The gamecock. (Columbia, S.C.) 1908-2006, March 27, 1987, Page 4, Image 4
Viewpoint
t * Friday, March 27, 1987 *
i 1 .G MECOCK
' SIM tests
Hollings wrongly assumes
ABM limitations no problem
U.S. Sen. Fritz Hollings needs to go back to school.
The junior senator from South Carolina is obviously
lacking a firm grasp on recent American history.
Last week, Fritz sent a four-page letter to President
Reaean savintz. in effect, that the administration hnH thp
right to test space-based anti-missile weapons.
What? Can that be right, Fritz?
Maybe he should think again.
You see, that would be a violation of the 1972 antiballistic
missile (ABM) treaty. But Fritz swears up and
down that it isn't.
He's dead wrong.
So here is a quick, capsule history for Fritz, hopefully it
will help clear things up for his confused mind: the ABM
treaty was the culmination of the first phase of the SALT I
talks under President Nixon and Henry Kissinger. The
treaty states, "Each party undertakes not to deploy ABM
systems for a defense of the territory of its country." The
space-based, anti-missile weapons Fritz is so insistent on
testing are part of the futuristic and questionable defense
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Miuwn as uic oumcgie jL^cienst: initiative puij, or "iiar
Wars."
The defenses allowed under the treaty are limited. In Article
III it clearly states each side is restricted to two
sites each where defensive systems may be deployed. Each
site is allowed a maximum of 100 launchers. One site is to
be used to protect an offensive missile field, while the other
site is to be used to defend the country's capital.
The reasoning behind the whole ABM treaty is to
prevserve MAD, or "mutually assured destruction," as a
deterrant. That is, if the populations of both countries
were open to nuclear attack and annihilation, then neither
side would dare provoke a nuclear confrontation.
And,Fritz, that's a pretty effective deterrent.
Yet, in light of this historical enlightenment on
American foreign policy, Fritz still says, "It is clear to me
that the treaty allows the development of the SDI." He
could passionately call for testing without making himself
look so ignorant in policy concerning the ABM treaty. But
he refuses to.
So be it.
Kecently, Fritz blasted Senate Armed Services Committee
chairman Sam Nunn for his 98-page critique that , in
turn, blasted the Reagan administration's interpretation of
the ABM treaty. But all Sam did was tell it like it is. In
other words,he told the truth, which is a rare occurrence
these days in Washington. Nunn knows, as everyone
should know, that some SDI testing violates the treaty.
Fritz, even though he is a Democrat, is seriously bent
toward SDI and on getting it to work. But his zeal overshadows
the fact that SDI, whether it's tested or not, will
not be operational in all its high-tech glory until well into
the 21st century. It won't be cheap either. Fritz, who is
even more adamant about the federal deficit, should know
SDI will probably heap incredible amounts of burden upon
future generations of Americans, mainly us and our
children. Even with the enormous deficit we have incurred
so far, Americans will be paying for a long time to come.
More importantly, it is foolish to pursure a "broad" intepretation
of the ABM treaty and risk serious setbacks in
future arms negotiations in favor of a potential "dud" in
SDI.
But, give Fritz an "A" for effort ? even though he
should get an "F" in history.
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Write us a letter
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are a student, USC staff member, or com- Gamecock, Drawer A
munity member in letters and editorials. Columbia, S.C. 2920
Little birds'll
Seems since most of my friends know I am
a journalist, they have found it necessary to
tell me every little thing going on in their lives.
They think their events are just as volatile and
newsworthy as a stick of dynamite sitting on a
canister of nuclear waste underneath a magnifying
glass on a cloudless sunny day.
Out of 20 people, 19 turn out to he pretty
useless to me or my readers. But then, there's
that one in 20. . . .
There's a bunch of little birds who flitter
around Russell House, picking up the gossip.
When 1 was wondering, before writing a
previous column, what had kept our SG
president-elect from arriving on time to a tuition
rally he said he supported, one of those
birds told me where he was.
And while 1 sat here, pondering my fate if
people discovered I talked to birds, another
perched on my window. And boy, did he have
a sone to sinu.
Seems, said the bird, the Student Government
Elections Commssion has 200 invitations
to Tuesday's inauguration. Seems there
are four executive officers and about 35
senators who will be inaugurated at that
ceremony. Seems, said the bird, that one person
got 120 of those invitations.
Seems unfair.
Bakker for Pi
Only in the heart of Dixie would the
resignation of evangelist Jim Bakker as president
of the PTI. religious ministry be a topof-the-front-page
news story. You could
aimosi icci sorry lor inc man; alter all, it
takes guts to admit to an adoring public that
he fooled around with a secretary in Florida
seven years ago, that his wife has a drug
dependency problem (among others) and that
he wants to leave behind a SI75 million empire
he created for his ow. . . er, its ? good.
Jim and wife Tammy are currently in seclusion
in their California home, while the Bible
hits the fan on this coast. After he recovers
from these crises, perhaps he should consider
a new job with more prestige and money. I am
hereby supporting and encouraging Jim Bakker
to run for U.S. president in 1988.
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sonality for the job. His charisma may allow
him to overcome this crisis, just as President
Reagan's may allow him to survive the IranContra
scandal. Sure, he had an extramarital
affair in a Clearwater Beach, Fla., motel in
1980. But the poor guy's sincerely sorry,
and he says he was blackmailed because of it.
