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The Collegiate
Page 2 September 1-6, 1981
Reagan’s Arms Plan
VIEWPOINTS
Letters to the
Controversial
By Emic Lee
Even those Americans who
arc at best somewhat apprehen
sive of the new economic poh-
cies of the Reagan adminis
tration would nevertheless
agree that the President has
demonstrated a legislative
prowess that has astounded
even Reagan’s most ardent
critics. However, despite the
apparent legislative expertise of
the current administration. Pre
sident Reagan will undoubtedly
face a tremendous battle over
his controversial plan to sell five
of the highly sophisticated Air
borne Warning and Control
System (AWACS) aircraft as
part of an arms package in
excess of $8 billion to Saudi
Arabia.
Despite the Administration’s
assertion that the planes would
be used by the Saudis to counter
possible Soviet moves into the
Arabian oil fields which are so
vital to the West, these planes
could conceivably pose a major
threat to the security of one of
America’s staunchest allies, the
state of Isreal. This notion was
reinforced quite recently when
Saudi Arabian Oil Minister
Ashmcd Zahi Yamani stated in
April that Israel, not the Soviet
Union, is his country’s greatest
enemy.
In turn, for the Reagan Ad
ministration to believe that even
with the AWACS and additional
arms, Saudi military power
would be a formidable force
against a major Soviet thrust for
the oil fields is absurd. Other
foreign threats against the
Saudis are highly unlikely, for
even such radical regimes as
Iran or South Yemen would not
dare make a move against the
Saudis unless their attack was
orchestrated with a possible
Soviet invasion.
Furthermore, the internal
disorder in such radical states as
Iran would severely disable that
cx)untry from launching any
major attack, especially against
the desolate expanse of the
Arabian peninsula. The internal
upheaval experienced in most
nations of the Middle East
should further convince U.S.
ofTicials that a massive arms
deal to such a potentially
unstable feudal monarchy,
could threaten the security of
not only the state of Israel but
the U.S. as well, if the sophisti
cated AWACS or other arms
should fall into the hands of an
anti-American Saudi regime.
Recent events in Iran, where
the Ayatolluh Khomeini and his
radical followers inherited a
highly sophisticated war ma
chine from the former Shah
should convince the U.S. of the
dangerous consequences of
such a liberal arms policy.
Although proponents of the plan
state that the current Saudi
government has agreed to cer
tain limitations, including not to
fly the AWACs near the Isreali
border, no written accord has
yet been reached. As a result,
in any future Arab-Israeli war.
the AWACs could conceivably
be used to coordinate Arab air
forces against Israel. The U.S.
Air Force has even boasted
about the awesome capabilities
of the AWACs as well as their
virtual invulnerability to air
attack when escorted by such
modern fighters as the F-15,
which incidentally the Saudis
have purchased from the U.S. as
well.
Therefore, in light of the
hostility that still exists between
the Arabs and the Israelis, as
well as the potential instability
of the Saudi regime, the Reagan
Administration should cancel its
plan to sell the AWACs and
other offensive equipment to the
Saudis. Such a sale would
considerably worsen the already
volatile situation in the Middle
East and lead to future Arab
hostility with the Israelis who
would and should feel threat
ened by the new arms. The
Reagan Administration is defi
nitely taking a dangerous course
by this proposed arms sale and
therefore should halt the proli
feration of such weapons to the
Saudis.
New Method of
Execution Opposed
By Johnny Johntion
For years there has been a
saying that America needs a
better zipper. Unfortunately,
we still do not have that zipper.
But America has reached a new
high in technology. We have,
now, a humane way to kill each
other. Thiopental sodium pan
curonium bromide and potas
sium chloride is the new way.
