From: cls@truffula.sj.ca.us (Cameron L. Spitzer)
Subject: No-flight zones & F15 sales (20/20)
Organization: Save the Humans!
Distribution: usa
Date: Sun, 06 Sep 92 07:15:36 GMT


20/20 Vision                                          September 1992
         Subject:  No-Flight Zones & F-15 Sales

BACKGROUND:  The Bush Administration is intentionally provoking Saddam
Hussein, seeking a confrontation.  Provocations include demanding to
inspect more and more iraqui government agencies, conducting military
exercises in Kuwait, and declaring a "no-flight" zone (see below).
While Administration officials deny any such motive, observers point
to the "rally-round-the-flag" effect -- helping Bush's reelection
effort -- as one possible reason for such action.

    In Iraq, the U.S. and its allies have declared a ban on flights 
below the 32d parallel, a region the size of Virginia.  This was done
ostensibly to protect Iraqui Shiite Muslims, who are a majority of the
population but against whom Saddam Hussein and his Sunni Muslim
government have conducted a relentless war since the Gulf War ended.

    Meanwhile, the Bush Administratioin may soon propose the sale of 72
F-15 fighter aircraft to Saudi Arabia.  The U.S., already the world's
largest arms exporter, should not be pushing arms in this unstable
region.  The main argument for the sale has been the claim by the
plane's manufacturer that 40,000 jobs will be affected if the sale
does not occur.  This claim is rejected by independent analysts (they
predict 27,000 jobs "affected" - not necessarily lost) and does not
address the real issue.  Rep Howard Berman stated:

        "The truth is that worldwide demilitarization and conversion
    to a peace economy would create far more jobs than the arms
    industry's alternative that the United States continue as the
    premier arms pusher to the developing world...  If there is to
    be anything fundamentally new about the much touted 'New World
    Order,' we must see that the uncontrolled arms proliferation
    which characterized the Cold War Order is brought to an end."

    Congress can prevent ill-conceived major arms sales like this one,
and should play a role in deciding U.S. policy toward Iraq.  The Bush
Administration declares a no-flight zone in one Middle East Country
while it considers selling top-of-the-line fighters to another.  You
should demand some consistency in U.S. foreign policy.

ACTION:  Write your Senator(s) asking them to:

 o    Oppose the F-15 sale to Saudi Arabia.  Tell your Senator that
      exporting weapons is not the way to achieve stability in the
      Middle East or save jobs in the United States.  Tell them
      that peace will be brought to the Middle East by negotiation
      and that, in the long term, more jobs will be created by
      investing in our economy, not weaponry.

 o    Oppose U.S. military action in Iraq.  While the fate of the
      Shiite Muslims in Iraq is of great concern, action should
      be taken by the United Nations and debated by Congress, not
      launched unilaterally as an elaction-year ploy.

[Box]
Washington DC Subscribers:  Write to Sen. Claiborne Pell, Chair of
the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, or Rep. Dante Fascell,
Chair of the House Foreign Affairs Committee.  Both play a lead role
on these issues.  Express the message above.  Addresses are: Sen.
Claiborne Pell, U.S. Senate, Washington, DC 20510; Rep. Dante Fascell
U.S. House, Washington, DC 20515.

-end

Well, that's the postcard from 20/20 Vision for September.
This month it came with a tee shirt offer and a survey.  "How
many people read your postcard or participate in your action?"
Good question, Lois.  "Tell us what you like and don't like
about 20/20 Vision?"  Gee, Lois, it distracts me from all that
arithmetic I should be doing so I won't talk nonsense!  ;-)

If you actually write the letters, I'd like to hear from you.
If you don't, I'm sure you've got a great excuse.

Cameron Spitzer, one mile from the "world's largest" flea market.
cls@truffula.sj.ca.us
Newsgroups: alt.save.the.earth,alt.activism,talk.environment