April 1991

4/1/91

Sup Court 7-2 says people can’t be excluded from juries because of race (by prosecution only)

Bush transportation plan for 5 yrs inc $88b roads & bridges, $16b mass transit. States must raise larger share for latter. And highway spending based on gas consumption, favoring the profligate.

CA Sup Court says undocumented aliens must pay out-of-state tuition, can’t est residency


4/2/91

There are, of course, many Iraqi refugees from the war & gov. No one will take them. US army not offering shelter or asylum — tells them to go home

Albanian CP won election, 2/3 seats, but lost the cities badly, President Alia & other gov members losing their seats

Medicaid pays doctors 69% what Medicare pays. Medicaid covers 27m, 13m of them children. States set Medicaid fees, ignore inflation, some states paying less than cost for some services

Fr calls UN to stop Iraq massacre of Kurds & Shiites

Georgia voted 99% for ind in referendum. Coincidentally, rebellion in Ossetia has reached pt where cent. gov will send in troops

Serb region of Croatia dec self annexed to Serbia

Pentagon is building a nuclear-powers rocket to haul large Star Wars payloads into space. Even if goes right, it’s exhaust will be radioactive. Nuclear fuel would be 3,000°F. Normal nuke reactors 600°. So close to melting pt as to be danger

To “free” 750,000 Kuwaitis (and there were, what, 400,000 left?), US killed 100,000+

US clamped info blackout on D of Energy about consequences of oil fires in Kuwait. 6m barrels burning every day, 10% world’s ration. Will take 2 yrs to put out. Carbon dioxide up 5% or so


4/3/91

Turkey has closed borders against Iraqi refugees. Bush says US forces “don’t need to be thrust into a war that’s been going on for years.”
-Bush has yet to give a reason for not shooting down Iraq’s helicopters, as he threatened.

8/5/90 Hussein summoned US chargé d’affaires to say planned no invasion of Saudi. Immediately, someone in State sabotaged latter by leaking to WaPo (8/6/90) that Hussein had said would invade Saudi, if pipeline cut.

Panama: US promised to rehouse the 15,000 left homeless. So far, 900 families have been relocated to shacks 12X15 w/cinder-block walks & concrete floor & fiberglass roofs 1½ hrs from Panama City. Compensation is $800, no matter how much was destroyed. 2,000 live in an aircraft hangar — fed by a caterer w/ties to President, when should be employing the refugees; they have 3 sq meters


4/4/91

Bush: “I feel frustrated any time innocent civilians are being slaughtered. But the United States and these other countries with us in this coalition did not go there to settle all the internal affairs of Iraq.”

Labor Dept found tampering at ½ US mines of monitors for the things that cause black-lung disease.

Yes, Hussein is like Hitler. Hitler could kill Jews to his heart’s content, but not Poles
-AP says Bush authorized CIA to aid Iraqi rebels Jan91
-At least Bush is consistent. Defended Kuwaiti integrity, no matter what its gov did. Now same for Iraq.
-Iran accepting all refugees in south. Turkey not.
-Seems Bush is kicking normal Pentagon spending & wear & teach & such, into supplemental war budget. Partly in order to soak the allies — admin says war cost $70b, Congress $40b.
-Safire calls this Bush’s Bay of Pigs & Bush has lost all is credibility about aggression: “If a whole people can be decimated while the President of the U.S. goes fishing, no nation will put faith in American security guarantees.”

Rep. Henry Gonzales, chair of House Banking Cmte, says the Bush admin knew of fraudulent loans to Iraq of $4b by largest It. bank branch in Atlanta

Israel finally arrests a Kahane follower wanted by FBI for 1985 assassination of regional director of American-Arab Anti-Discrim Cmte. Had refused to arrest him in W Bank, since US doesn’t recognize Israeli ownership


4/5/91

Bush claims never to have asked any Kurds to rise up against Hussein. The no doubt US-financed Voice of Free Iraq still makes such calls.

Yeltsin got emergency powers similar to Gorby’s, until elections Juen for dir presidency

In a misprint, a public school asked for fees to be paid “per anum.” A parent wrote back asking if they could continue to pay in the usual way, through the nose.

