EDITORIAL
The War At Home
Is A Second Front
The war in the Persian Gulf is starting to
have an effect at home — an ugly increase
in anti-Semitic incidents and bomb threats.
The Anti-Defamation League's annual
audit of anti-Semitic vandalism and
harassment in Michigan and the United
States produced an anomaly in 1990. While
the number of incidents reported to the
ADL declined locally, a near-record
number were recorded nationally.
In the three weeks since the United
States and its allies commenced hostilities
against Iraq, however, the Michigan ADL
has received reports of 12 bomb threats
against Detroit area Jewish individuals
and institutions. And the ADL admits that
these are only the incidents reported to its
office; there is no estimate of the number of
unreported incidents.
Coupled with the increase in campus an-
ti-Semitism in Michigan and around the
nation, the audit paints a gloomy picture of
inter-group relations in the United States.
Bashing Arabs, gays, blacks, Jews — any
minority — will continue at a higher rate
during times of national stress, officials
say, and those times are often defined as
during wars and recessions.
The American people have made
tremendous strides on the legal front to
advance civil rights in this country, and
have even had limited success in this area
in the international arena. But it is ob-
vious that much more needs to be done to
turn a national policy into a personal
agenda.
Syria Waits Its limn
In The Persian Gulf
There has been much hand-wringing of
late about how Saddam Hussein was
allowed to become powerful enough, with
the help of the West, to produce chemical
and biological weapons, swallow up
Kuwait and endanger the entire Mideast
region. In retrospect, we see that the
United States played a role, however
unintentionally, by backing Iraq in its
eight-year war against Iran.
Now Washington may be making the
same mistake, supporting one Arab state
— in this case Syria — for its role in oppos-
ing another — Iraq.
There is good reason to believe that
Hafez Assad, the Syrian leader, is as
dangerous as Saddam Hussein, only more
clever. He moves more cautiously, he has
more patience, but his intentions are as
aggressive. Lately, he is spending large
sums of money on new heavy weaponry
from China and North Korea and has reac-
tivated an army division not needed for
defense.
Where did Syria get this new infusion of
funds? Through a $500 million bribe from
the Saudis, with the tacit approval of the
United States, for joining the coalition
against Iraq. And President Bush even met
with Mr. Assad in Syria, ignoring the fact
that Damascus has, and continues to play a
key role in terrorism against the United
States, including harboring the
perpetrator of the Pan Am bombing over
Lockerbie two years ago.
Hafez Assad is up to no good. He believes
that Lebanon, Jordan and Israel are part of
historic Syria and belong to him. He con-
trols most of Lebanon and is waiting for
Jordan to become weakened enough so that
he will be ready to step in when King Hus-
sein falls. And he remains Israel's most
feared enemy, having sought parity so that
his army could take on Israel alone. Only
Israel's military strength has prevented
him from waging another war against
Jerusalem.
The United States is busy doing battle
against one Arab tyrant. But in the pro-
cess, we are helping the next would-be
leader of the Arab world make his move.
Mr. Assad understands and respects force
— Israel is proof of that. The fact that
Washington has been dealing kindly with
him, even though his support of the coali-
tion is not vital, could easily be interpreted
as a sign of weakness, or tacit approval.
Now is the time for the U.S. to get tough
with Mr. Assad. Washington can begin by
pressuring the Saudis to link any future
aid to Mr. Assad to curbing his aggression.
If we don't act now, we could be very sorry
later.
Dry Bones
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The FBI And
Arab Americans
Mr. William Schumer, in
the Jan. 25 letters column,
questions the Jewish Com-
munity Council's calling
upon the FBI to ensure that
necessary steps taken to pro-
tect the United States from
potential terrorist activity do
not trample on the rights of
law-abiding American citi-
zens of Arabic descent.
Is he suggesting that,
because they have Arabic
roots, they are not entitled to
the same constitutional
rights as other Americans?
During World War II,
thousands of Japanese-
Americans were stripped of
their civil righs solely
because of their ancestry. It
was a despicable action that
must not be repeated.
Perhaps Mr. Schumer miss-
ed the first sentence of
our statement, which read,
". . . we fully support the need
to maintain domestic security
. . ." Clearly, the statement in
no way suggested that the
FBI should not undertake to
effectively identify and in-
tercept potential terrorists.
The Jewish Community
Council has long been on
record supporting the rights
of all Americans. We reaffirm
that precedent in these
troubled times.
write. I believe it has shown
the world Israel's true
strength. I believe it has
shown a strength of character,
choosing not to be used by the
madman Hussein. My heart
goes out to Israelis who have
been hurt and killed and to
those who must walk the
streets with gas masks. The
historical significance of the
gas masks is horrid .. .
I hope that when the war is
over the many nations of the
Middle East who have joined
the coalition as allies and the
spirit of cooperation between
non-allied nations can con-
tinue to bring peace to the
region forever .. .
Millie Lannom
Sterling Heights
The Future After
Desert Storm
Paul D. Borman
I support Operation Desert
Storm. It is a calamity; I did
not want it to happen.
However, it is done. We must
see it through to victory; and,
then win the peace. Only then
will it be worth it.
I hope the "important peo-
ple" are thinking very
seriously of the future. I
believe this is very important.
The operation will take time;
it won't be over in another
week.
Last, our troops deserve a
parade for their fortitude,
courage and steadfastness.
President,
Jewish Community Council
Ann Arbor
Israel's Strength
Is Applauded
I am a gentile woman living
in Michigan. I felt compelled
to write. Though I have not
always agreed with the ac-
tions taken by Israel, in this
case, I must commend her.
Her tremendous restraint
shown against the awful bom-
bings by Iraq has led me to
Howard Waldrop