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"2M ' sit Y ony Cav: ogg yn é -- PORT PERRY STAR -- Tuesday, August 14, 1990 FH DPD A Pes ia ae vit rr Viewpoint CAUTION OVER IRAQ CRISIS As | write this, US President George Bush has just told Iraq leader Saddam Hussein that a "line has n drawn in the sand." Some 4,000 American forces are being deployed in Saudia Arabia, along with 48 F-15 fighters, and the very large [fresence of the American fleet steaming into the gulf. By the time, you read this, it's just anybody's guess what the situation in the mid-East will be. But hopefully, the region will not be in the middle of a full-scale war. As much as one is tempted to say it's high time that somebody taught that luny Saddam a military les- son once and for all, that is not the solution. All this talk of comparisons between Saddam and Herr Hitler is a lot of bunk, just empty rhetoric. Sure, historical hindsight tells us that Hitler could have been stopped in the mid-30's if France and England had the guts to confront him militarily over Czechoslovakia. But this is 1990, not 1938, and there are few sim- ilarities between Nazi Germany of that time and Iraq today, or between Hitler and Saddam. ' Right off the bat, Iraq is much more powerful in a military sense today than Germany was in 1938. Sure, all those marching jack-boots and flying swasti- ka banners looked mighty impressive in the news reels at the time. Truth was that even as late as 1938, a tough show of force by France and England would have sent the poorl equipped and poorly armed Nazi forces surrying under the nearest rock. Hitler was all bluff. He knew it, and so did his generals. Iraq, on the other hand, is no bluff. With one mil- ers, and plenty of tanks and artillery, it is a potent military force, fourth strongest in the world these days. Just ask the Iranians how tough. Fighting in the desert sands in a part of the world where the Iraqis are right at home, they would present a formidable military foe to any adversary, in- cluding the US Marines and the British SAS. Make no mistake, the Iraqis know how to fight a desert war. They hammered neighbouring Iraq into submission over eight years at a horrendous cost in human life to both sides, and emerged from that con- flict battle toughened. Iraqi leader Saddam may be an international nut- case, but he's not stupid, and he's holding a tougher hand than Hitler did half a century ago. Hitler's generals were mortified when he gam- bled in Austria and Czechoslovakia, and even in Po- land, because they knew their forces were paper thin. There is no evidence that Iraq's military leaders today feel any qualms about a fight. And" Saddam knew darn well he would raise the ire of the United States by marching into Kuwait and then threatening Saudia Arabia. Do you think for one minute this guy is going to lose face by using tail and running it the Yanks or the Brits, or anybody else sends in the marines? Not a chance. He's spoiling for a fight, and he's ready for one. The biggest difference between Iraq of today and Nazi Germany of 1938 is world opinion, and the re- solve to stop this .modemn-day Hitler by different means. : The economic blockade stopping all goods into Iraq and all goods (read oil) out of that country will put Saddam in his place faster than any military force will. In the late 1930's Hitler was fuelling up for war by trading with everyone in sight, especially the Rus- sians and the Americans. Indeed, even after France fell in 1940 and Britain was in mortal danger, dozens of countries traded with the Nazis. The Russians were such happy traders that even on the night of June 20, 1941, as Nazi troops poured into the Soviet Union, they passed long trains going the other way, taking meat, grains and raw materials into Germany. Today, if the rest of the world stands behind the blockade or Iraq, and Szpactely resists the tempta- tion to buy bargain basement oil when the Iragis get desperate, this crisis will be over in a few short weeks. But the economic blockade and sanctions must be absolutely air-tight. Iraq can't live very long without its petro-dollars flowing in, and it can't sustain a fighting force very long without new hardware and replacement parts for the jets, tanks and artillery. This is why President Bush ordered such a pal- try force of 4,000 troops to the area last week. The Iragis have a battle-tough army of 100,000 men poised to strike. What good are 4,000 US marines and less than 50 F-15s. If Bush is thinking about a military solution to this crisis, he's slightly out-numbered. But in the long run, so is Saddam. He's almost without an ally in this latest military adventure. And how long will his troops stay loyal after the blockade takes effect and they find out their wives, children and parents are starving back home? The solution is not a fight, but a sustained eco- nomic squeeze on the Iraq homeland: