Page 4 September 17, 1990
Middle East crisis
hits close to home
From page 1
Derek predicts that this situation in
the Middle East will worsen. "If this
becomes a war," he says, "it would be
the doom of most of the people I know
over there."
Heather Baldwin
Marine Safe For Now
Former BC student Heather
Baldwin says she is "safe for now in the
midst of the crisis in the Gulf. Heather,
who is a lance corporal in the Marine
Reserves and a sophomore at East
Carolina University, isn't pleased with
the situation in Kuwait.
"I'm very scared," she says,"if I
have to go, I will...but I won't be happy
about it."
Heather, whose reserve unit is in
charge of supplies ("beans, bullets and
bandages"), says her responsibilities
focus on "...being a pencil-pusher
behind the lines; securing rear areas. If I
went," she says, "I'd just go do my
duties in clerical work, but --" she adds,
"No one is really safe over there. You
never know what will happen."
Because she is a student reservist,
if she were called, she would have to
withdraw from school. "I don't want to
leave school," she says, "but the
University has said they would allow
reservists to withdraw without penalty
and they would receive a refund for the
semester."
Heather says when she first became
aware of the situation in the Gulf, "...it
just knocked the air out of me. I was
sitting in my living room watching the
news when President Bush came on and
said he was sending the Reserves."
She says, "Every time I hear news
about what's going on over there, my
heart beats faster."
Heather doesn't see a peaceful
solution in the future. "It's not an 'if it
happens' anymore," she says.
"Somebody's going to get an itchy
trigger finger."
Not only is she worried about her
future but she also has friends and
acquaintances in the same situation. "I
have one friend on active duty. He'll be
over there for probably six months. I'm
worried about him." She continues, "I
also wonder about friends I've met in
service. I wonder where they are — if
they're over there. I'll be keeping them
in my prayers
Erik Gibbs
'Somewhere in the Gulf
"I just never thought one of my
kids would be involved in this,” says
Naomi Gibbs, former director of BC's
Learning Center.
Ms. Gibbs, who is on leave of
abscnce, studying at Appalachian State
University this year, says she isn't suix*
where in the Persian Gulf her son Erik
is.
The Clarion
V* VV«!S'
Brevard College Reservists John Massie (left) and Craig Register
"He called me on August 13," she
says. "He said his mission was so
secret, he couldn't tell me whether he
was on land or water... I heaid airplanes,
though. So I think he's on an aircraft
carrier."
Erik, who is in the Navy, has
already celebrated his 21st birthday in
the Middle East. Ms. Gibbs says her
son has a "real positive attitude about
this, and," she says, "believes in his
reason for being there."
Dale Wiener
A Special Perspective
BC Director of Financial Affairs
Dale Wiener has a special understanding
of the crisis in the Gulf.
As a 27-year veteran and retired
Colonel in the Air Force, Wiener says
he feels positive about situations in the
Gulf soon diminishing. "I like the way
it has unfolded." he says. "I don't
anticipate a shooting war."
Wiener also has a personal interest
■in the situation. His son, Chris, a BC
graduate and a student at UNC-
Charlotte, is also in the Army Reserves.
"Chris doesn't serve in one of the
specialized fields selected for call-up,"
says Wiener. He has, though, been
alerted that he may be called to help in
out-processing." Wiener says Chris, if
called, will assist in loading and
preparing other units with are Gulf-
bound.
Wiener says he is comfortable with
the United States' actions in the Gulf so
far. "Under President Bush's leadership,
we were able to gain support of other
countries. Until very recently," he
explains, "we lived in a bi-polar world.
The U.S. and the Soviets had different
allies." He continues, "Now as a result
of Glasnost, there has been a lessening
of hostilities between East and West.
These Third World nations who were
caught between siding with the U.S. and
siding with the USSR found it easier to
commit to our sanctions."
Concerning the United States'
decision to impose an embargo on Iraq,
Wiener says, "Generally, embargoes
don't work. However, this blockade
will work because everyone is
parucipating." He says because Iraq is a
land-locked nation surrounded by hostile
countries, the sanctions the United
Nations have taken will be especially
effective.
Wiener does not refer to Saddam
Hussein as a "mad man". "I don't think
he's totally crazy," he says. "He realizes
he has miscalculated. He knows he has
to save face."
Wiener also says that the hostage
situation isn't benefitting Hussein any.
"Hostages require a lot of care," he says.
Hes dealing with so many foreign
employees."
Wiener does not foresee hostilities
in the Gulf to escalate. He remains
confident that the diplomatic sanctions
enforced by the United Nations will
work as a solution to occurrences in the
Middle EasL
Whatever the outcome, BC
students, faculty, administration have
been forced to face the Gulf Crisis head
on as it affects them here at home.
Hostages are
people...
• •
not statistics
by Derek Bauer
Clarion Reporter
When I was asked to write an
article about Kuwait and how I felt
about it, I found words hard to come by.
Now, after living there two years, that
seems silly to me, but when you have a
lot of emotions about something it is
sometimes hard to focus on them.
On August 31,1990, my parents
called me from South Carolina. I talked
first to my dad, then my mom, and
lastly my little brother. The usual
things were said - you know: "I love
you, how are classes? Miss you..." and
so on.
We were about to end the
telephone call when my dad got back on
the line and said, "Son, there is
something I've got to tell you. Bobby
and Odessa have been in a wreck."
"Wait!" I exclaimed. My dad
explained the situation to me. Mr. and
Mrs. Bobby and Odessa Higgins were
trapped in Kuwait and had been one of
the families ordered to go to Baghdad,
Iraq. They started their drive fine, but
along the way they were involved in an
accident. Bobby Higgins received a
broken arm, cuts and bruises, and
Odessa Higgins is in critical condition
in Kuwait Mubarek Hospital. Now there
are little to no medical supplies in
Kuwait. I said good-bye to my father
and hung up the phone.
I was dazed for a second after I
hung up. Mr and Mrs. Higgins had been
like a second family to me in Kuwait.
In fact, I drove with them last
Christmas from Kuwait to Baghdad, on
vacation.
My insides were tom up, I had to
go outside and walk around. It was
around 10 p.m. and totally dark. I left
Green Dorm and ended upon a little
walk-bridge that crosses the stream
which runs through campus. I stood
there with my hands on the rail,
watching the stars and listening to the
running water. I began to cry soft, silent
tears.
Through those tears I wondered
out loud if I would ever see any of those
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