kfl@5941ux.UUCP (09/02/83)
Apparently it is true that a Korean Air Lines 747 jumbo jet was shot down by a single heat seeking air-to-air missle fired from a USSR MiG fighter plane. I am sure that both sides see this as a major blunder that should be avoided at all costs in the future. I don't know how this happened, but that probably will never be known. Aside from consoling the survivors of the dead (which, I believe, should be a major national effort), the US (and most of the rest of the world) has a choice of two paths leading from this incident. Both depend heavily on how the US government (especially Pres. Reagan) react. The first choice is war (hot or cold) and this seems to be the road that most of our leaders are calling for. "Let's rally round the flag, nuke the commies, economic sanctions, expell their ambassador, cut diplomatic ties", etc. In my opinion, this kind of talk and this kind of action is totally worthless and counter-productive. What does it gain? All it does is allow us to vent out anger on a people who are just as ashamed of the event as we are. I may be politically naive, but I do think there is a second road. In the next several months, the US and the rest of the West will have a tremendous amount of leverage in the world public opinion over the USSR. We should use this productively. I propose using the solemn aftermath of this tragedy as a background for a world summit to discuss means of preventing military accidents such as this, and also more important accidents, such nuclear war. This is a great time to work out the arms cut backs that both sides seem to be calling for, but in view of the seriousness of the 747 tragedy, perhaps this time the usual propoganda garbage will be left out. I am sure that the citizenery on both sides will support the effort. Only time will tell which road is taken. The vast majority of the responsiblity for the choice lies on Reagan's shoulders. If you care, too, write to him and your congressmen (and congresswomen). Ken Lee 5941ux!kfl
govern@houxf.UUCP (09/07/83)
This note is not about "Subject: Re: Korean Jet", but about "parse date string". I thought this problem of article-name-munging had gone away? What versions of news that still exist are susceptible to it? Thanks; Bill Stewart