Fr Nat Ass 297-275 gave separate identity to the” Corsican people a component of the French people.”

Haitian president Aristide arrests ex-interim-president for complicity in the Jan91 coup attempt in which she was allegedly held hostage

A Kurd has surfaced to say Saudi intelligence recruited him to broadcast to Kurds on Voice of Free Iraq

UN Sec Council condemns Iraq’s crackdown, 1st such action on an internal issue, claiming refugees make it threaten “internat. peace and security.”

ANC demands firing fo ministers of law & order & defense for death squads & such


4/6/91

A D.C. superior court judge orders the husband of a WaPo reporter to name her source

4/7/91

A Yug. military court to try Croatia’s defense minister in absentia

Turkey’s oh-so-helpful idea on Kurdish refugees: put them in refugee camps inside Iraq but under UN control


4/8/91

Ch. to make local officials’ promotions dependent on reducing pop

Israel has/will released 1,000 of 14,000 Intifada prisoners. This is 1 of the confidence-building measures US asking for — Israel says it’s a coincidence

US, at Saudi request, trying to stop a US citizen suing Saudi gov in US court for torturing him, evidently for doing his job & reporting safety violation in hospital. Bush wants no one to be able to sue foreign govs — claims other govs might do same


4/9/91

Israel accepts US-sponsored peace conf, but wants separate talks w/each Arab gov

Georgia dec self ind. Warns of gen strike unless USSR troops leave S Ossetia

White House ordered firing of an under sec of Commerce for telling Congress the Admin ignored warnings on exporting technology to Iraq

Gorby wants moratorium on strikes & demonstrations for 1 yr

US warns Iraq not to attack Kurdish refugees or use aircraft inc copters above 36th parallel.

Turkey says >1,500 Kurds have died of hunger & exposure. Iraq rejects enclave idea

US gov says Valdez spill did more damage & effects will last longer than thought — right after it settled w/Exxon

Paul Tsongas, candidate #1. This alleged Dukakis clone supports nuclear power, death penalty & capital gains cut. Supported Gulf War. And he’s had cancer — one near-death experience wasn’t enough for him.


4/11/91

US used fuel-air-explosives on Iraq, weapons considered to be engines of mass destruction & condemned by Geneva Convention, burning oxygen over 1-2 sq km

The last automat has closed

Sen. cmte rejected Judge Ryskamp — “some dog bites might make them think next time” for district judge


4/12/91

Eur working on code of privacy for computerized info. Lists couldn’t be sold w/out notification

US aid to Kurds in air drop may not reach anyone & it’s unfamiliar foods like peanut butter.
-Turkey enforcing red tape on the aid

Bush may veto the RR-supported Brady Bill on guns unless connected to his anti-crime measures, inc death penalty


4/13/91

Croatia has asked former governor of Minnesota, Demo. Rudy Perpich, to be foreign minister

Bush says he won’t risk a single American for the Kurds

2 of the LAPD videotaped in beatings of black man are claiming workers’ comp for “acute anxiety and stress.”


4/14/91

The Business Roundtable has been negotiating a civil rights bill w/civil rights people. Such an agreement would be unstoppable. Bush’s people are threatening executives by phone. He wants an issue, not a bill. Wants something to veto to play to the anti-Willie Horton vote


4/15/91

Death rate of Kurds up to 1,000/dy. Bush pulling troops out.

The ave. taxpayer will work until May 8 to pay off all taxes, 23 days longer than last yr

Nicaragua under Chamorro has retained status as refuge for Salvadoran rebels

Iran claims Iraq has invaded, going after Kurds

Egypt arrests nephew of Emir of Kuwait

Gary Sick, formerly on Carter’s NSC, says there was an October Surprise. Casey met Iranians as early as Feb-Mar80 for that purpose and contacted Israel. There were plans for a 2nd rescue attempt Sep80. Richard Allen found out & launched the RR warning of an Oct. Surprise. And the hostages were dispersed. Bush in at least 1 meeting


4/16/91

Sup Court 6-3 limits appeals in death penalty. Marshall in dissent says would encourage state to conceal evidence that could be used in appeals

