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-.opinion ffIB iraq-iran conflict throafonc ctahilitu * vu Iiuaiu The war between Iraq and Iran threatens Middle East security far more than the Israeli invasion of Lebanon, and it deserves far more attention from the U.S. government. Although the loss ot life in Lebanon is horrible, the seige of West Beirut is more a distraction than a danger to long-range Middle East peace and stability. The United States has Phillip Habib shuttling about the Middle East in an effort to bring a ; resolution to the problem in Lebanon. In contrast .1 to this, the United States sits by hoping the Iraq- \ T? ? ' " A " iran war will work itself out m a manner | favorable to the United States. Although Israel's seige of West Beirut is damaging to the United States politically, the Iraq-Iran war has the potential to drastically alter the future of the United States and to destabilize the entire Middle East. Iran's leader, Ayatullah Khomeini, has called for the overthrow of Iraq's president, Saddam Hussein, and the establishment of an Iraqi Islamic Republic modeled after Iran. K^hnmpi ni coom C 1rsf f /\n v.:*-. *juiv>?vuu >}vviuo niLV/iii un ajji cauuig nib fundamentalist Shi'ite Muslim movement. In recent statements, he has said the revolution will I not stop with Iraq but will continue until Jerusalem is liberated. i His goals are not small. 1 The obvious danger to the United States in this c crisis is the Middle East oil supply. Even though the United States has reduced its foreign oil f consumption in recent years, Middle East oil is r still a significant part of the oil used in the United n States and a vital part of the economy. And the largest known oil reserves are in the Middle \ East. ?t A second danger exists in the Iraq-Iran crisis: j fhp rtf a dinar nmiror chAui^num ? w Vf* M J/V f f VJl OHV/nUVYVH between the United States and the Soviet Union. s Many Soviet analysts think that the Soviet t Union's ultimate goal in the region is to control * the Middle East oil supply. Military moves by * Soviet proxies in Africa lend credence to these ' suspicions. . The Soviet Union also has better diplomatic relations with both Iran and Iraq than the United States does. For the first time since Soviet oc-, cupation of Iran following World War II, Iran has no troops stationed on its border with the Soviet Union. The Reagan administration needs to reorganize its discordant Middle East policy by recognizing that Middle East stability relies on more than harmonious Arab-Israeli relations. In 1917. the sweeping ideological movement was Marxism. In the 1980s, it could be the Shi'ite ik m i; - - - - iviusum movement. Although the movement does not possess a nuclear capability, it could eventually control something as damaging: the world's largest known oil supply. j ?Gamecock- 1 Editor-in-Chief Richard Meyers Copy Desk Chief News Editor Entertainment Editor David DeWitt l-'orrcst Brown Sally McGill Opinion Page Editor Photo Editor Advertising Manager Chris Handal Capers Hammond Linda S. Haines {Business Manager (ieneral Manager Production Manager Jean Hatchell Jerry Brewer Mark McEwan /au vi ?er Mark F.thridge Jr. Newsroom 777-7181 Advertising 777-4249 Business Office 777 3888 Production 777 28X3 The Gamecock welcomes letters and guest editori<ils All letters and guest editorials must be typewritten, triple-spaced on a 65 space line Letters should be no longer than 300 words and guest editorials should be limited to one newsworthy subject no longer than four typed pages Letters and guest editorials MUST be signed with the writer\s name, telephone number, mailing address, class standing or faculty position and major Pseudonyms are unacceptable, but th" writer s name may be withheld upon request. We reserve the right to edit guest editorials and letters Address letters and guest editorials to: Opinion Page Editor, Gameccch. Drawer A. USC, Columbia, S.C. 29208. Sffl8?*fc ! .letters S.C. vies for I iy Nancy GrdenEllson Industrial development specialists ? ationwide are infatuated with the ewest industrial location prospects car, - high technology and research and firir evelopment (R and D) firms. vani These operations have been touted d 5 the nation's growth industries; irther, they have been more stro icession-proof than traditional pr0j lanufacturing. mar It is then not surprising that state. (2 overnment officials are courting tech ich firms in an effort to benefit from dra\ le employment and income that will abili e generated from their facility such ca tion decisions. tron SOUTH PARftl lMA ic amnno tho tates competing for the facilities of Maj lese growth industries. It is true that res< outh Carolina has already dep< stablished a reputation for attracting scie lanufacturing firms, and several (4 tudies of business climates in the 50 autl tates rank South Carolina near the autl op of the list. However, does success pro1 n attracting manufacturing firms higl guarantee success in attracting high the ech and R and D operations? this Firms with basic research Derations and innovative Ti echnological processes typically ocate in well-known centers of ^ esearch because of the "critical ^ar nass" that develops as the required a s' aliber of labor, R and D firms and iniversities attract one another. S1"( On the other hand, firms that Pa* :onduct extensive