We have some preliminary information that radars return on.
We do not know the nature of the radars.
We do not, until we debrief the pilots, it is really not appropriate to get into that
kind of detail.
Dawn has broken over the Mediterranean on another day of tension between the United
States and Libya.
The world waits more details from the American pilots who shut down two Libyan jet fighters.
Good evening to you.
Welcome to Newsnight on CNN.
I'm Patrick Emory.
And I'm Donna Kelly.
Pentagon briefing Thursday morning might answer some questions lingering from the latest encounter
between the United States and Libya.
The United States says shooting down the two Libyan planes over the Mediterranean was self-defense.
Libya says the MiGs were not armed and caused the incident a deliberate act of American
aggression.
The American pilots were debriefed in Italy.
Some of their story will be disclosed on Thursday.
CNN's Carl Rochelle has the latest on what's known right now.
The Pentagon says the carrier John F. Kennedy was conducting normal operation, practicing
takeoffs and landings about 127 miles north of Tobruk, Libya in international waters when
the two Libyan MiG-23 floggers headed for the carrier battle group.
Two F-14s flying combat air patrol were dispatched to intercept the Libyans.
They met about 70 miles north of the northeast Libyan coast.
The F-14 pilots maneuvered to avoid the closing aircraft.
They changed speed, altitude, and direction.
The first aircraft continued to close in a hostile manner.
At about 14 miles, the U.S. section leader decided his aircraft was in jeopardy and they
could wait no longer.
One MiG-23 was shot down with a sparrow missile.
The second MiG was shot down by a sidewinder missile.
The Pentagon says two parachutes were seen.
There were no U.S. casualties.
Carlucci was asked how the U.S. pilots decided the Libyan planes were a threat.
If you're coming directly at an aircraft, accelerating in speed, and when the aircraft
maneuvers to get out of your way, you reposition yourself so that you are basically in a firing
position, then the hostile intent is clear.
Carlucci says the Kennedy and its F-14s were operating under normal peacetime rules of
engagement and that there was no heightened state of alert.
Anytime an aircraft demonstrates clear hostile intent and on the basis of our preliminary
information, this is certainly the case here, our aircraft are entitled under the rules
of engagement to defend themselves.
Libyan leader Muammar Gaddafi called the U.S. action terrorism and vowed to meet challenge
with challenge.
Intelligence sources say the Libyans have been increasingly tense as the U.S. has accused
them of readying a chemical weapons plant outside Tripoli.
U.S. officials said the downing of the Libyan planes had nothing to do with the plant.
We now consider this matter closed.
President Reagan was informed of the shoot down about an hour after it occurred.
President-elect Bush was notified as well.
The incident is the third head-on collision between the U.S. and Libya since 1981 when
two Libyan fighters were shot down after they challenged U.S. Navy planes.
Carl Voschelt, CNN, The Pentagon.
That Pentagon briefing on the confrontation with Libya will be carried live on CNN Thursday
morning starting at 1030.
That's Eastern time.
Colonel Gaddafi says if America has prevailed in the air and at sea, it will be defeated
on land.
In his words, we as well as the fish are awaiting them.
Libyan TV reports anti-American protests continued into the night on Wednesday.
Italian TV says Gaddafi has beefed up security around his already heavily fortified residence
in Tripoli and the official Yugoslav news agency reports many people fled the city after
the incident.
Libya's U.N. representative says not even America's friends can justify the attack.
I think this action of the United States against the country, not only the Arabs, I think
the whole international, all the international community will condemn it.
And we know that, you know, even your allies are not with you.
Monser has asked for an emergency United Nations Security Council meeting to condemn what he
calls U.S. aggression.
Thursday morning the Security Council will hold closed informal meetings to consider
the request.
U.N. Secretary General Perez de Cuellar issued a statement on Wednesday calling on both the
U.S. and Libya to exercise restraint.
The State Department says it's notified all U.S. embassies of the skirmish with Libya.
The Department said it's up to each diplomatic post to decide on taking action to guard against
terrorism.
U.S. officials also tried to turn attention to an international conference starting this
weekend on chemical weapons.
CNN's Ralph Begleiter has our report.
Within hours of the incident in the Mediterranean, U.S. officials were downplaying its significance,
clearing the case closed, offering no indication the Libyan fighters had been warned before
being knocked out of the sky, sounding almost apologetic.
