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About Oregon daily emerald. (Eugene, Or.) 1920-2012 | View Entire Issue (Oct. 10, 1994)
EDITORIAL Clinton weakness on Iraq will imperil peace Facing poverty, crime and a restive army at home. Saddam Hussein is again amassing a substantial troop presence near the Iraqi border with Kuwait. With most of his elite Republican Guard left intact after the Gulf War, the buildup presonts a threat not only to Kuwait, but to the stability of the Middle East peace process. The domestic strife permeating every aspect of Iraqi society after four years of sanctions imposed by the United Nations has loosened Hussein’s once tenacious grip on power. A recent coup attempt and large-scale daily desertions from the Iraqi armed forces add to Hus sein’s already mounting problems, fust as in 1990, Hus sein may again take on the world to improve a fractured domestic image and consolidate his fragile power base. President Clinton warned Hussein of America's resolve to protect Kuwait, But Hussein may be counting on Clinton's inability to successfully field recent inter national curve balls — Bosnia and Haiti in particular. Clinton's alienation of Western leaders over the quag mire in Bosnia suggests coalition building like that accomplished by the Bush Administration in 1990 will be much more difficult in the event of another Iraqi invasion Clinton’s waffling policy on Haiti sends a clear message to Hussein that the current U.S president is uncomfortable playing on the world stage. Maybe Hussein is expei ling Jimmy Carter to show up in Basra ami remake him in tin* image of Kamil Ccdras a man who went from criminal thug to honorable humanitarian In the spar e of 24 hours. Some may blame Hush for not destroying the Iraqi army four years ago. thus allowing Hussein an to oppor* tunity to repeat his ill-conceived colonial designs. Hut that was never the intention of Operation Desert Storm. Such an action would have left a power vacuum in the Middle bast, an invitation for Iran or Syria to become the biggest bullies on the block. The I f.S. is in an increasingly precocious position this time around. Moving additional military assets to the Persian Culf to strengthen existing forces is a prudent precaution. Clinton should stand ready to decimate Hussein's forces should they step foot inside Kuwait. But another Culf War at this point in time could derail the negotiations between Israel and its restless neighbors in Jordan and Syria. If the U.S. were to become embroiled in a battle with Iraq, its role as principal mediator would be placed in Jeopardy. Hussein is hoping veiled threats and troop shuffling will pressure the U.N, to lift the constricting sanctions now strangling Iraq. Any weakness on Clinton's part will only act as the provocation Hussein needs to launch an attack The best solution in light of Iraq’s recent actions is to maintain a highly visible military presence in the area and for Clinton to show stronger resolve than in the Haiti and Bosnia situations. Hussein is depending on a lackluster and Ill-defined policy concerning Iraq. This may very well be the case, considering Clinton's track record. Oregon Doily Emerald PO 001 fUGCNC 0W*G0W1?4C) The Oepcw) Party f^maid »• pubfcshed dae*y Mlxku»> ttv<K,gh f rosy cKx»ng the *choc* voilf and Tuesday and Thursday during the summer by the Oregon Da<>y fm»ra d Put)»i%h.'ig Co . toe. at the Urwersrty of Oregon. Eugene. Oregon The B^arati operate* independently oi the tMrver**y «rm o#hcen at Suae 300 (A the frb Memorial Uruon arvj >t a mamba* ot the Attocwtad Press The ( meraid private property The untaw+ui removal or use o* papers is prosecutable by Ue* EdttoMn-Chtef: Kafy Solo Managing Editor Editor Lai Editor QrapMcs Editor Fraaianca Editor tn-Oa-jrth Editor D«vtd Thorn Jew Harwood J«« PftSitty Baum E d tOoptoftStom News Editor Sports Editor Photo Editor Supplements Editor Night Editor Refract a Morn!! Qvtt Mrt/ Tft»U *4o«* An>y Colombo Aoaoclat* Editor*: * fch v©n Carp. Sfudanf Govommont AclMtaff. Marcotana Edwards Ccvnmu^fy. t'Kimy Smith Htjfrw E&jCSt>on AiJm.n'»tTattOn Now* Staff: lot' Bettmnak, Wilton Chan, Amy Cotumpo. Tatha f. chon*ohoi Abo ( armada. P'*no Fontana. G»y*o Forman, Ghrtstophar Few Man Gorton. Gary Grata. Sarah iiooderton. Kn» Horvy. Trevor Kaornoy. Adam Kmcfyv Marti Mr Tyre* Ban Mootwuv A/\ne KomioicJ SN*ry Ranoy. Rottwj Hpbvm, lo Sakxrw Paul Van Scfcw. K*m A«m Oa'ixn West Bnan Womack Gonarai Marvaoar Judy Rwdl AcJv#ftl*irvg Director Production Mantptr Mk Aon Advertising Md'CO 0»<ng. Tony To* t on Me#*h#*. N<oi« Mec*ma*li Je'twry Mason M*. M <**«. Saren MdctteM. Tom MrRettUMRf. K«*»ey Wok*." Classified: Becky Merchant Manager S*m Tj« Tet.k Distribution: John Long. ♦ «r*r»c RafeOOn, Regina /supruk Business fcafby Carbone. Supervisor Jody ConnoAy Production Deb^a McCobb. Product-on Coontn&of Stawna Abeto. (if eg Desmond. T*a Geuftney. Bred Joss. Jenrvier Roland. f4afl Thangvtpt. Dayton Yeci Bu Offlc# ... *46-55t1 J4+4S12 DUpJay Atfvwliaing CiMsJtlad AtJv*rtl»)«g 346-3711 