ANNUAL WINTER SALE January 23-31 20% OFF - All beads-crystal, ivory, semi-precious Has `Irangate' Ruined U.S. - Israel Marriage? stones, pearls, glass, plastic BERL FALBAUM 20% OFF - 30-50% OFF 50° Special to The Jewish News T All findings and supplies All custom designed necklaces and bracelets A, OFF - Selected beads-porcelain, woods, fossils BEAD WORKS, inc. BE A WINNER, PLAY ANALYSIS 'THE CLASSIFIEDS Open Tues.-Sat. 10-5 32751 Franklin Rd. Franklin, MI 855-5230 Cal! The Jewish News Today 354-6060 he U.S.-Iran arms scandal has proven once more that vows in political marriages are hon- ored only until opportunism proves more valuable than fidelity. Thus, Israel should not be surprised that Reagan officials are attempting to shift some, if not all, of the blame for the Iranian arms deal to its politi- cal ally in the Mideast. Professional politicians — and perhaps the public — have always understood that fidel- ity in politics is always fragile and not subject to principle. It is driven by what may be gained or lost by being faithful. During the last few weeks, as the Reagan Administration has run for cover while trying to cover up with a variety of excuses its ineptitude, if not yet proven unlawfulness, it simultaneously has pointed the finger at Israel. With a variety of skillful and time- proven political tactics, it has leaked accusations from the "anonymous" sources that it was Israel which first proposed initiating an arms-for-hostage deal with Iran. The media, which never makes evaluations on motiva- tion when it receives informa- tion not for attribution, jumped on the story. The headlines ap- peared on Page One of this na- tion's newspapers and received coverage on prime time televi- sion. The Administration achieved its goal, if not of ab- solving itself of responsibility, of at least implicating Israel and sharing blame. Then, with a straight face, the Administration apologized to Israel, stating it did not mean to shift blame nor did it intend any criticism of its friend. As M.J. Rosenberg said in an Op-Ed column in the New York Times: "It has proved so easy and so convenient to lay blame on Israel — to claim that the Israelis made us do it' — in- stead of taking responsibility ourselves. This genie, once let out of the bottle, doesn't climb back in that easily." Even if the accusation is true, it is unlikely that Con- gress or the American public will absolve the Administra- tion from responsibility if Is- rael did recommend the so- called arms-for-hostage trade. It was the Reagan Adminis- tration which implemented the deal and it cannot escape the burden of the aftermath by saying some other country suggested the arrangement. One can only imagine how confident Israeli officials will be the next time they sit across the table from their U.S. coun- terparts and are asked for ad- vice and recommendations on various foreign policy strategies. Foreign Minister Shimon Peres, refusing to be . Appiegate Square • Northwestern Hwy. at Inkster Road r30 Friday, January.23, 1987 THE DETROIT JEWISH NEWS drawn into the controversy, hinted at the confidential rela- tionship and the alliance when he responded: "We were ap- proached as a friend. We re- plied as a friend. I'm patient to wait until the full picture emerges. I feel our case is strong enough." If the accusation is not true, it is nothing short of reprehen- sible political behavior — even by standards in professional politicians — to attempt to mitigate one's own responsibil- ity by falsely implicating Is- rael in the Iranian scandal. The question is, what was gained by the Reagan Ad- ministration regardless of Is- rael's role in this matter? The answer appears to be very lit- tle, if anything: • The relationship between Israel and America has been weakened. Obviously, Israel's level of trust must have been diminished, notwithstanding public statements to the con- trary. • The enemies of Israel have been strengthened. Whenever the U.S. and Israel have a seri- ous disagreement, the radicals in the Mideast are the winners. • The culpability of the Re- agan Administration has not been diminished even if Con- gress and the public ultimately accept the charge that Israel proposed initiating the arms deal. Scapegoatism has never been an effective defense for ir- responsibility and wrongdo- ing. Thus, the Administration's political ploys garnered head- lines, perhaps created some public opinion that Israel should share some of the blame, but hardly absolved it- self of responsibility. It gener- ated a lot of heat, but little sub- stance, and damaged a politi- cal marriage just as surely as a private one is injured when one party has strayed from vows of fidelity — even if it has only occurred once. 111 ■ 11111 ■ 1111MIMENNEVENNIMIll Arabs Worried About Tax Law New York (JTA) — Arab governments are concerned over the effects of the Tax Re- form Act of 1986 on invest- ments by foreign governments in U.S. enterprises, according to Boycott Report, a bulletin on developments and trends af- fecting the Arab boycott of Is- rael and Arab influence in the U.S., published by the Ameri- can Jewish Congress. The oil-rich Persian Gulf state of Kuwait is a case in point. It may lose its tax- exempt status on so-called passive investments in the United States. Kuwait, a heavy investor, was exempt under Section 892 of the old Internal Revenue Code from federal taxes on stocks, bonds or other domestic securities it owned and interest from depos- its in American banks.