These kind of incidents are always regrettable.
No doubt about that.
This incident happened.
It's over as far as we're concerned.
The U.S. does not want military action against Libya to sidetrack discussion at a conference
in Paris this weekend about curbing the use of chemical weapons.
For more than a year, Libya has been building a chemical factory due south of Tripoli at
the edge of the Libyan desert on a site heavily fortified with anti-aircraft missiles and
other defenses.
Secretary of State Shultz hopes to use the Libyan example to spur other nations to disavow
chemical weapons and to stop supplying experts, chemicals, and equipment which might be used
to create chemical weapons like those which have already been used during the Iran-Iraq
war.
The U.S. believes the Libyan factory could be used to give an unstable Muammar Gaddafi
the power of chemical warfare.
Chemical weapons can be developed cheaply and they are attractive to certain states
as a weapon of mass destruction, a weapon of terror.
In recent days, U.S. intelligence sources say some of the chemicals which might be used
to make weapons have been moved away from the Libyan factory to remote desert storage
sites.
Officials believe Gaddafi is nervous about a possible U.S. attack against the chemical
plant, partly because American intelligence overflights have increased recently.
But officials say the U.S. has no interest in picking a fight with Gaddafi now and the
dogfight in the Mediterranean had no connection to U.S. concerns about the chemical plant.
Even so, Gaddafi has good reason for nervousness since the American bombing of Tripoli in 1986.
After a spate of terrorist bombing, the U.S. pinned on Libya.
At the time, Secretary of State Shultz crowed about putting Gaddafi back in his box and
sending a message to the Libyan leader.
The message is, you've had it pal.
You are isolated.
You are recognized as a terrorist.
And as far as terrorists are concerned, more and more the message is, no place to hide.
The U.S. imposed strict sanctions against Libya and some American allies followed suit.
Following Gaddafi's embarrassing defeat in a military move against neighboring Chad,
Gaddafi has been increasingly seen as on the run.
But the latest Mediterranean incident demonstrates the Libyan leader can still make trouble for
the United States.
As one official puts it, Gaddafi can tweak us and kick us, and most of the time he can
get away with it.
Ralph Begler, CNN at the State Department.
The report tonight says President Reagan does not favor a military attack on the alleged
chemical weapons plant in Libya.
The Thursday Washington Post quotes a senior administration official.
He said the president believes the military attack would set off an international uproar
that would harm U.S. interests.
The Post also quotes Secretary of State George Shultz as saying U.S. concern results from
the potential for terrorist use of poison gas.
Shultz said the administration deliberately wants to make Libya feel uncomfortable about
having what he called a hot potato on its hands.
Again, the Reagan administration says it considers the skirmish with Libya to be closed, but
Libya is pressing ahead on the diplomatic front, taking the matter to the United Nations.
We'd like to know where you stand on the incident.
In our Newsnight 900 poll, we ask, was the United States justified in shooting down the
two Libyan jets?
Call 1-900-720-6110 if you think yes.
The United States was acting properly in downing the Libyan planes.
Call 1-900-720-6111 if you believe no.
The United States action was not justified.
Remember, the call will cost you 50 cents, and we'll of course report our poll results
near the end of Newsnight.
And still to come on Newsnight from Capitol Hill, a strong show of support for the downing
of the two Libyan aircraft.
And just how will the incident affect the upcoming international conference on chemical
weapons?
We'll be right back, just ahead.
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Members of Congress quickly gave support to the Navy action in shooting down the Libyan
Plains.
Senators and House members received briefings from the Joint Chiefs of Staff.
The lawmakers said that they accepted the administration account of things, but some
also warned of escalating trouble with Libya, CNN's Pam Olson with more tonight.
Congressional support for downing the two Libyan MiGs was immediate.
We did exactly what we should have done.
I think it's clear that the American policy, what we know now, we're trying to disengage
and it's clear the Libyan violence, we're in pursuit.
But many senators were quick to wave the flag of caution as to what happens next.
Republican Senator John McCain says the incident shouldn't be used as a go-ahead for an attack
on the chemical weapons plant in Libya.
It is a heavily defended installation as we know, and I think before we embark on any
enterprise of this nature, which could be both escalatory and endanger American servicemen's
lives, we should exercise every single option.
And I don't know that we have done that.