Aw. He also blames the scandal on former
friends who tried to usurp his power and on a
wolfpack press that won't leave him alone.
Yeah, that's the ticket. Works for Reagan.
Also like Reagan, he knows how to inherit
a small, weak budget and spend like crazy to
Letters to the
Baby M not
legal matter "Us
a child's fi
To the editor: Yes, Wh
1 would like to voice a rebuttal probably <
against Sohail Khwaja's uncom- all the co
passionate article about "Baby cannot pre
M" on Monday, March 23. ing up her
"1 I rwni
ine_ i
... , . hdllor in Chief
*o letters per month by Htim Hea Kuync
MmiimkIiik Kdllor
t to stop printing letters Amy ,)el,'?
d make room for new ^"hTnVmtjoyle
A\xlsUn< ( op>
point Editor, The i>*?k rhkf
i. Russell House, USC, Ajuhnech,"
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8. Paula Wethington
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tell you the w
i gave trie h i tnrd a cracker and sent him on
his way, but I was doing a lot of heavy thinking
? 29 offices? 200 invitations? one person
getting 60percent of the invites? about 88percent
of the people getting nadal
Seems really unfair.
1 went to Kelvin Stroble's inauguration two
years ago. After the ceremonies, naturally
everyone wanted to shake his hand. But there
was a small group waiting for him, and he was
forcing his way through the crowd to get to
them.
A few friends.
His parents.
I wns wnilino thprf? nn th#? frino?? r?f that
group, waiting for Kelvin with his brother.
rez in '88 ? li
build it up, even after it's obviously in deep,
dangerous debt. Over the years, Bakker built
the PTL empire from a single church to an international
organization estimated to be
worth $175 million. His dream, the Heritage
USA theme park ? Walt Disney World meets
the New Testament ? became a reality. His
organization fell into debt, but he continued
to spend like a maniac. Hey, if it's good for
America, it's good for Christianity. Now
hand him a $2 trillion debt ? have fun, Jim.
He also seems to be the most rational
celebrity television evangelist. He hasn't said
God will kill him if he doesn't raise $8
million. He hasn't created a morally- and
politically-directed organization that wants to
bring America back to its roots (slavery,
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' editor
L'aks about legality and and blood. After carryi
but he seems to ignore for nine months, being
lat we are not dealing every movement as it
iness merger, but with side of you, and knowii
iture. responsible for his/hei
itehead is an adult and cannot just hand it o'
in intelligent one, but doning all maternal
unseliiiK in the world because of a contract
pare a mother for giv- tion. A mother's bond i
child ? her own flesh plainable, overwhelmii
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eirdest things
Mclvin told me they were really glad they ^
could get some invites out to some friends as
well as his parents.
He didn't invite the governor. Nor the
lieutenant governor. Nor a trillion state
representatives and senators. Nor any editors
from any paper.
Kelvin invited family and friends.
It was a moment of pride shared with family
as they rejoiced in the odds he had overcome
to reach that position. It was a moment
of accomplishment shared with a few of those
friends who helped him reach that position.
There was also a group waiting for the
newly-inaugurated SG vice president. It was I
about the same size. I saw a few senators who
also had invited guests. That doesn't seem to
be happening this year.
But maybe if a parent really wants to show
up, he can stand on the outside looking in.
Maybe they can still feel the true joy of the
moment as they strain to hear what is being
said inside.
It takes genius to plan that kind of
ceremony ? one person given the lion's
share, the lion's share of the people doing
without, and everyone expected to work
together like one big happy family. Real " , ;
genius.
I'm glud I talk to birds.
ley, why not?
duplicity and uncertainty). He isn't "considering"
a run for president if he can get the
support (and money) of 3 million people. But
remember, God still speaks and acts through
Jim in a very special way. Yeah, gotta keep
God in the White House. , *
And what a first lady Tammy Bakkcr
would make! She's already shown her love
and strength by forgiving Jim for his fling.
Like other celebrity druggies, she can check
herself into the Betty Ford Center, walk out
reborn (again), write a best-seller, hit the talk
show circuit and become a media darling. Her
make-up and wardrobe are, well, lavish ? she
could show Gorbachev's old lady a thing or
two. On every PTL show, she turns on the
tears for Jesus. Imagine her doing that for
America! "The Contras just have to get $50
million ? sniff, sniff ? God willed it." I'm
getting goose bumps just thinking about it.
Many hope our next president is a lot like )
the current one. Jim Bakker is the perfect
rhnifP Hp's alrparlv r>1r?ef? tr> Clnri U? olr?nHn
has a china doll for a wife. He already does
underhanded things, then blames them on evil
ex-friends and colleagues who took advantage
of him. He's already familiar with massive
deficit spending. All he has to do now is dye
his hair brown, make Tammy wear red and
practice saying, "Well" and "I can't
remember." Think about it, Jim.
You've got my vote.
I)
ing a baby no one can foresee or overlook; it
! aware of is not something you can be congrows
in- ditioned to turn off.
ng you are He says, "Ignorance of the law
life, you is no excuse," but there is no cx/er,
aban- cuse for such an ignorant law.
feelings
ed obligas
an unex- Deborah Burkard
ng feeling Sophomore, psychology
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9
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