I• 4 Friday, June 21, 1985 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS THE JEWISH NEWS Serving Detroit's Metropolitan Jewish Community with distinction for four decades. Editorial and Sales offices at 20300 Civic Center Dr., Suite 240, Southfield, Michigan 48076 Telephone (313) 354-6060 PUBLISHER: Charles A. Buerger EDITOR EMERITUS: Philip Slomovitz EDITOR: Gary Rosenblatt BUSINESS MANAGER: Carmi M. Slomovitz ART DIRECTOR: Kim Muller-Thym NEWS EDITOR: Alan Hitsky LOCAL NEWS EDITOR: Heidi Press EDITORIAL ASSISTANT: Tedd Schneider LOCAL COLUMNIST: Danny Raskin OFFICE STAFF: Marlene Miller Dharlene Norris Phyllis Tyner Pauline Weiss Ellen Wolfe PRODUCTION: Donald Cheshure ACCOUNT EXECUTIVES: Cathy Ciccone Lauri Biafore Curtis Deloye Allan Craig Ralph Orme Rick Nessel Danny Raskin © 1985 by The Detroit Jewish News (US PS 275-520) Second Class postage paid at Southfield, Michigan and additional mailing offices. Subscriptions: 1 year - $21 — 2 years - $39 — Out of State - $23 — Foreign - $35 CANDLELIGHTING AT 8:53 P.M. VOL. LXXXVII, NO. 17 Beyond Tough Talk "We cannot allow ourselves to become the Hamlet of nations, worrying endlessly over whether and how to respond. A great nation with global responsibilities cannot afford to be hamstrung by confusion and indecisiveness. Fighting terrorism will not be a clean or pleasant contest, but we have no choice but to play it." Sensible words, and timely. But Secretary of State George Shultz spoke them almost 18 months ago, in response to a terrorist attack in Lebanon that left hundreds of U.S. Marines dead. The Secretary of State outlined an anti-terrorist policy calling for "active prevention, pre-emption and retaliation." But the policy never took hold. No U.S. action was taken at the time against the terrorists, the very same group now suspected of hijacking TWA Flight 847. As these words are written, the latest crisis remains unresolved. What is certain, though, is that Americans once again are experiencing the anguish, frustration and impotence we have come to know as victims of terrorism. And- equally certain is the knowledge that we as a nation require a better response — indeed, any response — to the increasing threat of international terror. Rhetoric is not enough. Five years ago Ronald Reagan enhanced his candidacy for President by chiding Jimmy Carter for his inability to take decisive action during the long hostage crisis in Lebanon. But Ronald Reagan's track record, tough talk aside, is even more humiliating. Hundreds of American soldiers have been killed in several terrorist attacks, and though Washington promised swift retaliation, none was forthcoming. Leading, inevitably, to more brazen terrorist acts. Like the latest hijacking. The U.S. must learn that being civil and humane ultimately costs more innocent lives. Washington knows that these Lebanese terrorists are aided and trained by Iran and Syria. Why not bomb their strongholds and take sanctions against those nations who support them? What is frightening is that mighty America seems helpless. Terrorism has become a one-sided war and the bad guys always win. Mengele: Hate Symbol Except for the few who proclaim themselves Nazis or neo-Nazis, the hate-mongering of Josef Mengele has become the universal proclamation of the contempt held for the propagators of the destruction of human life as it was propagated by Adolf Hitler and his cohorts. In a simple paragraph, the Detroit Free Press is among the many newspapers that excoriated the symbolism of Mengele and proclaimed his very memory as a way of rejecting anything approaching the bestialities, stating: "In fact, it's not an old Nazi criminal we are after; it's our innocence, lost in the ovens of Auschwitz. In the figurative sense, the hunt for Dr. Mengele will never end." It is because the very name Mengele will be linked with Hitler, Eichmann, Goebbels, Goering, et al, that, dead or still alive, the recollection of the crimes committed by his name serves to alert world opinion to the crimes, with the warning of "Never Again" emanating from the unforgetfullness of the outrages that disgraced the all-too-numerous guilty. OP-ED Which Ethnic Lobby Wields The Power In Washington? BY BERL FALBAUM Special to The Jewish. News The words "Jewish lobby" have almost become code words. Those opposing Israel and other Jewish issues have managed to create an image about Jewish politi- c cal efforts which engenders visions of a powerful, manipulative political force which has unlimited influence in Washington. Israel's political opponents have been successful in conveying an image that public officials are behol- den to the Jewish community and cater to its every whim. Unfortunately, the strength and influence of the so-called Jewish lobby is highly exaggerated. True, the Jewish community — assuming it speaks with one voice, which it doesn't — has been effective in poli- tics but hardly to the extent that is implied with the use of terms such as "Jewish lobby" which has some very ugly and sinister connotations. Indeed, during the last few years pro-Israel political forces have lost some very important votes to Arab interests, among them the sale of F-15 fighters and AWACS. TheSe votes hardly speak well for political prowess. But while there has been much . ado about Jewish political power, lit- tle, if anything, has been said about the Arab petrodollar and its influ- ence on American politics. While this influence has been significant, the Washington politicos and the media have been surpris- ingly — or perhaps not so surpris- ingly — silent. The silence may not be so sur- prising given the revelations in Ste- ven Emerson's recent book, the American House of Saud: The Secret Petrodollar Connection (Watts Pub- lishing). If Emerson is only half right — and his research appears impeccable — the political influence developed by Arab countries through the pet- rodollar is frightening. It would be frightening whatever foreign power were involved, but in this case it happens Co be primarily Saudi Arabia, although by implication other oil-producing countries wield similar political influence. Emerson points out how the pet- rodollar after the 1973 oil embargo: • Has directly influenced the decision-making process in Washing- ton. • Has hired a cadre of former State Department top officials and former ambassadors, raising not only Congressional reports were altered in order not to offend Saudi Arabia. ethical questions but also national security concerns. Many of these of- ficials not only have access to the seat of power but when in office had knowledge of highly-sensitive infor- mation on the countries they later represented. • Was continually used to affect changes in American foreign policy by threatening another oil boycott. • Sponsored programs at sev- eral universities and throughout the country, billing them as "objective discussions on the Middle East" when in fact these seminars were sponsored by Saudi Arabia and the opposing views were not represented. • Used the media by financing appearances of former Washington officials but not revealing that these same officials were paid consultants of Saudi Arabia.