The former chairman of the House Select Intelligence Committee says it's important not to link
a decision on what to do about the chemical facility to the shoot down.
I don't think we want to tip our hand in any way about what we might want to do in that
chemical plant.
Another lawmaker says diplomacy should be first given a chance to work.
The Libyans claim that they are not going to produce chemical weapons.
They say that they would welcome inspection.
I think we should take them at their word, but we should insist that in addition to inspection,
there should be on-site monitoring.
Heinz says the Libyans might have challenged the U.S. fighters because they were nervous
about a possible attack on the chemical warfare plant.
But one senator warned that more Markadoffi's belligerence could lead to more incidents.
I don't think we were there to egg him on.
I think we're always showing the flag in those parts of the world where we have concerns
quite obviously.
But under the rules of the freedom of the seas, we have a right to do that.
We will continue to do that.
Lawmakers are adamant that Western allies be pressured to discontinue any technical assistance
to Libya.
And they are also clear Libya's hostile actions shouldn't be used as an excuse to wipe out
that chemical weapons plant, at least until all other options have been exhausted.
Sam Olson, CNN, Capitol Hill.
World reaction to the doubting of the two Libyan jets has been cautious for the most
part.
Most U.S. allies in Europe are neither supporting nor condemning the incident.
And the Soviet Union has issued no immediate comments.
Israel applauds the move, saying it has no reason to doubt the American explanation of
what happened.
But PLO Chairman Yasser Arafat is deeply worried about the ramifications.
When CNN's John Sweeney broke the news to Arafat in Cairo Wednesday morning, the Arab
leader did not mince words.
The Arab League had a similar reaction on Wednesday.
The group demanded that the United States stop so-called acts of provocation near the
Libyan coast.
Great Britain accepts the U.S. claim of self-defense in Wednesday's incident.
And the British government adds to that support by saying it backs American charges that Libya
is building a chemical weapons plant near Tripoli.
Britain says it has independent information to prove the plant is intended to produce
chemical weapons.
Washington has rejected Libya's offer for an inspection of the site.
And the U.S. has not ruled out launching an attack on the facility.
U.S. officials say the downing of two jets has no link to the allegations of a chemical
weapons plant.
But Wednesday's development may jeopardize this weekend's conference on chemical weapons.
Secretary of State George Shultz is among the dignitaries expected to attend that session.
CNN's Jeanne Mosk examines what the foreign ministers will try to accomplish while in
Paris.
When delegations from 140 nations will meet in a beautiful city to discuss some ugly weapons,
the conference on chemical weapons is aimed at creating moral momentum rather than concrete
results.
It certainly gives publicity to the issue and gives political support to the court.
A cause that's been around since the First World War, the carnage of chemical weapons
back then led to the Geneva Protocol of 1925.
113 nations signed the document banning the use of such weapons, but the Geneva Protocol
didn't go far enough, which is one reason French President Francois Mitterrand pushed
for an international conference when he addressed the U.N. General Assembly three months ago.
We must prohibit not only the use of chemical weapons, but also the manufacture of them.
Banning the manufacture is something negotiators in Geneva have been working on since the 60s
in 1984, then Vice President George Bush offered the American draft of a treaty.
And since Mikhail Gorbachev took over in the Soviet Union, there has been substantial progress
toward reaching agreement.
Decations are that they might achieve this objective by the end of this year.
It's hoped the chemical weapons conference in Paris will give a boost to the Geneva negotiations.
Some diplomats suggest it's no coincidence that the U.S. made an issue out of an alleged
Libyan chemical weapons plant right before the Paris conference.
Libya's Deputy U.N. Ambassador Ali Manfasser says the U.S. is picking on his country.
I was asking why Libya?
There are 20 countries in the world who have a real Libya refuted to have chemical weapons,
but the United States, they know many other countries.
United States, one of the biggest producers.
At the Paris conference, the U.S. says it will propose giving the U.N. Secretary General
greater powers to investigate allegations of chemical weapons use, but there's not much
the Secretary General can do if countries accused refuse to cooperate as Iraq has.
Gini Mo, CNN, New York.
Little later this hour, Mideast expert Frank Fukuyama joins us.
He's with the RAND Corporation and will get his thoughts on the latest U.S.-Libyan showdown
and whether it will cloud the upcoming chemical weapons conference in Paris.
And a Scottish town mourns for the victims of Pan Am flight 103.
