ANALYSIS If you enjoyed reading Robert Fulghum, wait till you hear him speak. See the best-selling author of ALL I REALLY NEED TO KNOW I LEARNED IN KINDERGARTEN in a special personal appearance. Friday, November 9, 1990 7:00-11:00 pm at the Northfield Hilton It's Roeper School's Fiftieth Birthday Gala and Awards Evening. Not too long ago author Robert Fulghum told the world that the corner- stones of a productive life were really the same rules of common sense and caring that every child knows. Or should know. Nobody understands that better than we do. For fifty years Roeper School has been helping children become adults who live by those values. Join us Friday, November 9th for a fascinating live appearance by Robert Fulghum and to honor some of the Detroit area's finest HAPPY FIFTIETH examples of the simple values we should never forget. Golden Apple Award Recipients: Father William Cunningham, Commissioner Gil Hill, The Hitch Family, Sue Marx, Roeper Alumni and George and Annemarie Roeper For ticket information, call Roeper: 642-1500. FEN1W-6TEIN RoepeR TALENT AGENCY WORK WITH THE BEST! FENBY STEIN TALENT AGENCY - JERRY FENBY GEORGE BENSON CLASSIX FENBY-CARR DONNA MARIE & MOTION GAMUT TIM HEWITT GROUP HIGHER GROUND INNOVATION KROSSWI N DS LOVING CUP MAGIC BILL MEYER PERFECT BLEND RARE BLEND RENDEZVOUS SEASONS SHELBY LEE SUN MESSENGERS SUNSET BOULEVARD TANGO TOP DRAWER TRADE SECRETS SIMONE VITALE WHITE LACE VIDEOS AVAILABLE THEME PARTIES ARE OUR SPECIALTY! 37935 TWELVE MILE ROAD FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48331 (313) 553-9966 J. R. & COMPANY ENTERTAINMENT • Bands and D.J.s • • WEDDINGS • BAR MITZVAHS • BAT MITZVAHS 471-0898 • • • • • • The Jerry Fenby Group featuring George Denson MARK J. BAK & ASSOCIATES PHOTOGRAPHY 50% Off On All Wedding Invitations Over 500 Styles • SENIORS • FAMILIES PASSPORTS • 737-1999 • 28592 ORCHARD LAKE ROAD SUITE 360 FARMINGTON HILLS, MI 48334 116 FRIDAY, OCTOBER 26, 1990 The Saudi Arms Deal: Real Or Smokescreen? JAMES D. BESSER Washington Correspondent I s it possible that the Bush administration's planned sale of $20 billion- in arms to Saudi Arabia — the largest arms sale in history — was primarily a smokescreen? That's one of the operative theories here, where Wash- ington and the Mideast have one thing in common: nothing is quite what it seems. Take, for example, the diz- zying events surrounding the arms sale: Last week pro-Israel ac- tivists on the Hill were grin- ding their teeth over au- thoritative reports that the Saudi sale would amount to more than $20 billion. Legislators friendly to Israel were indicating that there was little chance of stopping the sale. And representatives of the Israeli government were quietly saying that the Saudi arms sale did not particularly bother them — but that, in return, they expected some goodies of their own, in- cluding new weapons and substantial increases in Israel's foreign aid. Early in the week, there was some talk, led by Rep. Larry Smith (D-Fla.), about splitting the arms sale in two —providing quick con- gressional assent to those weapons the Saudis needed for their immediate defense, but putting the rest of the package on the back burner until Congress could con- sider them more thoroughly. But reports surfaced that the administration was con- sidering scaling back the arms sale in response to strong congressional pressure — a reaction that caught some of the legis- lators who normally lead the charge against arms sales by surprise. But even as administra- tion sources were leaking in- formation about their retreat from the full $20 billion, they were also talk- ing about their desire to preserve the new spirit of co- operation between the White House and Capitol Hill on Middle East arms sales. And by the way, the leakers suggested, Congress might reciprocate by looking favorably on the $7 billion in debt forgiveness for Egypt. "This was a top priority for the administration all along," said an aide to one Jewish legislator. "They tossed out the $20 billion figure, then almost instantly offered to back down in the spirit of cooperation, when they had their sights set on the $7 billion all along." There is good reason for political gamesmanship on the debt forgiveness issue. Despite President Bush's deep commitment to forgiv- ing Egypt's debt, Congress is reluctant to set a precedent that could generate long lines of nations begging for debt relief and open another major wound in the already- battered U.S. budget. But that's not the only theory about the quick tur- nabout in administration Congress suddenly shed its virtual unanimity in support of the administration's Saudi buildup. plans for the Saudi arms sale —although early this week, there were indications that the White House might not be turning quite as far as earlier reports had sug- gested. Some observers suggested that it was simply the old "bid high, but settle for less" gambit. In other words, the ad- ministration may have deliberately leaked word of a $20 billion sale, knowing that it would produce a wave of shock in Congress. And this would make a $10 billion sale, the administra- tion's apparent fall- back position, seem moderate in comparison. In part, the swift tur- naround may have also been aided by a bit of bad timing for the administration. Just as the stories about the proposed sale reached their peak, Congress suddenly shed its virtual unanimity in support of the administration's Saudi buildup. At hearings of a House Foreign Affairs subcom- mittee on Tuesday, John Kelly, the Assistant Secre- tary of State for Near East- ern and South Asian Affairs, was taken to task for the administration's soft-line