Path: bloom-picayune.mit.edu!snorkelwacker.mit.edu!news.media.mit.edu!americast.com!americast.com!usa-post Newsgroups: usa-today.issues,americast.usa-today.issues From: usa-post@AmeriCast.Com Organization: American Cybercasting Approved: usa-post@AmeriCast.com Subject: issues Mon, Aug 24 1992 Date: Mon, 24 Aug 92 04:10:13 EDT Message-ID: 08-24 0000 DECISIONLINE: Issues & Debate USA TODAY Update August 24, 1992 Source: USA TODAY:Gannett National Information Network Here are some of the issues and topics being debated across the nation Monday morning in USA TODAY: Peace, Election. TODAY'S DEBATE - MIDDLE EAST: USA TODAY'S OPINION: President Bush took justifiable pride in his international accomplishments when he accepted the Republican presidential nomination last week. But one of his potential accomplishments - a Mideast peace - could be endangered this week in the wake of Secretary of State James Baker's exit to take over as White House chief of staff. It was Baker who skillfully and patiently cajoled Israelis and Arabs to begin the peace process. But as the latest round of talks begins in Washington today, his absence ... could endanger the fragile effort. Bush, Baker and his successor, foreign policy veteran Lawrence Eagleburger, must ensure this rare opportunity doesn't evaporate due to their inattention. ... This round is the first since moderate Yitzhak Rabin became Israeli prime minister in July. Already, he has curbed new Israeli settlements in Palestinian areas. Sunday, he also eased conditions for Palestinians and hinted more concessions would come in days ahead. Palestinians, who have made their own concessions in the past, responded by hinting they'd offer more ... Talks have advanced this far because Baker successfully portrayed the U.S. as an "honest broker" and persisted until all factions agreed to meet. But Arabs question whether the United States still can play that role after giving Israel $10 billion in loan guarantees this month. Both sides worry that Baker's exit could leave the talks rudderless. OTHER VIEW: DOUG BANDOW, a senior fellow at the Cato Institute: An election-minded Bush administration is playing host to yet another round of Middle East peace talks. Hopes are high after the victory of Yitzhak Rabin's Labor Party in Israel's election, but experience suggests that little is likely to come from the negotiations. ... the issues between Israel and its Arab neighbors reflect thousands of years of painful history. Finding acceptable compromises is no easy task. Moreover, Rabin ... is no peacenik. As Israel's defense minister, he developed the brutal response to the Palestinian intifada in the occupied territories. ... there would seem to be little harm in encouraging the parties to talk. But holding negotiations in Washington ... hardly seems conducive to the serious bargaining necessary to resolve the Mideast's myriad bitter conflicts. ... there is little the USA can do to promote peace. The Bush administration hopes to buy results with $10 billion in loan guarantees. ... that much money is not enough to get Israel to make politically sensitive concessions, (but) it is more than enough to damage the overburdened U.S. economy. ... By all means, encourage Israel and its neighbors to talk. But let them negotiate in their part of the world, and without the USA hovering over them. VOICES ACROSS THE NATION ON EXPECTATIONS FOR THE CAMPAIGN: HERNDON, Va., Frederick Vincent, 44, middle-school teacher: I expect more mudslinging. It's a no-holds-barred situation, and I think it's going to get worse before it's over. That's a shame. I hope that before the election, both candidates will realize there's no need to do that. ROCKLEDGE, Fla., Hillary Mitchell, 19, college student: One of them is going to have to do something spectacular to get ahead of the other. There's so much controversy between Clinton and Bush, it's going to be a hard choice. Frankly, I don't care much for either one. I kind of wish Ross Perot had stayed in. RIDGECREST, Calif., Bret Jacobson, 34, physicist: The economy is the major concern. Bush will attack the Democratic Congress as representative of Clinton; Clinton will point the finger at Bush. Neither will have the courage to tell us we as a nation must live within our means and quit taking from our children. SIOUX FALLS, S.D., Shirley Halleen,57, pub. rel. consultant: I wish I could say it's going to be a real above-board campaign. I think it's going to be kind of dirty. It's very scary. I would really like to see a campaign on issues. I would like to see them stop using the sleaze. Issues & Debate Editor: Kate Coughlin. (1-919-855-3491) Making copies of USA TODAY Update (Copyright, 1992) for further distribution violates federal law. This article is copyright 1992 Gannett News Service. Redistribution to other sites is not permitted except by arrangement with American Cybercasting Corporation. For more information, send-email to usa@AmeriCast.COM