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Iran And Militant Islam
The Bush administration was right not to
authorize the sale to Iran of a large chemi-
cal plant, a byproduct of which would be hy-
drogen cyanide, which is used in chemical
warfare. What remains unclear, however, is
whether BP Chemical, the American sub-
sidiary of British Petroleum, will be allowed
to reapply for an export license for the plant
when the Clinton administration takes over.
We urge the incoming president to also reject
the sale and to look critically upon all similar
proposals.
Iran represents the vanguard of militant
Islamic fundamentalism (see story on page
31) that is violently opposed to Western in-
terests. Israel, of course, is the fundamental-
ists' whipping boy: their first target for
elimination in a grand scheme to install Mus-
lim theocracies from North Africa to South-
east Asia, and beyond. Iran already has an
active chemical weapons program and is try-
ing to acquire nuclear weapons as well. Iran
is a principal backer of radical Palestinian Is-
lamic groups like llamas and Hezbollah in
their effort to derail the Mideast peace talks,
and helping Teheran bolster its already for-
midable military machine in any way would
be foolhardy. The sale to Iran of American
technology that can be put to military pur-
poses, even as a byproduct, also undermines
Washington's much ballyhooed effort to get
other nations to stop selling sophisticated mil-
itary equipment to Iran and other terrorist
nations.
This week, officials from 16 Arab govern-
ments met in Tunis to draw up plans to
counter the growing threat of Islamic funda-
mentalism. If they fear the extremists,
shouldn't we?
TH E DETRO IT J EWIS H NEWS
Political Pardon
Vs. Jonathan Pollard
It is ironic that a paper as
gung-ho for a pardon for
Jonathan Pollard is so upset
over President Bush's pardon
of Caspar Weinberger. The
six-year, multi-million dollar
political effort by Mr. Walsh
has produced a series of in-
dictments, most of which
were thrown out of court and
with no major convictions.
The last indictment of Mr.
Weinberger came four days Jonathon Pollard on his way to prison.
before the election in an ob- who are well connected to
viously politically-inspired President George Bush are
ploy and was thrown out by a pardoned without spending
judge two weeks later.
one day in prison for deceiv-
At the same time you were ing Congress on the Iran-
upset over these pardons, Contra affair; while another
which are part of the political government official who tried
give-and-take, you continue to to prevent genocide and warn-
press for the release of ed us on an imminent danger
Jonathan Pollard. There is a to Israel is spending his life
difference between a political
behind bars.
vendetta and the treason of
Jonathan Pollard has spent
selling out your country for seven years of his life in
money.
prison where his human
R. Hugh Uhlmann rights are continuously being
Kansas City
trampled. After seven years of
petitions and calls for com-
mutation of sentence by
Weinberger Vs.
George Bush has
Pollard: An Injustice thousands,
turned his back on these
It is appalling that some appeals.
government officials, in-
The message is that if you
cluding Caspar Weinberger, are rich, powerful and have
responsibilities . . . I could af-
ford to enjoy my reserve duty,
just like the author of your
story.
One day I entered the real
world. My first reserve duty
as a married man was only 27
days after my marriage. The
war in Lebanon was still on.
I was stationed, thank God,
not in Lebanon, but still
somewhere where I was
unable to contact my wife.
Communication by radio was
difficult.
My roommate was unable
to keep in contact with his
business. My captain wanted
to talk with his kids. Our
cook owned a restaurant that
just can't close down for 30
days a year.
Why does Mr. Marcus feel
that reserve duty is a rewar-
ding break? For those who
had families to support, the
reserve duty check would not
stretch. For those who owned
small businesses that would
have to close for 30 days a
year, their mind-set was how
to survive . . . Mr. Marcus,
look deeper into that com-
radeship. The jokes are sur-
vival. The duty is reality.
Never consider the possibility
that military duty is a release
from civilian life.
Mayer Fox
Oak Park
Dec. 25 Helpers
For 45 Years
connection with the presi-
dent, you are above the law. Is
the United States a Third
World country when it comes
to the administration of
justice?
Aaron Swirski
West Bloomfield
Israeli Reserve
Duty No Joke
I enjoyed your fairy tale,
"Commander America" (Jan.
1). Reserve duty can be a
rewarding break. Your story
is just that.
I was drafted in 1981. I ad-
mit it, I enjoyed my military
service and I recommend the
two-year program. But, I was
single and didn't have any
It was unfortunate that our
article outlining the Depart-
ment of Michigan Jewish War
Veterans' trips to Michigan
VA medical centers arrived at
your office after your holiday
deadline.
I am sure that the
thousands of Michigan
Jewish War Veterans as well
as your many more thousands
of other readers would have
liked to hear about these
hospital visits on the Dec. 25
holiday as they read your
wonderful, heartfelt article
on the help given by Jewish
organizations to help needy
non-Jews celebrate their
Christmas.
On Dec. 25, almost a hun-
dred Jewish War Veteran and
Ladies Auxiliary members
visited three Michigan VA
hospitals . . . Many of the
same members have been
making the Dec. 25 trip for 45
years. And, it's all made
possible by our generous
Jewish community buying
poppies during the May pop-
py drive .. .
Bernard Gross
Department of Michigan
Jewish War Veterans
Avi Weiss
Rejecting Criticism
Of Rabbi Weiss
Mr. Kandel's view of Rabbi
Avi Weiss (Letters, Jan. 1) is
that he is ego-centered and a
self-appointed guardian of
Jewish rights. However, for
those Jews for whom he fights
all over the world, he is a
hero! He is not of the mind-set
of sha shtill.
Rabbi Weiss is an activist
for Jews, and if he embar-
rasses some Jews and some
Jewish agencies, that is their
problem!
Rae Sharfman
West Bloomfiel
One Disputed Point
Ruins The Article
Rabbi Elimelech Goldberg
(Dec. 25) wins no credibility
with this engineer by quotin
the Maharal's convoluted
theories of geometry. A circle
does not become a smaller cir-
cle on the removal of a point;
it becomes a line! .. .
The emotional appeal of the
poetic pronouncements o
philosophers must be resisted
in favor of the Boolian logic of
the scientific method. Feel-
ings and instincts can be
manipulated by clever rhet-
oric. The demarkation bet-
ween fantasy and fanaticis
is ambiguous.
I got very little from the
rabbi's ethereal rambling.
Perhaps I was prejudiced
against his other italicized
sources by the erroneous in-
formation gleaned from the
Maharal.
Dennis L. Green
Detroit