S Korean Defense Minister threatened a commando raid on a NK nuclear plant. Then tried to suppress it and “cancelled” the comment. NYT didn’t consider this worth reporting until NK called it “virtually a dec. of war.” NK won’t allow inspection until US removes its nukes

EC to lift all SA sanctions. EC foreign ministers will prevent the Eur Parl debating it. SA theoretically will soon meet US conditions by releasing pol prisoners (by April 30) & repealing Group Areas & Pop Registration Act

Voice of Free Iraq. US media only discovered it 2 weeks ago, indicating they didn’t turn on their radios. It started Jan. 2. Definitely under Saudi intelligence, probably CIA. One of its managers used to run Baghdad Radio. The other involved in Baath seizure of power 1968, part of public hangings of Jews & others 1969. It is aimed entirely at military, barely even speaking of democracy & never criticized US or bombing, but calls on military. Jan. asked Minister Defense to take over — he has since been replaced. It called for revolt ever after. Bush said wouldn’t interfere


4/17/91

3 days before Baker to visit Israel, a new settlement opened in W Bank

Seems the Patriot missile did more damage than it averted


4/18/91

The Sup Court on appeals: new definition of “abuse of the writ,” a 2nd petition dismissed unless “cause” for not raising issue earlier, and suffered “actual prejudice.” Legal error by lawyer not enough.

Bush ed. plan, so called: merit pay, nat. standards for comparison, nat. testing

US to build large refugee camps for Kurds, 60 miles inside Iraq. This is theoretically to pave way for internat agencies to take them over, but UN was never consulted

A grand jury in NY indicts lawyer for contempt for refusing to disclose source & amount of legal fees in a drug case


4/19/91

Census may have missed 6.3m. Blacks & hispanics 3X likely not to be counted

US gov pays for everyone to get dialysis (if eligible for Soc Sec, i.e., not farmers, etc) — 150,000 people at $4b/yr. But money paid out has dropped 60%, meaning they get fewer hrs on the machines & greater deaths


4/20/91

Danish Parl refuses to let EC lift its sanction on SA

US Senate called for war crimes trials

452,000 left USSR 1990, 60% to Israel, 1/3 to Ger, 2.9% US

Ch., according to an obtained restricted-circulation Ch. mag., encourages forced inmate labor for export

Bush’s ed. plan would allow tax money to parents for priv schools, inc parochial

Fed. regulators impose mildest possible sanctions on Neil Bush

Florida appeals court upholds conviction of woman delivering cocaine to baby through umbilical right after birth

Serbia at some pt. put duties on goods from Croatia & Slovenia. The good toilet paper was made by Slovenia too

In response to UN, Iraq has released list of weapons. They have 10,000 nerve-gas warheads, 52 Scuds chemically-armed, etc etc etc. Won’t say where it’s nuclear material is

“It’s in the nature of journalism that continuing outrages receive less attention than temporary ones. This means that, as far as the government is concerned, the best way to ensure minimum coverage of a scandal is to do nothing about it.” Jolyon Jenkins, New Statesman


4/21/91

The Soviet’s right-wing Soyuz group want Gorby to resign — not vicious enough

Polish gov since Solidarity in power have tightened divorce laws, reduced child-care funding, restricted access to abortion. Latter done by Min Health w/out parl debate, & requires permission from 3 drs. If one refuses, she must see a state-sanctioned psychologist

SPD wins Rhineland-Palatinate, CDU continuing to lose state elections as before unification

Ed. Sec says schools should extend hrs, optional, at parents’ expense

US selling arms, well no, delivering arms paid for 1980s, to Lebanon

Since 1976, US gov has controlled right to fish up to 200 mi. off coast & mostly allow anyone to fish them (any American). Now has given the control to priv groups. That’s several billion dollars

The 1982 removal of Iraq from list of supporters of terrorism followed a visit by Wm Casey Mar82. Ollie North had control of antiterrorism, blocking info to the contrary

Pentagon ended secrecy measures on military shuttle missions, for cost reasons. Makes some people wonder whether there is any reason to spend $80m/yr


4/22/91

Iraq moved “police” with auto. weapons to areas army supposed to pull out of

If Kurds do return to where US & Turkey want them, UN loses jurisdiction as they would not be refugees.

