Commentary

Clinton fights back strongly

By Mervyn de Silva

Pakistan orders Islamic law in border states.
Iran searches for an Islamic end to Iraqi crisis.
Iraq calls for new East bloc to balance West.
Sharif vows to build modern Islamic State.

Yes, the Islamic revival has been a major force in the politics of this region in the post- Khomeini decades and a regular topic in this column. Right now, though, it is another controversy that claims the headlines in the international press - the impeachment of an elected President, a leader who won a second term. On Wednesday, President Clinton proved however that he shares the proverbial wisdom that offence is the best defence. In his State of the union address to the Congress he presented America as a country that had earned the popular media title - the sole Superpower.

"The economy stupid'' was the winning slogan of one of his predecessors. Well, the economy had performed quite well on Mr. Clinton's watch. And a grateful American people had given him a second term, the highest tribute of the electorate.

And then - impeachment, only the second in American history. The unkindest cut.

But young Bill is no sissy. He is a fighter who obviously believes that offence is the best form of defence.

"Six years ago, I came to office in a time of doubt for America with our economy troubled, our deficit high, our people divided.... My fellow Americans I stand before you tonight to report that the State of the Union is strong."

He may not be John. F. or his speech - writers may not be as classy as J.F.K.'s but this young man is a fighter, with guts. And he shares the conventional wisdom that the stomach is the shortest path to the heart. His first term in the White House had seen the longest economic expansion in American history!

Yes, the economy, stupid.

''Strategy'' may be too pompous a word for the counter-attack he mounted.

"My fellow, Americans, I stand before you tonight to report that the state of the Union is strong''. He was addressing a joint session of the House of Representatives and the Senate. The speech covered all three important areas - domestic, foreign and trade. 

The Record

"I stand before you to report that America has created the longest peacetime economic expansion in history - with nearly 18 million new jobs, wages rising at more than twice the rate of inflation, the highest home ownership in history, the smallest welfare rolls in 30 years - and the lowest peacetime unemployment since 1957."

Clinton Trial

Will there be a resolution to censure or denounce the President?

(A) Republican House leaders have said that they will NOT permit a censure resolution.

The Democrats had a counter-move in mind but nobody in the media trusts their most ''reliable'' sources on this drama - whether the ''House'' or the Court House or the White House.

What do the impeachment articles say the President did?

The answer is he committed perjury involving his relationship with Monica Lewinsky. In a deposition for the Paula Jones lawsuit and in an appearance before a grand jury that he obstructed justice to cover up that perjury. Evidently he abused the power of his office in responding to 81 questions posed by the Judiciary Committee. Fiat Justicia!

What is the most serious or damaging charge? Prosecutors from the House of Representatives claim their ''most compelling and chilling case'' centres on the charge that Mr. Clinton obstructed justice to hide his affair with Monica Lewinsky, former White House worker, says Richard Wolfe, a Washington-based British correspondent.

It would be quite useful to invite Fidel Castro for a comment, though there is no evidence whatsoever to accuse Mr. Clinton of mounting on a konspiratzia to see Castro's beard disappear. The leader of the Grand Old Party (GOP) in the Senate Trent Lott assured the media that his party will maintain the ''highest standards of civility, order and fairness''. Hear! Hear! 

Hulftsdorp Hill

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