Checking channels?
Check CNN to find out what in the world is going on.
CNN, stay informed.
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Federal charges have been dropped against 11 men accused of trying to sell U.S. weapons
worth $2 billion to Iran.
The former defendants include a retired Israeli general and an American lawyer based in London.
The indictments resulted from a sting operation by U.S. agents and Iranian arms dealer Cyrus
Hashimi, but the United States said it cannot try the case because Hashimi died two and
a half years ago.
He was to be the prosecution's chief witness.
Iran contrary prosecutor Lawrence Walsh won a legal victory from a federal appeals court
in Washington on Wednesday.
The court rejected Oliver North's request that Walsh not be allowed to see a summary
of classified testimony that North might use in his defense.
The ruling may help Walsh and U.S. intelligence officials to determine whether North might
expose U.S. defense secrets at his trial, which begins January 31st.
The people of Lockerbie, Scotland mourn the loss of friends and the deaths of strangers
Wednesday, victims of the blast that sent a flaming jet crashing onto their quiet town.
The town's red sandstone church was packed with residents and more than 100 relatives
of people killed when the terrorism struck Pan Am Flight 103.
Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher and the U.S. Ambassador to Britain were among the mourners.
They listened as the head of the Church of Scotland warned against demands for revenge.
We might be tempted even urged by some to flex our muscles in response and show that
we are men.
I for one would have none of it and I hope you will not either.
Justice yes, retaliation no.
The December 21st bombing that killed all 259 people aboard the plane and 11 on the
ground in Lockerbie.
Funeral services for the local victims begin on Thursday.
President-elect George Walsh had a once in a century chance to savor his election victory
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He presided over a joint session of Congress called to certify the election results.
It is the Vice President's responsibility to preside over such a session.
Declares the joint session dissolved.
This was the first time since Martin Van Buren did so in 1837 that a Vice President had the
opportunity to name himself the next President.
George Bush will become President on January 20th, that is Inauguration Day.
CNN has confirmed that Defense Secretary Frank Carlucci will come out in favor of closing
military bases across the country.
Sources say Carlucci has approved the recommendation of a special commission to close 34 military
installations and 52 military housing complexes.
Carlucci's decision sets the stage for a debate on Capitol Hill.
He is expected to announce the decision at a news conference Thursday at noon Eastern.
CNN will cover it live.
Still ahead, Friends of the Reagan host a star-studded Hollywood party for the First
Lady's anti-drug crusade.
And some endangered animals that found a safe haven in a very unlikely setting.
Haven't there been times when you wanted to take the law into your own hands?
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The exploration of life in space and the preservation of life on earth mesh at a wildlife sanctuary
in Florida.
CNN's John Zarella takes us on a tour.
In the distance a flock of rare white pelicans huddle on a sandy knoll.
An osprey back from an afternoon fishing trip carries its lunch in its talons.
This is literally an island in a sea of urban development.
The island is the Kennedy Space Center, 140,000 acres including 40 miles of unspoiled beachfront.
Besides being the home of America's space program, it is also a national wildlife preserve,
home for more than 300 species of birds and 30 mammals.
This is a sanctuary and hopefully it's going to be a sanctuary on into the next century.
To the north is Titusville, to the south is Cocoa Beach.
More than a quarter century ago when NASA took over, setting this space aside for space
exploration, the decision was made to keep the land in as much of its natural state as
possible.
Everything we do, we very carefully look at what impact we have on the environment.
Working with the National Wildlife Service, which is charged with guarding the animals
interests, NASA has gone beyond simply caretaking.
Using transmitters and satellite tracking, NASA is helping wildlife scientists study
the migratory habits of the endangered manatee.
They move a lot more than what we had thought they would.
They may make as many as five trips back and forth to Georgia in the course of the summertime.
These pictures are also the result of NASA ingenuity.
The space agency took a camera from the launch pad, modified it and put it in a tree above
an eagle's nest in order to study the birds.
The whole nesting sequence of the bald eagles from the time they come back and start repairing
the nest through incubation and raising their young.
Eagles, like other birds, keep coming back year after year.
About 5,000 alligators are quite at home in the shallow marshes.
A complex water management plan makes this a welcome sanctuary.
Wildlife officials are constantly raising and lowering water levels and changing salinity
in various parts of the preserve to fit the different animals' needs.
