LATEST ATTACK SEEN POINTING UP DILEMMAS FOR US
Military experts say the United States
faces a dilemma in the Gulf following U.S. destruction of an
Iranian oil platform in retaliation for an attack on a
U.S.-flagged tanker.
    The experts told Reuters Tehran holds the initiative and is
likely to control the tempo and direction of the conflict as
long as America simply reacts to Iranian attacks by launching
limited retaliatory strikes.
    But if Washington seizes the initiative with bolder steps
-- such as mining Iran's harbors, blockading its shipping, or
destroying key bases -- it could find itself in a major war.
    "Iran is in the driver's seat in an absolute sense as the
cycle of attack and retaliation continues," said Fred Axelgard,
a Gulf War expert with the private Center for Strategic and
International Studies (CSIS).
    "It's like a Greek tragedy," said retired Adm. Eugene Carroll
of Washington's private Center for Defense Information (CDI)
think tank.
    Some Middle East experts say the only way out is for
Washington to join forces with Moscow in pressing for an end to
the war between Iran and Iraq.
    They say it is not feasible for America to withdraw its
30-ship force from the Gulf area, where the Navy began
escorting U.S.-flagged Kuwaiti tankers in July. Withdrawal 
would give the appearance of being chased away by Iran, which
President Reagan could never accept.
    U.S. Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger told a Pentagon
news conference the destroyers Kidd, Young, Leftwich and Hoel
fired about 1,000 rounds of five-inch shells at Iran's Rostam
oil rig 120 miles east of Bahrain beginning at about 1400 Gulf
time (0700 EDT) on Monday.
    Weinberger said the platform had been used as a military
base by Iran and that the attack responded to an Iranian
Silkworm missile strike on the U.S.-flagged Kuwaiti tanker Sea
Isle City on Friday.
    Iranians manning the platform were warned in advance and
allowed to escape.
    "We do not seek further confrontation with Iran, but we will
be prepared to meet any escalation of military action by Iran
with stronger countermeasures," Weinberger said.
    "We consider this matter closed," he said.
    Analysts ranging from the liberal CDI to conservatives
agreed the U.S. reaction was measured, reasonable and did not
escalate the conflict unduly. But they said the question was
whether Iran would consider the matter closed. It had not taken
this view after earlier clashes.
 Reuter