product or process' es^ mprovement research tend to locate hose activities near their ^ar nanufacturing operations, while ^or :ertain production processes that 18 N lave become mechanized, such as the (i nanufacture of computer com- this >onents, can be located outside of prol vell-known R and D centers. tec! Innovation lacking Editor: In this month's issue of Broadcast Cor Vlichael Scheiback writes about MTV: Music lis report is anywhere close to accurate,! woul im impressed. To me. finding out that this von )f cable broadcasting is already being airec systems and being received in 2.5 million horn surprise. Unfortunately, I've never seen it but 1 ead and heard from others, I have come to t )oon for the cable medium in advertising tudience potential. I mainly state this because I think it does ap ieeking alternative outlets for increasing their lew music (aesthetically and technically bec< lookup capabilities). I doubt, however, that any Columbia cabl ittempt to program MTV for at least three or n vere to recoin a phrase?(it seems to me) T1 tural South'?that in bringing any new am ;ntertainment to Columbia, television and ra lay, even theaters in the Deep South?are alu Iiigh techno guest editorial } WHAT does this mean for South alina's efforts to attract such is? The state's locational adtages include: ) Strong industrial base. The late for industrial development is ng, and the state has made ?ress in diversifying its mfacturing base. ) The TEC system. The state's nical education system is a ving card, particularly with its ity to provide training in fields i as robotics and microelecics. ) Presence of USC and Clemson. or universities that conduct sarch and/or have strong artments in engineering and nces are critical. I) Proposed state research writy and research parks. This lority, when operational, will vide the focus for the attraction of 1 tech/R and D firms. Further, existence of a park designed for activity is crucial to the state's rts. HEN THERE are South Carolina's itional disadvantages: L) Perception problems. South olina is generally not perceived as Late strong in high tech/R and D. ;n when the Southeast is con;red alone, the Research Triangle k in North Carolina has already iblished strong name recognition. S) Scarcity of skilled labor. South olina ranks No. 41 of the 50 states its percentage of population over vith a college education. 0 "Critical mass" missing. While situation is a ''chicken-egg" blem, the clustering of highl/R and D operations does not yet in city's entei their thinking, nmunications, I would tend to th Television. If from a more techni d have to say I the United States wo r-old fledgling after viewing or listc I on 300 cable media. es was quite a :rom what I've Perhaps that is a 1 >elieve it is a about had it with th revenue and Southern retailers w uron nrn nn? !,???: uiv, IIUI ^cpill| ipeal to people help them realize b knowledge of group mentioned as luse of stereo At any rate, tho< concerning new mus e system will most innovative ic lore years. If I demands heard wl le Code of the Southern informatic d provocative that MTV is alive do dio stations? /ays behind in logy firms exist to anchor the state's development efforts, nartic.ularlv whpn compared to states such as California and Massachusetts. (4) Late start? Many states are competing for the attraction of these growth industries. For example, 17 states already have programs to finance high tech/R and D activities, and 16 have linked their state universities' R and D efforts with high tech industries. ALTHOUGH SOUTH CAROLINA needs a strategy for encouraging the location of high tech/R and D operations, since the state's advantages do not particularly distinguish it from other states, its disadvantages are not insurmountable The state should capitalize on its existing industrial development strengths by targeting the machinery, electrical and electronic equipment, chemical and textile industries for R and D facilities. Various state resources can be mobilized to undertake the effort. Possibilities? The state's major universities must play a role, even to the extent of joint ventures with high-tech industries. The availability of financing is critical. Whatever the ultimately chosen approach, it should be focused, visible and aggressive. A diffusion of effort bv State envpmmont ? c>- . ? .....vm. unu uiuvci antes, as well as intramural battles over park locations and "who gets the credit," will damage these efforts. The author directs industrial development research projects in the Division of Research at USC's College of Business Administration. She holds master's degrees in urban planning and business administration. rtainment media ink that people just settling in the area callv and artistically advanced area of >uld think they had entered the dark ages ;ning to any of Columbia's entertainment little overstated on my part, but I've just e Southern way of thinking. I truly think 'ho spend their advertising dollars in this g up with the latest information that can letter sales by catering to the 12-34 age a target for MTV. >e who advocate new innovative ideas >ic and those wanting to utilize one of the leas of this decade will make their len the trickle-down effect of today's in media finally trickles the information wn to good old Columbia, S. C. Allen Pickel Journalism junior