
                         Roanoke Times
                 Copyright (c) 1995, Landmark Communications, Inc.

DATE: MONDAY, March 30, 1992                   TAG: 9203300210
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-10   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

AN EXCUSE FOR ISRAEL-BASHING?

MANY SMART people believe it is less costly for America to help Russia rather than arm ourselves to the hilt and fight them later. It is for that reason that many in our government want to help Boris Yeltsin establish sound democratic and economic principles in split Russia.

This is the same principle and one good reason why we have been aiding Israel over the years. We have been aiding ourselves. Only one dividend was the Israeli bombing of the nuclear facility in Iraq.

Now along the 1992 campaign trail, it became known that many American citizens did not like the bashing of Israel by President Bush and Secretary Baker, or their refusal of a loan guarantee to Israel. Suddenly Mr. Baker's tune changed and he admonished, slightly, the Palestinian peace representatives for posturing instead of sticking to substantive issues.

Then to have it both ways, word was leaked that Israel had sold or given to China secrets of the Patriot missile-defense system. Whether this story came from Capitol Hill I do not know; but it surely creates uncertainty among those who are looking for an excuse to legitimize their bad feelings toward Israel. LOUIS W. PAINTER SALEM

by CNB