December 1988

12/1/88

1960-77 NYT had 3 editorials on Nicaragua.

White House will prevent disclosure of much “evidence” requested by Ollie North. At same time, RR rules out pardon (which would leave them “under a shadow of guilt”)--but is willing to screw the trial.

After a close election 2 weeks ago in Pakistan, Benazir Bhutto to be president.

Edward Said says the PLO resolution turned it from liberation mvmt to ind mvmt. Also that it is only implied that the Palestinian state will be in occupied territories, that since Israel doesn’t declare its borders, neither will they, but negotiate.

Shamir is forming another cabinet. Labor will not join as a junior partner, which many urged so Likud not dependent on pesky Orthodox parties, which alienate US Jews with “who is a Jew” bill etc. Interestingly, leaders of Labor, inc Peres & Rabin, wanted to join, but party voted down.

The Eur Court of Human Rights orders Ireland to end laws making homosexual acts punishable by life imprisonment.


12/2/88

China recognizes Palestine, as does Egypt. UN will hold session on Middle East to Geneva.

US will allow Daniel Ortego to come & speak to UN

Bush will retain Thornburgh as atty gen

Fed drug testing program to quadruple next yr to 200,000, not inc applicants or Transportation requirements for testing priv sector workers.


12/4/88

Br to put MI5 on legal basis (charter) but w/out more parl oversight. Not MI6.

DEA issuing its agents automatic weapons.


12/5/88

When Allies liberated Ger concentration camps, homosexuals transferred to military detention camps as true criminals

Amnesty Int still not added homosexuals to prisoners of conscience

CA Sup Court dismissed a clergy malpractice suit over suicide


12/6/88
End of fiscal 1983, military spent $4.2b in one day to spend all its budget.

Black men comprise 6% US pop, ½ male prisoners in local, state & fed jails. 18% drop out of HS


12/7/88

If Dukakis had same results after 1990, would have even fewer electoral votes, as he won in declining states.

Gorbachev in UN, announces various military cutbacks in E Rue, remove tank divisions etc. All turning from offensive to defensive forces. All this unilaterally.

US resumes selling cluster bombs to Israel, ended when Israel used them on civilians during Lebanon invasion. They promised not to do it again.

Sup Court 6-3 rules that police failure to preserve evidence proving a defendant’s innocence is ok unless in bad faith

During 1984 Debategate hearings, CIA’s Angelo Codevilla said, “I am aware that active duty agents of the CIA worked for the George Bush primary election campaign.” Said he couldn’t remember or can’t reveal names. He had passed info on hostages to Richard Allen in 1980. (Village Voice, 10/25/88)

Ollie North’s lawyers claim to need for their defnese 3,500 documents--40,000 pages.


12/8/88

RR says USSR’s unilateral cuts won’t-->US reduction until parity (RR’s 1st press conf in 6 mos).

US now rejecting applications of some Soviet Jews & Armenians as refugees.

There was evidently a 1985 US/Israel agreement on covert antiterrorism ops. Congress cmte denies knowledge. White House doesn’t confirm but says such an agree. would be “not of the dignity” to justify telling Congress. Denied by Israel. Reported in WaPo, says was told in June by Israeli official Amiram Mir, who just died in plane crash in Mexico. Nir was one who suggested to North that $ go to Contras. Incidentally, NYT headline is “No Covert Israel Accord, Congressional Panels Say.” They took back their headline the next day.


12/9/88

Bush will keep Webster at CIA after all, and Thomas Pickering to be UN ambassador

Israel launches major raid on Lebanon, evidently trying to strengthen the PLO’s rejectionist wing before Arafat’s UN speech.

USSR proposal to reduce military by 500,000 men, 10,000 tanks, disband ½ tanks in E Eur, bring home troops on Ch. border. Also wants to put Krasnoyarsk under an internat organiz & will move it to USSR Academy of Science.

At UN, US blocks a plea for end to combat soldiers of 15-18. US thinks lower limit should be 15.


12/13/88

Spain to adopt, finally, Eur RR gauges

Arafat at UN wants Occupied Territories put under UN while talks w/Israel. Shamir, of course, rejects immediately. State Dept said Arafat didn’t meet US conditions (which were evidently made secretly).

Ollie North’s attempt to demand 30,000 pages of secret documents rejected by judge--says 300 enough.

10m people lost jobs to plan closings 1983-8.

Treaty finally signed in s Af--SA to leave Namibia, Cubans to leave Angola.

The group Senate Wives gave Barbara Bush an $8,000 Tiffany watch (technically, this was 85 gifts, circumventing the $100 limit on gifts). Nancy Reagan lives!

