
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: SUNDAY, March 16, 1991                   TAG: 9103190376
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-11   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: WILLIS M. ANDERSON
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Medium

FORTUNATELY, WAR DECISION NOT UP TO PAPER OR LOCAL DEMOCRATS

AS THE COUNTRY welcomes the return of our first veterans of the Gulf War after one of the most brilliant military campaigns in history, we continue to be thankful for the leadership of President Bush. At the same time, we wonder why we in Western Virginia were so poorly served in a time of crisis by our two members of the House of Representatives - Jim Olin and Rick Boucher - and by the editorial page of our leading newspaper.

On Jan. 12 - three days before the United Nations deadline - the Times & World-News trumpeted in a double-column editorial that we should choose sanctions over war. It opined that "military madness" could result if Congress gave President Bush power to use force against Iraq.

The consequences of such use of force were set forth in the editorial in horrifying detail: "The tragedy would be of enormous proportion if hostilities break out unnecessarily, while other options that could have been left open were prematurely forfeited." Also, "[T]he coalition supporting sanctions is fragile" and "may well break up in conditions of war," and "If Iraq attacks Israel . . . which Arabs will fight alongside America and Israel against fellow Arabs?" The consequences of war "would include casualties probably in the hundreds of thousands. The anti-Americanism that war would unleash could harm stability in the region and U.S. interests for a long, long time."

And on and on, after which the editorial concluded that Congress "should put off a decision on war."

Congress almost did. The vote in support of the president was a narrow one. Olin and Boucher joined Virginia's newest liberal, Jim Moran, against the president. Our state's four Republicans and the remaining Democrats in the House voted to authorize force, as did Sens. Warner and Robb.

All of this newspaper's dire editorial predictions came to naught. The air war was followed by a ground campaign that ended in victory after 100 hours. Kuwait was liberated. The road to Baghdad lay undefended, but we wisely decided to halt the offensive and leave Saddam Hussein to the growing wrath of his own people.

In light of everything we now know about Saddam Hussein, it is not difficult to imagine what the situation would be today if the editorial advice had been followed.

First, we can be sure that Saddam would be defiantly resisting the blockade, salvaging all remaining resources for his military while allowing the civilian population to suffer. The pillage of Kuwait would be unabated. Tensions among coalition members would be on the rise as the chorus of support for Saddam from radical Arabs grew louder.

The most serious consequence is inaction, however, would have been to our armed forces. Think of a half-million troops - highly trained, superbly equipped, poised and ready - but condemned to wait in the desert month after tedious month as the sandstorms of spring gave way to the heat of another summer. And yes, the people of America would be worried about the war yet to come had they listened to this newspaper and the Olin-Boucher Democrats in Congress.

Instead, we rejoice that the war is over. We face the daunting problems of the Middle East with concern, but secure in our confidence in President Bush, who marshaled world opinion, assembled a great air, sea and land armada and led it step by confident step to victory.

by CNB