing George (Wojcik) would real ize that this guy would be n very strong vocal proponent of the whole agenda, gay rights in cluded, seeing that he's the as sistant director of Affirmative action at the U of O. I bis is a dark day indeed, because they have scored a major victory. "It's going to take more In volvement than singing against the 'spirits of darkness' if Chris tians urn going to claim or maintain Springfield as their own town. "STINK STINK, I'm really angry!" Our story begins with two men who view themselves us being beacons of light in a world of darkness. You see, by virtue of their religious beliefs, Kulf and Larry have boon ele vated to u morally superior po sition than the rest of us lowly sinners. Half and Larry's superb ority allows thorn to judge oth ers. Thoroforo they know that homosexuals should not he protected by law — as the rest of us are — from discrimination by employers, landlords etc. They also must know some thing 1 don’t about the Univer sity because they seem to be lieve that people who work here are intrinsically evil. Enter Bruce Berg. Bruce Berg — Aug. 7 "Based on the guys answer to religious tolerance, I thought he would bo u decent candidate (sicouro), but it wasn’t until Half brought up his occupation at the U of o, (for the final 2) what a devastation he might have on the HRC. "We're all too used to being entertained and not and not bn ing part of what it means to be a light in the world. "... so the war continues.” Seed is planted The plan begins to germi nate in the mind of Walters. Knlf Wallers — Aug. 8. ”1 would like to propose a rudical idea, but one which 1 think is legally OK. What if when it comes time to ratify our selections for the HRC we decide not to vote for Sinocor. When the vote is taken, we vote no. Then when the shock has dissipated, 1 make the motion to nominate Melody Kelsay We take another vote, and with George's changed vote we ap Turn to E-MAIL. Page 4 7 iT TuPMS Oi)T TML PtASOJ w£ W£AE Al ro Cftoss IRAQI 7T}f^HtS SO £ASILV ■ ■ PLO\ l> U/AS TWAT WE SirAPLV PLOWED SANiO INTO THEJA gtAJViNJG TME iftAQt SocD/EQS ALIVE. i THE RATO VALE IS BEING PftoV/DfD SV THE WQiTfQs OF 'SETTER Df AD THAN RED" Stttkn. pLour Birrs* M7* Jk\ 4'ntnomTt