" Page 4 --The Michigan Daily - Friday, September 7, 1990 Ube ridthjan Butie EDITED AND MANAGED BY STUDENTS AT THE UNIVERSITY OF MICHIGAN 420 Maard Street Ann Arbor, ichigan 48109 S eems n NOAH FINKEL Editor in Chief DAVID SCHWARTZ Opinion Editor Unsigned editorials represent a majority of the Daily's Editorial Board. All other cartoons, signed articles, and letters do not necessarily represent the opinion of the Daily. The Persian Gulf CpntfO1Aivh3 Ca~fps - wUde plv- rv{ r6and 1 eevpw n3ti.eAnd v100 lit s ItotLin? .. Co )L&'crebeng ' tcfi 1 DIdri~ I 01 The world - not just the JUST AS ANOTHER UNEVENTFUL summer edged into August, the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait captured the world's attention. Saddam Hussein's unprovoked and unjustified aggression warranted the swift international con- demnation it elicited, but better fore- sight could have averted the crisis alto-_ gether. U.. It is in the world's best interest to stop Saddam Hussein, both for eco- nomic and humanitarian reasons. Though the economies of most of the world's countries are far too dependent on the oil industry, the fact remains that unrest in the oil-rich Middle East has severe ramifications around the globe. Appeasing Hussein by reacting weakly to the invasion of Kuwait might only serve as encouragement for a future in- yasion of another oil-exporting coun- -couy, with Saudi Arabia serving as a possible target. a If Iraq ever gains control of the Saudi oil fields, Hussein would di- rectly control nearly 40 percent of the world's oil reserves. Needless to say, M tsch a development could prove a calamity for the rest of the world. . Aside from economic considerations within the United States and most other nations, the invasion of Kuwait vio- lMted respected rights of national sbvereignty. Though the United States a has unjustifiably attacked and invaded bther countries (e.g. Panama) or sup- ported such activity (e.g. Israel's inva- sion of Lebanon), these actions should be contested and roundly opposed each time they occur. Unfortunately, what began as a multi-national effort to oppose Iraq has become a U.S.-led military operation, with few countries other than the United States playing an active role. The notion of an economic embargo of Iraq, supported and directed by the United Nations, is sound policy, though humanitarian items such as food and medical supplies should be excluded from the embargo. The na- tions of the world, which were so vo- cal in their criticism of Iraq following the invasion, should now contribute in tfie effort to facilitate the Iraqi with- drawal from Kuwait. but the U.S. must brea U.S.-must stop Iraq... In addition to the embargo, which will have questionable impact in the first several months, the UN should take control of the defense of Saudi Arabia. After Iraqi troops massed at the Kuwaiti-Saudi border, there was much talk of deploying a joint "peace-keep- ing" force in Saudi Arabia to deter an Iraqi invasion. Yet in the weeks following, the joint effort has deteriorated and the United States is the predominant force in Saudi Arabia. As President Bush continues to call up more of the nation's reserves, the threat of sinking the United States into a full-fledged military commitment is increasing. Both to spread the burden of averting war in the Middle East and to prevent the U.S. from becoming firmly entrenched in the region, the defense of Saudi Arabia should be un- dertaken by a multi-national UN mili- tary force, which would include U.S. troops. Finally, after discussing the present crisis in the Persian Gulf, it is impor- tant to understand how the situation evolved into its current state. Saddam Hussein, whom George Bush and many congressional leaders now com- pare to Adolf Hitler, has been a major recipient of U.S. aid. Throughout its decade-long war with Iran, Iraq was a major beneficiary of the United States. Even after Hussein used poison gases to kill thousands of his own citi- zens, the United States continued its support. As recently as two months ago, there was speculation that trade barriers with Iraq would be completely lifted. What this demonstrates is the true interests of the-United States. Rather than stop a deadly killer, as the United, States and the world could have tried to do years ago, the Reagan and Bush administrations helped Hussein to build and, consolidate his power. As inevitably happens, the policy of arm- ing a killer has backfired on the United States. Aside from the lives thrown into turmoil by the Iraqi invasion of Kuwait, the real shame lies in the short-sightedness of American foreign policy. U' cops: Students' finances and rights will suffer By David Schwartz University officials are touting their fledgling police force, approved over the summer by the Board of Regents, as a much-needed measure to counter students' fears about crime on campus. Unfortu- nately, the new police force brings with it. a high cost for students - in terms of both finances and civil rights - while failing to adequately respond to students' concerns about safety. mu. In the past, the University paid the City of Ann Arbor $500,000 a year to provide patrols of campus. A new Univer- sity department to control a new police force, complete undoubtedly with excess bureaucracy, will cost millions to set up and maintain. Further, the cost of hiring, training and equiping campus police offi- cers will surely be measured in hundreds of thousands of dollars - no one yet knows. the total expense. Essentially, the University is scrapping a system which costs half a million dol- lars to.implement one which could easily cost 10 times as much. This added cost will surely make its way onto our tuition bills, as part of yet another double-digit increase in the cost of a U-M education. To make matters worse, Ann Arbor of- ficials are fuming over the revenue they're losing from the University. In addition to forming its police force, the University is planning to