Sup Court hearing a case where 5th Circuit said Voting Rights Act does not apply to judicial elections. Have not in past cared about this sort of thing because judges not “representative”. So one person, one vote doesn’t apply.

The drug tsar threatens Stanford w/loss of funds unless fired a lecturer (in computer science!) who advocates drug use, has advised students on it, carried drugs on campus & by god told the gov about it! He is now on administrative leave. [Update: was later fired]

State Dept wants the suit by a businessman tortured by Saudis to settle.

Kuwait prevents opposition groups meeting foreign journalists to describe new Cabinet as same old thing


4/24/91

Ger high court says those whose property seized 1945-9 will not get restitution, but compensation

Atty Gen Thornburgh will argue before Sup Court for 2nd time. Wants it to overturn previous rulings that prohibit info on victims of murder used in determining death sentence. Of course race is already the most important factor

Br new tax proposal a “council tax” to replace poll tax. Not implemented until 1993, so 2 more yrs of the evil poll tax. Single-adult households would subsidize multi-. And based on value of house, in 7 categories. To retain Thatcher’s beloved regressivity, highest bill would be 2½ times lowest. Unemployed exempt. Tenants unclear

Bush keeps saying those who want him to protect Kurds are those who opposed initial intervention. And my favorite: “You had many people that were telling me early on let sanctions work, let sanctions work; don’t do anything about the aggression at all.”

Kennedy proposes bill to make Head Start an entitlement. Of 825,000 impoverished 4-yr olds, admin says max 80% would enroll & it has 53% of them. Kennedy & others say 1/3 of eligible in it


4/25/91

US, Br, Fr, gave Iraq an ultimatum on leaving Kurdish zone

Gorby works out pact w/9 republics inc Russia to create new const in 6 mos, cancel the new sales tax for normal goods

Hussein has come to agreement w/Kurds for some sort of autonomy. And democracy. I think Kurdish leaders feel their power is not strong among a dispersed refugee pop.

The Gulf War started a major debate in Japan on its military role. It has finally been resolved — they will send minesweepers

Kurds were promised a homeland at Versailles after WW1

Judge refused to accept Bush’s deal w/Exxon over Valdez spill as insufficient

Fr Justice Minister tried to stop investigation into illegal payments to Mitterrand’s 1988 campaign. Fired magistrate. A court has ordered another to continue.


4/26/91

Costa Rica has (finally) asked US to extradite John Hull on charges of murder for the 1984 La Penca bombing

US abortion rate dropped 6% 1980-7. Under-15s up 18%, minorities 15-19 up 1/6

UN says Kurdish & other refugees in Iran alone dying at 2,000/dy. There are 1m refugees in Iran, 416,000 in Turkey or on border, 200-400,000 in mountains of Iraq


4/27/91

Gorby to institute “an especially strict working regime” in key industries, following the 9-republic agreement

No one noticed, but in March 17’s USSR unity referendum, the Kurile islanders voted 88% not to join Japan


4/28/91

Cath Church wants an end to separation church/state in Poland

The problem with Americans: they think wrestling is real & war is fake.


4/29/91

Allies told Kurdish rebels not to prevent return of refugees to Iraq, to the US comps

Sup Court usually waives its $320 filing fee for poor people. Will no longer do so for “frivolous” appeals

Salvadoran gov & guerillas come to agreement — strips armed forces of public security functions, allows Nat Ass to rescind presidential use of military, extends Sup Court terms to 9 yrs — to be elected by 2/3 Ass. Ind electoral monitors, a perm human rights prosecutors

Bush & admin keep talking about Kurds as a quagmire. I thought this wasn’t Vietnam.

Winnie Mandela loses bid to be president of ANC Women’s League

When Baker left Israel last week, he said Israel hadn’t gone far enough for peace. The Cabinet just took back even that much. Israel now accepts a meaningless, ceremonial peace conf, to be disbanded immediately & followed by dir negotiations w/Arab states. Foreign Sec said it might be periodically reconvened, only to receive reports. This is what’s taken back


4/30/91

Taiwan says it is no longer at war w/mainland