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

DATE: FRIDAY, January 8, 1993                   TAG: 9301080422
SECTION: EDITORIAL                    PAGE: A-6   EDITION: METRO 
SOURCE: 
DATELINE:                                 LENGTH: Short

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OF PARDONS AND PROSECUTORS

I AM COMPLETELY confused about some of the national and international news. I hope someone can give me answers to two or three questions.

I was under the impression that the United States "whomped up" on Iraq some time ago. Why are we allowing them to even own warplanes?

How much have the American taxpayers paid special prosecutor Lawrence Walsh in the past six or seven years? I have heard the figure of $35 million. No wonder this patriotic American attorney wants to drag out the Iran-Contra hearings.

Do congressmen have the same lofty ideals for their own actions as they have when they speak out against the presidential pardons?

Why are these pardons so much worse than convicted criminals being released on parole after serving four or five years of a 50-year sentence? Is rape and murder considered less of a crime against America than "betraying the public trust"? CRAIG T. BELL BEDFORD

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