THE VIRGINIAN-PILOT
Copyright (c) 1996, Landmark Communications, Inc.
DATE: Friday, September 6, 1996 TAG: 9609060563
SECTION: FRONT PAGE: A10 EDITION: FINAL
SOURCE: BY CHARLENE CASON, STAFF WRITER
DATELINE: ABOARD COAST GUARD CUTTER LEGARE LENGTH: 72 lines
Iraqi leader Saddam Hussein is constantly trying new military adventures, but he's a slow learner when it comes to using his ideas against coalition forces in the Persian Gulf, Defense Secretary William J. Perry said Thursday.
The latest Middle East crisis did not stop Perry from fulfilling a previous commitment to making his quarterly ``senior enlisted service members visit.''
The top ranking enlisted from the Navy, Army, Air Force, Marine Corps and Coast Guard accompanied Perry aboard the Legare, anchored in Hampton Roads near Norfolk Naval Station.
The U.S. missile attack on Iraq, brought on by Saddam's order to attack the Kurd city of Irbil on Monday, was topic No. 1.
``When we attacked we were operating in a way that suited our interests; it wasn't a reaction to Saddam's actions,'' Perry said. ``What we do beyond enforcing the no-fly zone depends on what he does. If he challenges us, he is making a big mistake.''
Perry said he ``would have thought by now the Iraqi people might have discovered what a poor leader Saddam is. Maybe they have concluded that's the case but the secret police have kept it quiet.''
Asked whether the United States can expect any help from its allies in patrolling the recently expanded no-fly zone over Iraq, Perry said, ``we'll just have to watch carefully in the next week or so and see what they do. All of the allies certainly believe that Saddam Hussein is dangerous.''
Two aging Air Force B-52 bombers were used in the first strike Tuesday, firing 13 of the 27 missiles directed at Iraqi military installations. Perry said that the underlying assumption of the public is that the Navy could have handled any strikes ordered by the White House.
``But we wanted to demonstrate to Saddam Hussein that we have many ways to attack,'' Perry said.
He said that, in keeping the scheduled visit to the 270-foot Legare during this week of escalating action in the Middle East, he was showing how important the Coast Guard is to the Department of Defense.
``The Defense Department is not a law enforcement agency,'' he said, so the Navy can only help fight in the counter-narcotics war if it joins forces with the Coast Guard.
That's because of legislation enacted more than 100 years ago that made the Coast Guard the law enforcement segment of the armed forces. While the Coast Guard technically is part of the Department of Transportation, Perry referred to it as one of the branches of the armed forces.
He said the Defense Department is spending $800 million a year to fight drug trafficking. Add to that ``the 10,000 people who work arm in arm with the Coast Guard and the $300 million per year we spend in equipment, and you have a $2 billion investment. That's not small change,'' he said.
While he was onboard Legare, Perry witnessed a mock boarding of a Panamanian-registered vessel carrying cocaine. The cutter Aquidneck became the Navy frigate Aquidneck to demonstrate Navy-Coast Guard collaboration.
A Coast Guard boarding crew assigned to the mock Navy vessel used an inflatable boat to approach the alleged criminal vessel. In reality, it was a local recreational boat manned by Coast Guard Auxiliary volunteers.
The defense secretary also re-enlisted a young Coast Guardsman during his visit; Petty Officer 2nd Class Mark DiGennaro signed up for another six years of duty.
Perry completed his remarks to the 100-member crew of the Legare by saying, ``Thank you for the super job you're doing for the Defense Department, and for your service.'' ILLUSTRATION: Photos
Secretary of Defense William Perry spoke aboard the U.S. Coast Guard
Cutter Legare.
MARTIN SMITH-RODDEN/The Virginian-Pilot
Several Coast Guard vessels participated in a mock drug enforcement
boarding for the benefit of Secretary of Defense William Perry, who
was visiting Hampton Roads today. by CNB