keep the money resulting from parking fines accumulated in campus lots - about $600,000 a year- money which formerly went to the city. In retaliation, the city is considering new measures of its own. The city council will likely consider proposals which Schwartz, an LSA senior, is the Daily Opinion Editor., would recover some of the revenue; ideas discussed so far include plans to tax tu- ition and football tickets - which again place the financial burden on students. After examining the monumental ex- pense of a private, University-controlled police force, one must ask whether the benefits outweigh the costs. Specifically, will the new police force protect students better than the old one? ing to pay more money for a new systen, that promises to be no better than the o one? The answer most likely has to do with University control over students, a subject which has received much attention since the inauguration of President James Duderstadt two years ago. During the last two years, the adminis- tration has implemented controls on stu- dent protest, and has tried, so far unsuc- Essentially, the University is scrapping a system which costs half a million dollars to implement one which could easily cost 10 times as much. This added cost will surely make its way onto our tuition bills. As it appears, the answer is no. The new officers will likely be similar to Ann Arbor cops in every aspect except whom they obey. The survey of students used by the regents to justify the police force showed that students fear rape and theft most of all - not surprising, and proba- bly indicative of most communities. A new police force will have no advan- tage in fighting rape or theft - or any other crime - over the Ann Arbor police. Especially in cases of rape, a dozen cops wandering campus won't solve the prob- lem - in truth, probably only increased education and awareness will. And because the majority of sexual as- saults occur between people acquainted with one another, any police effort short of placing a guard outside each dorm room will likely fail. Money would be better spent to increase lighting, especially off- campus, and to expand effective programs like Safewalk and Northwalk.- So why, then, is the University choos- cessfully, to limit student speech and ac- tivity. Duderstadt and the regents, by their own admission, hope to adopt a compre- hensive code of student conduct - includ ing non-academic conduct - as soon as possible. While a University-run police force may not be any more effective at fighting crime, it would be a useful tool for the administration, which could unleash gun- wielding cops on students to break up protests or parties. Revealing of the University's intent is a conversation I had with the University' head of propaganda, Walter Harrision, a last year's Hash Bash. Harrison, after fail- ing to convince an Ann Arbor police sergeantto break up the rally on the Diag, turned to me and said, "Next year is going to be different." Unless students convince the Univer- sity to abandon its plan for a private po- lice force, he'll probably be right. its oil dependency IN AN UNUSUALLY OPEN DISPLAY A culture which worships decadence, of intentions, the U.S. Government wealth and waste - as well as endless, has been remarkably candid about its profit-motivated industrial expansion aspirations during the current Gulf cri- - is digging its own grave, and threat- sis. And well it should be. Because ening the lives of the world's people. while economic self-interest and Oil spills themselves are only a visible strategic gains were never far from the reminder of the environmental damage surface in recent U.S. actions - no- caused by the dependence on fossil fuel tably the last year's invasion of Panama combustion and the use of natural re- - the profit motive in the current con- sources at an unsustainable rate. flict is clearly a primary factor behind Even before the crisis, a recession the decision to move in the military. was widely predicted for the end of the The easy analysis says the United year. Conveniently for President Bush States is protecting its oil interests. And and Washington's economic planners, even though the combined oil resources the crisis in the Gulf, and the subse- of Iraq and Kuwait are not enough to quent increase in oil prices, is a perfect totally dominate the world market - scapegoat. In addition, the crisis has Sard they make up only a small percent- shifted attention away from other gov- age of U.S. imports - oil in a general emmental problems, including the sense is still behind the government's multi-billion dollar savings and loan Obncem. The world-wide dependence bailout and the ever-growing federal On Middle East oil by the industrialized deficit. and underdeveloped nations alike make Now, although recession is still upon cpntrol over the region an essential us, Bush is seen as having acted to : mponent in any U.S. strategy to protect the economy through economic Either its global economic interests. and military intervention. However bad ~ -'That dependence has deepened more it is, the Bush administration is likely iu- the United States than elsewhere in to say, it would have been that much recent years. Low oil prices - which worse without U.S. action. Iraq's Saddam Hussein was trying to ur idisrupt -- have driven U.S. oil pro- As oil became scarce in the 1970s ction to a 25-year low, while con- and lines at the gas pump continued to : e ation and alternative energy efforts grow, political leaders vowed to move ve been squandered. the country away from economic de- -.-rhe combined interests of oil and pendence on Middle East oil. Yet in the } wapto companies have largely prevented relative prosperity of the last decade, government support for either of two attempts at developing alternative fuels essential steps: the development of safe were shunned, and Americans contin- (but not necessarily profitable) alterna- ued to gorge themselves on the world's