Growing opposition to Gulf policy

Press, 12 June 1987, Page 6

Growing opposition to Gulf policy

NZPA-Reuter Washington

Opposition in the United States Congress to President Reagan’s Gulf policy is growing, with legislators attacking everything from the ; role of America’s allies to the credibility of the Defence Secretary, ; Mr Caspar Weinberger. Legislators opposed to. Mr Reagan’s plan to put the United States flag on 11 Kuwaiti ships in the Gulf and protect them against Iranian attack this week accused the Administration of playing a child’s game of “dare and double dare” with Teheran and failing to assess the policy’s risks. In a hearing, yesterday before the House of Representatives Foreign Affairs Committee, Mr Weinberger faced more than two hours of tough questioning from members who fear United States forces could be dragged into the Iran-Iraq war, which began in 1980.

Mr Weinberger’s statements about the probability of Iranian attack on United States forces in the Gulf provoked particularly biting criticism because of apparent contradictions in his testimony., Some 300 ships have been hit in the so-called “tanker war,” which began in 1984 as Iran and Iraq tried to cut each other’s vital oil revenues. The only United States ship hit was the frigate Stark, attacked by Iraq last month in what Baghdad said was an accident. At the start of the hearing, Mr Weinberger said: “In the past, Iran has assiduously avoided even the mere hint of a threat toward United States ships, either combatant or commercial. We do not expect that situation to change, Iran’s violent rhetoric notwithstanding.”

When asked whether the Administration was depending on Iranian restraint, Mr Weinberger said: “No, of course not”

Congressmen accused Mr Weinberger of being inconsistent and the Florida Democratic representative, Mr Dan Mica, told him: “I believe your credibility has been strained here before this committee.” . . There - has also been growing anger in Congress about what legislators see as the failure of United States allies In Western Europe, and Japan, to pay their fair share in keeping the Gulf, waters open to commerce. The Gulf holds 55< per cent of the world’s > known oil reserves.

The minority leader, Mr Bob Dole, a Kansas Republican who has staunchly defended Mr Reagan’s policies, said all the allies were providing was “good rhetoric,” a reference to a statement issued at the Venice economic summit of the world’s major industrialised democracies which upheld the right to free navigation in the Gulf.