346-4343 SAaAAV* ■cvfl tNttS OUt&L, V The. new GOP think tank am fM,( ■» Cm» rm A,rv* fQ0*\0*£ tWTY v. TXu*iK TD WOTHf# LETTERS No on 15 Him* vuu seen the commer cial on television supporting Measure 15' It status that Mea sure lri vs 111 i.ontiinit! full fund ing of current service* for K-12 and community colleges, with out any tax increase Do you know what is missing? Higher education The state budget for higher education will he cut 25 (win on! if Measure 15 passes' To compensate for this loss of fund ing, tiie University will he fort ed to consider raising tuition as much as .1(1 pen out per year for tiie next two years This would shut tiie door on people who cannot afford to pay the outrageous tuition, even though they may be qualified to attend the University What should we do about people who will be priced or shut out by this so called kids first measure? I agree steps need to he taken to fund education in Oregon However, the steps we take must fie fair and focused on long term solu tions Vote no on Measure 15. Edu cation cannot stop when matur ing minds are just beginning to open. Steve Thoennes Psychology Remain vigilant Two October's ago, I wouldn't have believed it of someone had asked me to explain the mean ing of Ballot Measure 9 During that campaign, propaganda tar geting gays and lesbians was everywhere, thanks in part to fundamentalist Christian Pat Robertson's heavy donations to the Oregon Citizens Alliance. The grassroots campaign to oppose the OCA was over whelming and the anti-gay mea sure was soundlv defeated Last week, during the Street Fair*, when a hip-looking stu dent asked me what my button said. 1 masked my surprise and explained that Measure 19 was the "Son of 9." that is. it was the (X’.A's latest attempt to legalize discrimination against people due to their sexual orientation. She said she know all about it and opposed the (X'.A. but won dered why she. a native-born Oregonian, hadn't heard about the measure. We speculated that the 1H measures on the ballot diluted the impact of our visibility, or that the media had lost interest once the novelty diminished But for whatever reason, it is a serious mistake to underesti mate the OCA Although the OCA is dangerous zealots, it is also well-funded, technological l\ on-line and for the time being, politically potent. It is a political truism that increased repression creates either a more determined response or capitulation. My appeal to the University com munity is this: don't lapse into complacency. The voter regis tration deadline is two weeks away. Tuesday, Oc1. 1H Register and vote no on measure 13. Guy Burton Psychology Injustice The irony and injustice of tint Amazon housing replacement decision has been graphii ally illustrated in the Sept. 2H issue of The Eugene Weekly by juxta posing pictures of a University freshman and some of the Amo zon units scheduled for demoli tion. The entering freshman is currently living in a motel room where he has been placed by the University housing office until other space is found for him. Where will Amazon tenants live w hen their housing is gone? Amazon provides low-cost family housing for a compara tively small number of students, all of whom qualify for public assistance. Those who cannot gut into the limited family hous ing are given little help by the University, and t ertainlv no lodging in motels. If the planned demolition of the 244 Amazon units proceeds, the current resi dents will he evicted According to Mike Eyster, housing office spokesman, it is “expected” that these students and their families will be accommodated at the other University low-cost facili ty. Westmoreland. The waiting list there is always long, so Kyster's solution for Amazon residents to be housed there "by attrition" offers scant hope and no assurance There is bitter irony in the fai t that University President Dave Frohnmayer, who often seemed compassionate, has apparently made his decision on the fate of Amazon without consideration of the practical and sound pro posal made by the Amazon Board. Frohnmayer visited the site and examined many of the units that have been left vacant over the past year. But he did not speak to any of the current residents nor did he inspet t their units where maintenance has been done. A-. a concerned alumna who was among those who had no housing problem years ago, 1 urge President Frohnmayer to fulfill his obligation to those stu dents for whom the demolition of Amazon will jeopardize their college work or end it complete ly. We must ask whether Frohn mayer ami the Oregon State Sys tem of Higher Education are concerned only with the more fortunate students or whether they truly care for those less advantaged students whose housing problems endanger their opportunity to complete their education. Florence K. Douglas Eugene ■ ■ LETTERS POLICY The Oregon Daily Emerald will attempt to print all letters containing comments on topics of interest to the University community. The Emerald reserves the right to edit any letter for length or style.