Except for the occasional blast of rocket engines, space and nature get along just fine
here.
In fact, if it weren't for space, this place for nature probably wouldn't exist.
John Zarellis, CNN, at the Kennedy Space Center in Florida.
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Last night in our Newsnight 900 poll we asked, should President Reagan be compelled to testify
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A majority of our callers, 61 percent, said yes.
And there's still time to get your vote in for tonight's poll.
And the question, was the U.S. justified in shooting down the two Libyan jets?
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This is CNN.
Welcome back to Newsnight.
Karen McGuess will be along shortly with a look at the nation's weather for us.
First, here's a recap of our top story.
Britain and Israel so far are the only allies supporting the U.S. downing of two Libyan
jet fighters.
The confrontation happened over the Mediterranean on Wednesday in international waters 70 miles
north of the Libyan coast.
Two F-14s from the aircraft carrier John F. Kennedy intercepted two Libyan MiGs headed
toward a U.S. battle group.
The Pentagon claims the pilots acted in self-defense.
A Defense Secretary Carlucci denies charges by Libya that the U.S. Mediterranean maneuvers
are a prelude to an attack.
These six fleet ships and aircraft were operating in international waters and international
airspace at the time of the incident and posed no threat to Libya.
These routine operations are of the same type that have been conducted in the same area
many times in the past.
Libyan TV reports anti-American demonstrations erupted after the incident and continued well
into the night.
Colonel Gaddafi calls U.S. action official American terrorism backed by brute force and
he vows Libya will meet challenge with challenge.
There are a couple of storms to talk about in the weather.
And Karen McGinnis is just the one to talk about them.
As a matter of fact we have a couple of storms to tell you about.
One right around the Four Corners region, another one now affecting the Pacific Northwest.
For the viewers in the West, watch out the next couple of days it's going to be rather
stormy.
Then high pressure is going to move over your area in time for the weekend and you'll see
some cool weather conditions but at least you'll be dry for the time being until this
next weather system slides down.
Here's what's happening.
The storm is developing at this hour right around the Four Corners region.
Already Flagstaff more than six inches of snow from this latest weather system.
That makes it more than ten inches of snow on the ground.
It's raining in places right around northern New Mexico, also through Arizona.
And snow for the High Sierra, well you could see a foot or two feet across the southern
mountains of Arizona.
So well it looks like the snow level there right around seven or six thousand feet.
And once this weather system really becomes better organized it looks like the snow level
will be four or five thousand feet.
But right along the border between Oregon and California, five hundred feet, maybe a
thousand feet, you're looking at the possibility of snow there.
Generally speaking between four and six inches possible at plenty in the high elevations
and that's great news for skiers.
Let's talk about what's happening in the forecast map as we take a look at Thursday afternoon.
We're going to watch this weather system, the school front and its accompanying weather
system produce a few widely scattered showers.
Now for Chicago it looked like early in the evening you could see the rain and the snow.
It still may be that way.
There's still lots of cold air there.
But for the most part we think it will be rain.
A lot of areas right around the Ohio Valley, Mississippi River Valley, you're looking at
a combination precipitation.
Not necessarily Thursday afternoon but maybe Thursday night and perhaps Friday morning.
As a weather system, as a matter of fact the two of these are going to join forces.
This weather system is going to race towards the northeast.
So if you're watching us from the central plains and from the Great Lakes towards the
end of the week, you get that stormy mix of precipitation.
And tonight right around the northeast, let's talk about the radar picture, tonight the
wind chill factors right around Brunswick, Maine where everybody in Maine is below zero,
the wind chill factor there is just about 58 degrees below zero.
That means if you go outside your skin will freeze just like that.
Also here's the way it looks like across the southwest rather stormy.
As a matter of fact some of the snow has tapered off throughout the southern mountains of Colorado
at this hour.
Let's take a look at Thursday's forecast.
As we look at a seagull on Halva Pier in Miami.
Looks like the bird had a pretty nice day coming up Thursday in Miami.
It's going to be partly cloudy and mild high of about 70 degrees, something that he's used
to.
Friday look for even warmer weather, the high temperature right around 78 degrees coming
up.
Donna?
Delightful, thank you Karen.
A Hollywood held an early welcome home party for President and Mrs. Ronald Reagan tonight.