Evidently, the Wall St plunge when Bush elected was caused by rumors that WaPo would publish evidence on his affair. NYT didn’t even report on the existence of rumors.

Jim & Tanny Bakker’s PTL was bought by an Orthodox Jew.


12/14/88

US will now talk w/PLO. Evidently, Arafat said loudly enough that PLO recognizes Israel’s right to peace & security & renunciation of terrorism. Shultz says US policy remains unchanged.

Thatcher’s proposed MI5 charter inc some rather weak protections (complaint board) & authority to conduct break-ins.

District judge rules that Congress couldn’t force DC to make discrim against homosexuals legal. (Threatened to w/hold $3.2b). Decision, though, based on free speech of members of council. Congress could still enact that in DC itself.

Amnesty Int. says torture is back in the Philippines.


12/15/88

UN votes to take control of Occupied Territories & call conf

Sweden finally arrests someone for murder of Olaf Palme.

Heritage Foundation said Bush should end homelessness to elmiinate it as an issue--by ending rent control.

Thomas Pickering, nominee to UN rep, arranged a secret $1m donation to Contras when it was prohibited. Stephen Solarz: “Nobody’s judgment is impeccable.”


12/16/88

John Tower (finally) chosen as sec defense. The rule of Texas oil is now complete.

RR takes credits for PLO’s resolutions.

Jack Kemp will be sec HUD.


12/20/88

The appointment of Bush’s token black to Health & Human Services has been delayed because of protests from right-to-lifers.


12/21/88

Soviets set a 365-day record in space.

New INS policy to contain aliens in area where entered US to seek asylum (mostly s Texas). INS will do nothing to provide shelter or services.

Israel (and US?) trying to define Arafat’s renunciation of terrorism in such a way that, from Peres “If one Molotov cocktail is thrown in the territories, it will nullify” it.

In this Congressional election, $100m in PAC money went to incumbents, $13m to challengers.

Finally, a gov in Israel. Another unity gov, w/Labor in junior position, no longer w/foreign. Peres--> finance. Women in Labor revolted because of all-male Cabinet (contrary to Labor’s charter).

FCC to ban sexually-explicit broadcasts 24 hrs.


12/22/88

A plane was blown up over Scotland. US embassy had been called & told 2 weeks before, and warned only a few people.

District court judge in LA threw out parts of McCarren-Walter, those allowing speech as grounds for deportation. 1st decision on 1st amend rights for aliens

SA claims it is ending aid to UNITA.

SA lost its 2nd (and only other) non-white Cabinet minister--an Indian--for corruption. Hendrickse resigned 1987.


12/23/88

RR says US is considering bombing a Libyan chemical plant accused of being for chemical weapons but incomplete.

Louis Sullivan was appted to Health & Human Services, after convincing Senate fascists he was anti-choice. We’ll see.

The king of Sweden had difficulty paying for Xmas gifts even w/his American Express. The clerk wanted id & address.


12/25/88

Elizabeth Dole to be sec labor

Moscow News says Radio Liberty had better coverage of the Armenian earthquake than Soviet stations.

Israel’s new foreign min Moshe Arens says US brought the plane explosion (12/22) on by encouraging terrorism, by talking w/PLO.


12/27/88

US about to start a trade war w/EEC, trying to force them to accept meat w/growth hormones.

In Dec86, Uruguay had a military amnesty law. It may be overturned by referendum, for which 550,000+ signatures collected.


12/28/88

Bulgaria stops jamming RFE, the last E Eur country.


12/29/88

SA banned the last organiz monitoring prisons.


12/30/88

RR subpoenaed for North’s trial. Ditto Bush. Evidently, North is giving up on pardon.

Yugoslavia gov resigns after Parl failed to pass an econ austerity law demanded by IMF

Business Week issue on “The Corporate Elite: Chief Execs of the Business Week Top 1,000” has almost 1% non-white men. 4 white ♀, 4 Asian men, no blacks.

Brezhnev’s name (and Cherenko’s) to be removed from every public place, monuments etc. His son in law was just convicted of bribery.

Gaddafi offered to allow inspections of plant US claims makes chem weapons. US rejected.

CA Sup Court rules 4-3 that workers wrongfully dismissed can sue only for lost pay & related econ loss. Should eliminate contingency lawyers.


12/31/88

Haven’t mentioned the Armenian earthquake yet, largely because its long-term implications not yet clear. 6.9 Richter, 10% Armenia’s industry destroyed, and the Dec. rush period diverted. The rescue operation was horribly inefficient.