INSIDE WASHINGTON 7XCITING Pentagon Slow To Ship Hardware To Israel JAMES D. BESSER Washington Correspondent T wo months ago, pro- Israel activists were crowing about the quiet passage of new aid for Israel, including "drawdowns" that would allow quick shipments of American military equip- ment no longer needed in Europe. But those drawdowns have been slow to materialize, ac- cording to sources here. 1990 MB Jewelry ip JEWELRY DESIGN & MFG. LTD. Applegate Square • 29847 Northwestern Hwy. Southfield, Michigan 48034 • (313) 356-7007 L The problem apparently does not emanate from the White House, which has sought in the past to use various assistance programs as cudgels in their feuds with the Shamir govern- ment. When Congress passed these provisions before its fall recess, the expectation was that none of the surplus equipment would be needed in the Persian Gulf. But with U.S. troop strength approaching 300,000, Pentagon officials are apparently getting stingy. "The best we can deter- mine, this is coming from the Pentagon," said a con- gressional source. "With this big open-ended com- mitment in the Persian Gulf, they're simply reluctant to give up any equipment." Last week, there were in- dications of an informal agreement that would free up some of the badly needed hardware. _1 Saudi Arms Sale Put On The Back Burner What happened to the ad- ministration's massive $14 billion arms sale to Saudi Arabia? the Timliq Agepcy, Inc, PRIVATE TRAINING BODY AND MIND (313) 354-6430 TIMOTHY JUDE TIMLIN, CPT PRESIDENT 40-r-4-t* Last week, the White House confirmed rumors that have circulated for the last two weeks and an- nounced that the sale, which was expected to be presented to Congress later this mon- th, was being indefinitely postponed — at least until the fluid situation in the Persian Gulf becomes a little clearer. "There were several fac- tors in the decision," said Jess Hordes, Washington di- rector for the Anti- Defamation League. "One was that they did not want to further jeopardize their effort to develop a consensus on the Persian Gulf policy at this very delicate moment." Pro-Israel forces, wary of any actions that might be seen as endangering Ameri- can troops in Saudi Arabia, had hung back from a public squabble over the arms sale. But privately, Israel's supporters here vigorously argued that there was no immediate military ratio- nale for the sale, which would provide weapons only after three to five years. And the Saudis, sensing which way the wind was blowing, began hinting that they would not object to a postponement of the sale. Curiously, the Saudis echoed Jewish activists by sug- gesting that it might make more sense to wait until the current crisis is resolved to decide on future military needs for the desert sheikdom. Support Gathers For Bill Altering 'Peyote Verdict' DYNAMITE LEGS • Fitness Eurostyle • Professional/Personal Coaching • Small Classes. One-On-One Alice Bettie, M.A. STATE FARM INSURANCE MARILYN J. GOLD-AGENCY "I believe in personalized service" • AUTO • HEALTH • HOME • COMMERCIAL • LIFE • IRAs • BUSINESS STATE FARM INSURANCE 38 353.1400 26561 W. 12 Mile Road, Suite 203, Southfield, MI 48034 FRIDAY, JANUARY 11, 1991 It was the kind of task only a lawyer could love; in re- cent weeks, legal represent- atives of a broad coalition of groups have been putting the finishing touches on the Religious Freedom Restora- tion Act, a new version of last year's bill designed to reverse a Supreme Court decision in the so-called "peyote" case. Until the High Court nil- ing, a state which restricted or outlawed a religious prac- tice had to prove a "compelling state interest" in such a restriction. The Court decision removed that necessity; the Religious Freedom bill would restore it. Despite an impressive list of co-sponsors and a surpris- ingly broad coalition suppor- ting the bill, last year's mea- sure died because there was no room on the busy con- gressional calendar. This time around, pro- moters of the measure plan to get an early start. "We're putting the final touches on the draft," said Marc Stern, legal director for the American Jewish Congress and chair of the bill's drafting committee. "Most of the changes are the kinds of things lawyers get giddy about —but nobody else cares much about." Other Jewish groups, ranging from the conser- vative Agudath Israel of America to the liberal Union of American Hebrew Con- gregations, have put the new bill high on their list of priorities for the upcoming session. Jewish Lawmakers Plan Jerusalem Conference A handful of congressmen took some time out from the first day of the 102nd Con- gress to discuss the second Jewish Parliamentarians Conference — a gathering of Jewish legislators from a number of countries, scheduled for February in Jerusalem. But the prospect of war in the Persian Gulf — and the potential need for congres- sional action to deal with the explosive situation — may limit American participa- tion. The conference would br- ing together Jewish legis- lators from Israel, the United States, Canada, Bulgaria, Panama, the United Kingdom, Ireland, France, Venezuela, Costa Rica, South Africa, Den- mark, Italy, Hungary, Brazil and Argentina to discuss common concerns.