The setting was the Beverly Hilton Hotel, the occasion was a fundraiser for a drug treatment
set up for teenagers.
The center will be named after First Lady Nancy Reagan.
It will be established in a former hospital in the San Fernando Valley.
Guests such as television star Gary Coleman believe the facility will help teens who are
addicted.
I think another center of a real high caliber is good for people to have a choice to go
and get rid of their problem or help them with their problem.
Because Nancy is so interested and such a caring person having worked on the show and
talked about the drug problem, I think it's a very good idea.
Tonight's dinner raised one million dollars for the Nancy Reagan Drug Treatment Center.
When we come back, our guest Frank Fukuyama joins us.
He's a midi specialist and staff member at the Rand Corporation and we'll be talking
about the US-Libyan airfights in the Mediterranean.
And later on in Newsnight, the nominees are announced for the annual Golden Globe Awards
and we'll see which films and stars led the pack.
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Checking channels?
Check CNN to find out what in the world is going on.
CNN, stay informed.
The international implications of Wednesday's developments in the Mediterranean are now
a source of growing tension.
Here to discuss those implications with us is Frank Fukuyama who joins us in our Los
Angeles Bureau.
Mr. Fukuyama is a senior staff member of the RAND Corporation.
That's a group which studies international security.
In his position, Mr. Fukuyama follows both Middle East and Soviet politics.
He was a member of the State Department's Policy Planning Staff in 1981 and in 1982.
That was the period when the U.S. shot down Libyan fighters over the Gulf of Sidra.
And Mr. Fukuyama, well, I thank you very much for joining us tonight.
I'm wondering, first thing that we might talk about here is all of the concern on this chemical
plant or alleged chemical plant that Colonel Gaddafi is building.
Do you find this just a coincidence or indeed, as the Secretary of Defense has said, this
is just a normal training exercise and the Libyans sent these fighters out?
Well, it does seem from the reports that have come out thus far that in fact, Carlucci was
probably correct.
You know, in 1986, I think when we went after the Libyans, we sought to deliberately provoke
them and our fleet was very close to the Libyan coast south of the so-called line of death.
And I think that we were virtually asking Gaddafi to provoke us and start some kind
of an incident.
Let's turn this around then.
Do you think that Gaddafi was attempting to provoke the United States?
It's very hard to say what his intention was.
It seems to me that they are very worried at the moment about a possible repeat of the
86 bombing attack and they certainly want reconnaissance planes in the area and it could
have been a matter of simply trigger happy pilots.
Concerning the chemical plant, does this incident then indeed focus some heat on the Colonel,
draw a lot of attention to the chemical plant and therefore make it more difficult for him
to proceed with it?
Well, I think that part of the show of force was aimed at Colonel Gaddafi and I think it
will probably have the effect that you mentioned.
I think really though the other half of putting the fleet in the Mediterranean is really focused
on this international conference that's going to convene in Paris on Saturday and I think
that one of the aims of the administration is to in some way jolt or scare the Europeans
and the Japanese who are the main purveyors of the technology that produces chemical weapons
and to try to get them to be a bit more responsible in their export policies.
This whole matter is somewhat three pronged then, isn't it?
Because we've got that conference coming up in Paris.
We have the chemical plant or Colonel Gaddafi refers to it as a pharmaceutical plant under
construction and then we have the sixth fleet involved.
That's quite a set of circumstances, isn't it?
That's right but I think that the incident should really have a salutary effect really
on everybody.
In 1986, as you may recall, when we bombed Libya the Europeans were extremely upset about
this, almost everybody with the exception of Mrs. Thatcher condemned the US action as
a kind of Rambo Reagan administration gone out of control but in the end what they did
was to get much tougher on the kinds of routine police measures to crack down on terrorists
that were transiting through their territory and I think that this kind of incident coming
right before this conference may have a similar sort of effect on the Europeans in getting
them to take their responsibilities and controlling the proliferation of these technologies a
little bit more seriously.
Well, you're recognized as an expert on this part of the world and in your studies what
would you suggest Colonel Gaddafi, what is his aim?
He could just deal with his own nation of Libya and not bother a lot of people.
What does he want?
Why is he building a chemical plant?
Why does he do some of the things that he apparently does?
