david molho

0n diplomacy and

the wonders of Communism

There are a few things that are
bothering me this week. Some are
very-serious, and some aren’t so
serious, but they are bothering me.

Poi-starters. Iranian students are
holding American hostages in the U.S.
embassy in Teheran. The Iranian
government is also preventing the

ep 'ture from Iran of many
Americans and forcing them into the
embassy as hostages

First of all, an embassy is the
sovereign territory of the nation it
represents. The U. S. embassy" in
Teheran' is no less a part of America

than Kansas. An invasion of the U.S.

The diplomatic eliorts made by
United Nations Secretary-General
Kurt Waldheim and President Carter
have been rebuffed by the Ayatollah.
When diplomatic eilorts fail and there
are American lives at stake (in this
case, over so), the United States
government should not hesitate to take
whatever action is necessary to ensure
the safety of United States citizens,

I am not advocating a declaration of
war by the United States, but the use
Of the Marines to rescue United States
citizens is not a far»letched idea. The
Israelis and West Germans see their
way clear to use special tactical units

An invasion of the U.S. embassy

is of no less importance

than an invasion of Seattle...

the use of the Marines to rescue

United States citizens is not a far-fetched idea.

embassy is of no less importance than
:ahinvasion of Seattle. The invasion,
. nd subsequent takeover of the U.S.
:embassy, is in Violation of interna-
Itional law.
The Iranians’ second violation of in-
rnational law is that their act is an
ct of terrorism. Holding hostages for
litical ransom is an act of terv
'rorism, and is repugnant to interna-
_ii0nal law.
. Thirdly, these students have
demanded the return of the shah to
Iran, It is most unlortunate that no
one has bothered to tell the students
that the shah is only in the United
states temporarily, and that he is
currently a resident of Mexico. If the
Iranians want the shah so badly, they
should take the issue up with the Mex-
ican government.
- Finally, the ultimate insult to our in-
telligence is that Iran demands U.S
cooperation, and then cam-o their
friendship treaty with the Unittltl
Slam

14'

to rescue their citizens from ter- ,
rorisLs. I realize that Iran is a special
case in that it supplies the United
States with oil. The United States only
receives 1% of its oil from Iran. and
that might be cut off by the Ayatollah
ii the shah is not returned to Iran.

The United States should take
decisive action immediately. It is a
dangerous position when any fly-
specked little country on Earth,
whether they supply the United States
with oil or not, can kick us around. It
sets a precedent for other little nations
to follow.

0n the domestic iront, the recent ace
tions by the press with regards to the
presidential election are most
disconcerting. The actions to which i
am referring are the continual
glamour given by the press to the
meaningless ~traw polls that are being
i-oniliii-ii-il in nus parts or the coun-
try 'l‘lil-w polls k potential
violounii-s m (hi: party convention

whom their preference for president
is.

There is nothing wrong with a poll to
find out what people are thinking, or
whom they prefer to occupy the Oval
Office. Most polls are conducted scien»
tilically, with certain specific
breakdowns in population, region, in
come level, etc., and most of these
polls are within 3%, either way, oi
showing what the nation as a whole is
thinking. But these straw polls are
taken at party fund raisers, and
whichever candidate sells the most
tickets is going to win the poll,

Don’t misread me, these straw polls
are line, but my objection is that the
national press has made them out to
be indicators of how the entire party is
thinking in that particular State. This
is the most ridiculous thing I have
ever heard.

Not so long ago, it was considered
bad taste to start advertising for
Christmas before Thanksgiving. Now,
retailers begin their advertising cams
paigns before Halloween, So, too, it is
with the presidential campaign.

New Hampshire hosts the iirst
primary in February. It used to be
held in March. This primary was
always the first indicator of how the
election year was going to go,

Now, the first important “test" of
the candidates’ strength is the Iowa
caucuses held in mieranuary. Before
we know it, the campaign will be a
two year process instead of the absurd
year—long process it is now, The
presidential campaign used to be a
nine or ten month ordeal, but that was
in the days of party bosses, and before
the selection of the president became
a free for- all.

One final note: The current situ don
in Cambodia is appalling. The wor
can, and should. come to the aid of the
starving Cambodians, This, unfor—
tunately, is what happens when the
government systematicallykills the
educated portion of the population in
the quest for a peasant state. Isn't
Communism wonderful".

Scarlet & Block,

 

