Military Desertion

The United States has blanketed troop positions in Iraq and occupied Kuwait with at least 4 million air-dropped leaflets promising safe passage to enemy soldiers who signal their desire to surrender, American soldiers here were told Tuesday. The one-page flyers, printed in Arabic and containing programmed instructions, are part of a larger U.S.

A shooting spree by three soldiers who fled their base in southeastern Armenia left eight people dead, the Defense Ministry said in Yerevan, the capital. Military police arrested one of the soldiers, and a hunt for the others was underway. The rampage began Thursday when the three deserters grabbed Kalashnikov rifles from their base and stopped a car on a nearby road by shooting the driver and a passenger, the ministry's press service said.

Although the last Soviet soldier was pulled out of Afghanistan almost a year and a half ago, Soviet mothers are still getting their sons back from the army in metal boxes. Bruises and bullet holes have been covered with makeup. Coffins are kept closed so parents will not see their sons' mutilated bodies. And the only glimpse that some have of their sons is through a little window in the coffin that shows only the face.

I have been horrified countless times covering nine wars and other assignments in 60 countries. But I've only been embarrassed twice. Once was when a freelancer for Mirabella magazine asked female soldiers during the Gulf War if it was difficult to find privacy to masturbate. The other time was when Jose Marti Airport resembled the fall of Saigon as network anchors abandoned Havana in the middle of Pope John Paul II's visit to join the Zippergate media mob.

A shooting spree by three soldiers who fled their base in southeastern Armenia left eight people dead, the Defense Ministry said in Yerevan, the capital. Military police arrested one of the soldiers, and a hunt for the others was underway. The rampage began Thursday when the three deserters grabbed Kalashnikov rifles from their base and stopped a car on a nearby road by shooting the driver and a passenger, the ministry's press service said.

Saddam Hussein issued an amnesty Thursday for Iraqis who fled the country during its 1980-88 war with Iran, government newspapers reported. Iraqi diplomats in Baghdad said the president's decree apparently is directed at facilitating the return of thousands of servicemen who are in Iran and want to return but fear reprisal for desertion and siding with the enemy during the war.

The military is waging war against Sen. Alan Cranston's plan to protect millions of acres of the Mojave Desert where troops train and experimental planes fly. The Democratic senator wants the National Park Service to protect 4.3 million acres of California desert from the ravages of off-road vehicles, mining, and oil and gas exploration. His bill, currently before the U.S. Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee, would have no direct effect on 3.

One was a KGB agent working undercover as a journalist in San Francisco who fell in love with America and fed tips to the FBI. Another was a dope-smoking hippie who tried to defect by hijacking a plane. A third was a soldier in the strategic missile forces near China who "accidentally" ended up on the other side of the heavily guarded border and lived there for a year.

Lithuania's leader assured President Mikhail S. Gorbachev after an extraordinary spate of Kremlin saber-rattling Saturday that his breakaway republic is not forming paramilitary units and warned Lithuanian deserters from the Soviet army that he cannot protect them. As night fell on this Baltic capital, there were no signs of the early morning armored convoys that had shocked and angered Lithuanians in the tensest 24 hours since their declaration of independence two weeks ago.

A year ago, Cpl. Brett Lockeman was sweating over jet engines in the hot Saudi Arabian sun, half a world away from home. On Sunday the Marine was sweating again, but this time he did it as he crossed a finish line on a runway at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Prouder than ever and noticeably exhilarated from their efforts in the Persian Gulf, Marines were back in force Sunday morning at the base's fourth annual "Run of the Runways," which drew an estimated 2,000 runners.

One was a KGB agent working undercover as a journalist in San Francisco who fell in love with America and fed tips to the FBI. Another was a dope-smoking hippie who tried to defect by hijacking a plane. A third was a soldier in the strategic missile forces near China who "accidentally" ended up on the other side of the heavily guarded border and lived there for a year.

A year ago, Cpl. Brett Lockeman was sweating over jet engines in the hot Saudi Arabian sun, half a world away from home. On Sunday the Marine was sweating again, but this time he did it as he crossed a finish line on a runway at the El Toro Marine Corps Air Station. Prouder than ever and noticeably exhilarated from their efforts in the Persian Gulf, Marines were back in force Sunday morning at the base's fourth annual "Run of the Runways," which drew an estimated 2,000 runners.

The United States has blanketed troop positions in Iraq and occupied Kuwait with at least 4 million air-dropped leaflets promising safe passage to enemy soldiers who signal their desire to surrender, American soldiers here were told Tuesday. The one-page flyers, printed in Arabic and containing programmed instructions, are part of a larger U.S.

Saddam Hussein issued an amnesty Thursday for Iraqis who fled the country during its 1980-88 war with Iran, government newspapers reported. Iraqi diplomats in Baghdad said the president's decree apparently is directed at facilitating the return of thousands of servicemen who are in Iran and want to return but fear reprisal for desertion and siding with the enemy during the war.

The political backdrop of the U.S. military deployment in Saudi Arabia played a significant role in limiting defense cuts in Sunday's budget agreement, halting the military spending "free fall" that some analysts had predicted two months ago, budget aides said Monday. Capitol Hill strategists said that Operation Desert Shield forged a major change in the political climate of the negotiations, forcing lawmakers who had been advocating deep cuts on the defensive.

American troops are clad in the latest in combat clothing--stylish two-piece suits specially designed for desert duty--but some soldiers are not convinced their fashionable duds are functional. "They're very hot and very uncomfortable," said Army Lt. Col. Gene W. Cole, clad in his jumpsuit. "It's hot and it makes me sweat," Lt. Col. Ned Longsworth complained. Said Air Force Capt. Becky Colaw: "There's a big difference wearing it for work and wearing it to be cool."

American troops are clad in the latest in combat clothing--stylish two-piece suits specially designed for desert duty--but some soldiers are not convinced their fashionable duds are functional. "They're very hot and very uncomfortable," said Army Lt. Col. Gene W. Cole, clad in his jumpsuit. "It's hot and it makes me sweat," Lt. Col. Ned Longsworth complained. Said Air Force Capt. Becky Colaw: "There's a big difference wearing it for work and wearing it to be cool."

I have been horrified countless times covering nine wars and other assignments in 60 countries. But I've only been embarrassed twice. Once was when a freelancer for Mirabella magazine asked female soldiers during the Gulf War if it was difficult to find privacy to masturbate. The other time was when Jose Marti Airport resembled the fall of Saigon as network anchors abandoned Havana in the middle of Pope John Paul II's visit to join the Zippergate media mob.

Although the last Soviet soldier was pulled out of Afghanistan almost a year and a half ago, Soviet mothers are still getting their sons back from the army in metal boxes. Bruises and bullet holes have been covered with makeup. Coffins are kept closed so parents will not see their sons' mutilated bodies. And the only glimpse that some have of their sons is through a little window in the coffin that shows only the face.

Lithuania's leader assured President Mikhail S. Gorbachev after an extraordinary spate of Kremlin saber-rattling Saturday that his breakaway republic is not forming paramilitary units and warned Lithuanian deserters from the Soviet army that he cannot protect them. As night fell on this Baltic capital, there were no signs of the early morning armored convoys that had shocked and angered Lithuanians in the tensest 24 hours since their declaration of independence two weeks ago.