Thomas Lee “Sonny” Hays,
age 45, is scheduled to become
the first human in the world to
be humanely killed. The drugs
will theoretically flow through a
hypodermic needle into Hays,
render him unconscious and
paralyze his heart. It is thought
that this will make dying no
The Collegiate
Editor John Speight
Assistant Editor Lisa Boykin
Business Manager Lynda Owen
Sports Editor Stan Meihaus
Arts Editor Nancy Tissot
Photographers Jeff MacLennan
Brad Woodard
Harold Williams
Adviser Michael Fukuchi
Staff: Sandy Aldridge, Randy Brantley, Regan Haldeman,
Debbie Jennings, Johnny Johnson. Ernie Lee, Michael
Nixon, Pete Purcell, Robin Sellers. Bill Sledge. Maurica
Smith. Tony Turley, Cathy Walston, and Marty Williams.
more traumatic than falling
asleep.
The drug has, however, never
been tested for safety and
effectiveness. It is possible that
this humane way of killing
people may actually result in
slow and agonizingly painful
deaths that are more barbaric
and hideous than current
methods.
Another drawback is that last
year the American Medical As
sociation ruled that a physician
could not participate in an
execution and at the same time
uphold the Hippocratic Oath.
So the only alternative is to
allow non-doctors to administer
the toxin.
What all of this boils down to
is that another life will be
snuffed out in less than two
minutes. And while it is true
that Hays did kill someone, the
taking of his life will not return
life to Hays’ victim.
Finally, everyone will agree
that a human life is, in all
probability, the most valuable
thing known to man. One has to
wonder whether the state
should have the power to end
man’s most sacred possession—
life!
Editor
Dear Editor,
At the outbreak of World War
1, two men, one an English
Quaker and the other a German
Lutheran pastor, pledged that
even though their countries
were at war they would remain
steadfast friends. Out of this
belief that the friendship of one
man to another supercedes the
squabbling of governments, an
organization called the Fellow
ship of Reconciliation (FOR) was
born. The original Fellowship
has grown considerably since
then. Today, the FOR is active
in 27 countries, with the inter
national secretariat located in
Holland. The Fellowship’s aim
Community Church
Service
The Alpha Kappa Alpha So
rority, Inc., will be sponsoring a
Community Church Service, in
Howard Chapel Sunday, Sept.
20, at 11 a.m.
President Harold Doster will
be the speaker. Music will be
rendered by the Atlantic Chris
tian College Choir. A free will
offering will be collected for a
rest home of the sorority’s
choice in an effort to help fray
some of the rest home’s ex
penses. Alpha Kappa Alpha
cordially invites everyone to
come and to share in this cause
and concern.
is to bring together men and
women of various religious
faiths and denominations to
explore the power of love in re
solving human conflicts. The
phrase, “There is no way to
peace - peace is the way,” is a
clear expression of the belief of
FOR members.
The National FOR and local
FOR members invite all persons
interested in working towards a
world of peace to join the
Fellowship. The following AC
students will be glad to answer
any questions 'Sind to provide
additional information concern
ing the FOR: Tim Browning,
Joel Brame, Greg Coates, Dana
Daniell and Kay Stanley.
Greg Coats
Editorial Policy
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phone number and must con
form to the Associated Press
Style. Grammatical corrections
:liwill be made by the staff. The
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stories is midnight, Friday. Any
writer wishing to give approval
for corrections should do so
before 3 p.m. Saturday. The
Collegiate reserves the right to
edit for length and clarity.
The opinions expressed are
those of the author and do not
necessarily reflect the views of
“The Collegiate”.
Sigma Phi
Announces Pledges
The brothers of Sigma Phi Epsilon would like to announce their
Golden Heart Pledges. They are Melinda Gupton, Julia Sutherland,
Anita Miller, Robin Black, Debbie Womble, Caris Newcomb, Beb
Butler, Sharon Capps and Brenda Watt. ' '
They would also like to announce newly initiated brothers Scott
Major, Jeff MacLennan and George Bryant.
The Sigma Phi Epsilon house is located at 606 West Nash Street.
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