Well, you know if you consider what Libya is, it's a country with less than 3 million
people, it was a desert oasis that hardly anyone paid attention to until they found
oil in that region and even after they found oil nobody paid attention to it until Colonel
Gaddafi started supporting political causes and terrorism and provoking various sorts
of international incidents in order to cause attention to himself and he's done a very
good job I'd say at that and if you consider for a man of his given the kind of country
and the material he's got to work with he's done a pretty good job for himself.
Dr. Fukuyama, President Reagan says that he is thinking that it will cause such an uproar
if we do attack Libya or the chemical plant.
Do you think that there are other options that the United States has if we prove that
the chemical plant is in operation?
Well I think that it will really be incumbent on either this administration or the next
administration to make absolutely clear to everybody that it has pursued every other
alternative, every other diplomatic alternative in trying to get this thing shut down but
my impression is that the force has already left and we'll be closing the barn door on
an empty barn at this point in terms of sanctions or greater export controls on the part of
the suppliers and I would say that if that's really the case then you probably don't have
very many diplomatic alternatives to deal with this problem.
Our correspondent John Sweeney apparently broke the news to Yasser Erfats about the
downing of the Libyan plains and he said that that would bode very badly for the Middle
East peace process, perhaps your reaction to that, what effect this might have?
I think it's going to have very little impact.
I think that all Arab leaders in a situation like this have, feel compelled to show unity
for the Arab cause but in fact Arafat and almost every other Arab leader has some grudge
or problem with Qaddafi and I think that behind the scenes they're probably all quite happy
that Qaddafi is getting his nose bled again or is in a position to do that and I think
that Arafat is in the same boat as far as that's concerned.
He doesn't really owe Colonel Qaddafi anything.
Talking about Qaddafi, perhaps your reaction if you think this will show him in a better
light or if people will see that the chemical plant with Britain now saying that they have
independent confirmation of the chemical plant that they will see that he's up to no good.
Well I think that that will be the effect.
You've got to stamp your feet and make people sit up and take notice of what's going on
and I think that for all of the negative reaction that occurred after the 1986 bombing that's
precisely what people did with regard to more conventional forms of terrorism.
Alright, Dr. Frank Fukuyama, thanks very much for joining us.
We'll be right back in a minute.
in three words or less tell us why you prefer thrifty car rental you don't have to be well
feel well known to rent in here thrifties new Chrysler cars thriftiest may I remind
the affiliates we may run a little over tonight enjoy the luxury of a Chrysler New Yorker
just thirty four ninety five a day a thrifty seventy two hour advance reservation required
have you ever noticed how some people can't come out and say thrifty price for everyone
you ever notice that call one eight hundred for cars have you ever wondered what a baggage
handler might take on vacation what everyone should say Samsonites glutton for punishment
get Samsonites glutton for punishment because no one knows what goes on behind closed doors
haven't there been times when you've wanted to take the law into your own hands we'll
talk about that tomorrow on Sonya live noon eastern 9 Pacific on CNN
a study by the Boston University School of Medicine finds that some women taking the
pill have twice the risk of breast cancer compared with women who never use oral contraceptives
the researchers stress that their study does not close the book on an old question can
the pill cause cancer in Washington a consumer group says new labeling is needed to warn
women on the pill about the risk of breast cancer both groups are expected to be heard
Thursday at a Food and Drug Administration hearing as advances in medicine make it easier
to deliver a healthy baby they risk malpractice suits may be scaring some of the best doctors
away from the delivery room CNN medical correspondent Dan Rutz takes a look at this uncertain future
in obstetrics how you daughter doing this is the doctor patient relationship in action
Dr. David Bryan favorite obstetrics as a specialty because he could really get to know the patients
and their families there is nothing that is as thrilling to me as delivering a baby and
as the baby takes its first breath and begins to cry which is a typical response without
spanking this child the fond memories are four years old that's when Dr. Bryan and his
partner shortened their shingle to gynecology only to the suburban Atlanta specialist the
fear of being unfairly sued over unavoidable birth defects and complications gradually
replaced the good feeling that had been a part of nurturing new life human reproduction
is not perfect we haven't made this point to pregnant women because in a sense we think
that it's an added stress to them but three to four percent of all babies are born with
significant birth defects across town Dr. John Ramsey chief of obstetrics at Atlanta's
