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      Kuwait.  (Washington Post, August 30, p. Al.)

         OPEC ratifies increase in oil production, oil prices drop to their lowest levels in three
      weeks ($25.92 on New York Mercantile Exchange). (Washington Post, August 30, p.
      Al.)

         Japan agrees to help finance international effort against Iraq with grants and food.
      (N~w York Times    August 30, p. Al.)

         Demonstrations in Syrian towns support Saddam Hussein and oppose Syrian military
      involvement with allies against Iraq. (New York Times, August 30, p. Al.)

         Public perception of military soars for the first time in the eighteen years that the
      Gallup Poll has tracked public confidence in ten major institutions. The military ranked
      in the No.1 spot by a large margin. Poll indicates a 9% decline among those who think
      we are spending too much for military purposes. (Minneapolis Star Tribune, August 30,
      p. 12.)

      ---In calling up members of the reserve, President Bush is offering the first test of a
      military structure reorganized over the last two decades to give the part-time soldier a
      more central role in the application of American military force. Since the end of the draft
      in 1973, the Pentagon has shifted a growing range of specialized military duties, from
      minesweeping to water purification, to reservists largely to cut costs. Reservists are
      fighting to overcome the low esteem accorded them by their active-duty comrades who
      regard them as ill-equipped and ill-trained. (New York Times, August 29, p. Al6.)


August 30
         Thursday --- Peace dividend may be a casualty of Persian Gulf crisis, say members
      of Congress.   Costs of maintaining increased troop levels in the Middle East may kill
      Congressional plans for a $l2-$15 billion cut of President Bush's defense budget, but a
      smaller cut of less than $10 billion, proposed by Sam Nunn, Chairman of the Senate
      Armed Services Committee, may be passed. (New York Times, August 30, p. Al 6.)

         Pentagon directs cuts in spending worldwide to help pay for Persian Gulf military
      operations.  The directive curbs expenses on conference travel, training exercises, road
      building, runway resurfacing and reserve training. (New York Times, August 30, p.
      A16.)

         U.N. Secretary G~~eral Javier Perez de Cuellar arrives in Jordan for mediation effort
      with Iraqi Foreign Minister Tariq Aziz. (New York Times, August 31, p Al.)


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