Even if Sad- dam does decide to attack, his armies won't go very far without food and supplies. There is more than one way to skin a luny dictator. lion tough men under arms, an air force Su d with first line French Mirage and Russian MiG fight- Remember Letters io the editor | Government offices open Sunday? When? 45 YEARS AGO Thursday, August 30, 1945 Another robbery was attempted on Monday night at the Post Office. An effort to move the safe, got it as far as the back door. Mr. Bentley, seeing the flashlight, called Chief Holmes and Ben Smith of Prince Albert. When they arrived, the thieves were on their way out. Shots were fired on the departing auto without effect. Miss Rose Marie Hochbery, Uxbridge, is visiting her friend Miss Norma Levinson. Flight-Lieut. W.C. Reynolds and Mrs. Reynolds spent the weekend at the home of Mr. and Mrs. Edgar Heron, Ashburn. 35 YEARS AGO Thursday, August 25, 1955 Troop Leader James Hunter and Patrol Leader Albert Fulford are representing the First Port Perry Boy Scout Troop at the International Scout Jamboree, Niagara-on-the-Lake. Wednesday afternoon the barn of Mr. Jim Baird was burn- ed to the ground in a matter of minutes. Sunderland, Port Perry and Uxbridge fire brigades were called but little could be done to save the barns. Mr. and Mrs. G. Hunter, Prince Albert, joined the reunion picnic of the Robertson family tree held at Cold Springs on Sunday. 30 YEARS AGO Thursday, August 23, 1960 On Wednesday, August 24, Port Perry Juniors took the se- cond game of a 2 out of 2 series from Havelock in the Central Ontario O.A.S.A. Junior ""C" playdowns. Mr. and Mrs. R.H. Cornish received two hundred and fifty guests on Sunday, August 7, on the occasion of their twenty-fifth wedding anniversary. 25 YEARS AGO Thursday, August 26, 1965 Arianne den Boer received ten credits in her first attempt at the Department of Education Grade Thirteen Examinations. She will be awarded the Central Ontario County District High School Board of Education's Scholarship. J.W. Lowry, Bell Telephone manager for the area, reported that there were 2,065 copies of the directory sent to Port Perry residents this year, compared to 1964's figure of 1,944. Rosemary Nodwell of Seagrave, returned from Scotland on August 16 after a very successful participation in various Highland Games and Bagpipe Competitions. She took part in four (Turn to page 10) To the Editor: As a retail store manager, I work evenings and Saturdays to offer retail shoppers the oppor- tunities to shop conveniently. Shoppers now complain that this is not sufficient. They would have me work Sundays as well. Iam opposed to Sunday shopp- ing. Sunday is the only day that I KVA-CAN Reunion To the Editor: Forty years ago on June 25, Canada entered into a war in Korea. Twenty-seven thousand Canadians served in Korea with 516 being killed. Since we have returned home we have become The Forgotten War. August of this year we will be holding a National Reunion in Toronto and we need your help with this event. We need to spread the word near and far about this Reunion and about The KVA-CAN (Korea Veteran Association- Canada). If you feel you can help us please contact: Mr. George Ma- nion (1-416-670-1726). 6033 Shawson Drive, Mississauga, Ontario. Mr. Manion will be glad to set up interviews and give you any in- formation needed, pertaining to this Reunion. I hope you can see fit to help us now, just as we who helped Canada so many years ago. Personal Regards, Paul Saulnier, KVA, Port Perry, Ont. can count on sharing with my family. I find it oppressive that the people who would have me work Sundays are themselves people who would refuse to work Sundays. Personally, I do not have problems with weekly retail shopping. Most stores offer more than ample hours to shop, and I do love to shop. Rather, it is the consumer services and ad- ministrative functions that pose the greatest problems. I resent spending my lunch hours without food, in a bank line-up or a licen- sing office because these facilities DO NOT have convenient hours. If the Government of Ontario should find it necessary that I should work on Sundays, I hope it similarly purposes to legislate ad- ministrative offices and all ser- vices equally accessible so that I can effectively work Sundays. It might be frustrating to start a home project on a day when you cannot purchase necessary equip- ment, but it is equally inconve- nient not being able to obtain necessary permits etc. If Canadian Governments are intent on approving Sunday shop- ping, I sincerely hope they are not presuming to limit such shopping to retail. There is a price to pay here. The added expense to the owner to operate Sundays will soon be passed down to the consumer. We don't need higher prices! Sincerely, Lynda Lehtinen, Oshawa, Ontario _AUTOMATIC TELLER -- oR on a a pr RA CR I I as I Sh oe EEE SEAT SY SR Nan) sR TAI i BR i A AMR gi ry TERA me)