DATE=7/31/97
TYPE=CORRESPONDENT REPORT
NUMBER=2-217953
TITLE=COHEN / SAUDI BLAST REPORT (L)
BYLINE=ERIN BRUMMETT
DATELINE=PENTAGON
CONTENT=
VOICED AT: 

INTRO:  U-S DEFENSE SECRETARY WILLIAM COHEN HAS PUNISHED AN AIR 
FORCE GENERAL FOR FAILING TO PROVIDE ADEQUATE SECURITY AT THE U-S
MILITARY HOUSING COMPLEX IN SAUDI ARABIA, WHERE 19 U-S AIRMEN 
DIED IN A TERRORIST BOMBING LAST YEAR.  MR. COHEN CANCELED THE 
GENERAL'S PENDING PROMOTION.  AS A RESULT OF MR. COHEN'S 
DECISION, THE GENERAL ANNOUNCED HIS RETIREMENT. ERIN BRUMMETT 
REPORTS.

TEXT:  MR. COHEN'S MOVE EFFECTIVELY ENDED THE CAREER OF GENERAL 
TERRYL SCHWALIER, WHO WAS IN CHARGE OF THE COMPLEX CALLED KHOBAR 
TOWERS (NEAR DHAHRAN). 

THE GENERAL'S PREVIOUSLY APPROVED PROMOTION HAD BEEN DELAYED, 
PENDING THE OUTCOME OF MR. COHEN'S REVIEW OF CONTRADICTORY U-S 
MILITARY REPORTS ON THE BOMBING.

LAST FALL, THE PENTAGON FOUND THAT THE ENTIRE CHAIN OF COMMAND 
FAILED TO PROVIDE PROPER SECURITY AT KHOBAR TOWERS, AND ITS 
REPORT MENTIONED GENERAL SCHWALIER.  LATER, TWO AIR FORCE REPORTS
DETERMINED THAT GENERAL SCHWALIER AND HIS COMMANDERS DID 
EVERYTHING THEY COULD TO PROTECT THE HOUSING COMPLEX.

SECRETARY COHEN SAYS HE ACCEPTS THE RESULTS OF THE FIRST AIR 
FORCE REPORT THAT THERE IS  NO  BASIS FOR PROSECUTING ANYONE FOR 
DERELICTION OF DUTY.

BUT MR. COHEN DISAGREES WITH THE SECOND AIR FORCE STUDY, WHICH 
SAYS  NO ACTION SHOULD BE TAKEN AGAINST ANY OFFICER.  HE HOLDS 
GENERAL SCHWALIER RESPONSIBLE FOR FAILING TO ADEQUATELY ASSESS 
AND IMPROVE THE SECURITY SITUATION AT KHOBAR TOWERS.

                   / / / COHEN ACTUALITY / / /

         FIRST, THE KHOBAR TOWERS HAD  NO  EFFECTIVE SYSTEM TO 
         WARN OF AN IMPENDING TERRORIST ATTACK.  EVACUATION PLANS
         FOR RESIDENTS IN KHOBAR TOWERS WERE INADEQUATE.  AND, 
         SECOND, THE COMMAND HAD  NOT DEVELOPED AND TESTED AND 
         TRAINED PERSONNEL TO USE THESE EVACUATION PLANS.

                       / / / END ACT / / /

THE SECRETARY SAYS GENERAL SCHWALIER FAILED TO MEET REASONABLE 
STANDARDS UNDER THE CIRCUMSTANCES BY  NOT  REFERRING ANY 
PROTECTION PROBLEMS UP THE CHAIN OF HIS COMMAND -- THIS, DESPITE 
A WARNING THAT THE COMPLEX WAS VULNERABLE TO TERRORIST ATTACK.  
MR. COHEN IS  NOT  TAKING ANY ACTION AGAINST OTHER OFFICERS FOR 
THAT REASON.

BUT AIR FORCE SECRETARY SHEILA WIDNALL -- A CIVILIAN APPOINTEE 
LIKE MR. COHEN -- SIDED WITH THE AIR FORCE, SAYING SHE FELT 
GENERAL SCHWALIER DID ACT REASONABLY.

GENERAL SCHWALIER HAD ALSO BEEN STRONGLY SUPPORTED BY AIR FORCE 
CHIEF OF STAFF GENERAL RONALD FOGLEMAN, WHO RETIRED EARLIER THIS 
WEEK, REPORTEDLY OVER MR. COHEN'S DECISION.

MR. COHEN (THURSDAY) NAMED GENERAL MICHAEL RYAN, HEAD OF U-S AIR 
FORCES-EUROPE, TO REPLACE GENERAL FOGLEMAN AS AIR FORCE CHIEF OF 
STAFF. (SIGNED)

NEB/EKB/RRM

31-Jul-97 4:30 PM EDT (2030 UTC)
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Source: Voice of America
.