Piedmont Hospital agreed doctors sometimes allow their patients expectations to become
unreasonable and I think that some of the things that we say and do tend to lead them
to believe that you know we are better we tend to be reassuring everybody likes to reassure
nobody likes to bear bad news over two thousand deliveries and no lawsuits later Dr. Ramsey
does stress communication with patients even when it is unpleasant and they're just some
people that are able to communicate better than others I have a lot of good friends that
excellent doctors but they don't talk enough a patient likes to hear you express what you
think about her case what do you think about her you know I would say but at least there's
some give and take the visits leading up to delivery give ample time to talk out the issues
patients take interest in these days the use of anesthesia apesia to me that is a surgical
cut to prevent tearing electronic fetal monitors soft music and subdued lights but at some
point this veteran practitioner draws the line and what he calls latent consumerism
over the contentions of a magazine author or zealous childbirth instructor he holds
the doctor must be trusted to make some of the decisions for the safety of both mother
and child and as I talked to younger people that are giving up the statics that probably
is one of the major issues that they are not the only person managing the case there are
too many directors there are too many other cooks out there stirring soup just quitting
up set tricks cost dr. brian over a hundred thousand dollars for insurance against liability
claims that could arise anytime while the babies he delivered are growing up the doctors
who still deliver babies speak of defensive medicine more on that in our next report dan
ruts cnn reporter why do you take aspirin more than once a week because after one day
of tennis I can have three days of aches and pains and when you take aspirin that often
you wonder about aspirin stomach upset well today is a better aspirin product for you
try buffered buffering better than plain aspirin because it's 100% aspirin plus three buffers
to help protect against stomach upset aspirin can cause you know it really is better try
buffered buffering if you take aspirin more than once a week the UN Security Council meets
Thursday morning to hear Libya's complaints of the US downing of two Libyan jets and Libya
says it'll ask the UN to condemn the US but the United States says it considers the matter
closed in our news nights 900 poll we asked was the United States justified in shooting
down the two Libyan jets 84% of our callers said yes the United States Navy did act correctly
in downing the Libyan planes 16% said no the action was not justified remember the news
night 900 polls not scientific but it gives us a reflection of the opinions of the folks
who choose to give us a call of 35 minutes Dave Walker comes along with news night update
Dave thank you Donna Patrick we will deviate from the normal news night update format as
we feature expanded coverage of Wednesday's events in the Mediterranean the downing of
two Libyan fighters by two Navy f-14s we will look at the official US position the reaction
of more market off he and the history of conflict between the two nations in addition we will
be taking comments from viewers if you wish to participate you should call now tell us
what you wish to say and we'll call you back during news night update as time permits if
you wish to participate you should call now here's night update coming up at 1 30 Eastern
join us Donna Patrick thank you Dave well the Golden Globe Awards are presented annually
by the Hollywood Foreign Press Association nominations for the awards were announced
on Wednesday CNN Sandy Kenyon says one television show and one film received most of the attention
with foreign player the members of the Hollywood Foreign Press Corps announced their Golden
Globe nominations and a working girl had the most a total of six well there's the first
time for everything this group splits films into dramas and comedies or musicals working
girl is competing in that category against big a fish called Wanda Midnight Run and who
framed Roger Rapp gorillas in the midst could win the trophy as best motion picture drama
but so could the accidental tourist a cry in the dark Rain Man running on empty the
unbearable lightness of being or Mississippi Burning that film star Jean Hackman was recognized
along with Dustin Hoffman Rain Man Tom Holtz Dominic and Eugene Edward James almost stand
and deliver Forest Whitaker Bird Christine Lottie is up for an award for running on empty
up against Meryl Streep for a cry in the dark Jodie Foster in the accused Shirley McLean
as Madame Suzatska and Sigourney Weaver as the late Diane Fosse Oscar traditionally ignores
comedic performances but here Jamie Lee Curtis could get her due or Melanie Griffith or Amy
Irving but they'll have to beat Michelle Pfeiffer and Susan Sarandon come on spring training
the field among the men in the comedy category includes Tom Hanks Michael Kane John Cleese
Bob Hoskins and Robert De Niro fewer than 100 journalists choose the winners of this
award but in the past the Golden Globe ceremony has proved to be a pretty accurate forecast
of the winners at the more prestigious Academy Awards Sadie Kenyon CNN Beverly Hills California
well that'll do it for this edition of Newsnight I'm Donna Kelly thanks for joining us I'm
Patrick Emory have a good evening the news continues.
.