Editorials
Tuesday, August 18, 1998

Apology turned into
an attack on Starr

PRESIDENT Clinton admitted in his television address yesterday that he had lied in his previous firm public denials that he had a series of sexual encounters in his office with Monica Lewinsky, a young woman who was a White House intern at the time. He did not, however, use those blunt terms, preferring the milder euphemisms "misled" and "not appropriate," which should have fooled no one.

Then Clinton dropped his contrite manner and assumed the tone of the aggrieved party, assailing independent counsel Kenneth Starr for his four-year investigation of the president's affairs, starting with Whitewater -- as if Clinton and his team had not done their utmost to impede and obstruct their efforts.

He urged that the investigations be brought to a speedy end and that he be permitted to focus his full attention on the nation's business. That is an understandable request, but whether it will be met is far from certain. This scandal has yet to run its course.

And his attack on Starr angered some Republicans who had indicated that they might forgo impeachment proceedings if he made a full and sincere apology.

Clinton asserted that the Lewinsky matter was a private affair, for him to resolve with his wife and daughter. But for the president to conduct himself so disgracefully with a White House intern, within the White House itself, is surely a matter of public concern, if not an impeachable offense. And the questions of possible perjury and subornation of perjury cannot be dismissed simply by Clinton's denials -- especially since he admitted having previously lied about this affair. Why should anyone believe him now?

Looming over this whole sordid business is the question of the president's credibility and his ability to lead the nation for the remainder of his term. That question is no closer to an answer after yesterday's extraordinary events.

ZipLane's debut

THE H-3 freeway, it has been said many times, is the last major highway to be built on Oahu in the foreseeable future. With H-3 finally completed, attention has turned to making existing highways more efficient. The opening of the ZipLane on the H-1 freeway in Leeward Oahu is a major step to that end. The lane runs for 10 miles from the Manager's Drive overpass in Waikele to the Pearl Harbor interchange.

The Zipper is an ingenious way to temporarily add one lane of traffic in the hours of heaviest use by mechanically installing moveable concrete barriers. After rush hour the barriers are removed by the same efficient method.

The ZipLane is restricted to vehicles with at least three occupants. Yesterday was the first day of operation, and Transportation Department officials reported that the launch went well, with 1,199 vehicles using it between 5:30 and 8 a.m. They hope that will increase to 1,000 vehicles an hour in six months.

The Hawaii system is modeled after one in Dallas, which opened in 1991. The manager of the Dallas system says it saves commuters at least 10 minutes. It has long been recognized that it would be desirable to expand and contract highway lanes to deal with changing traffic flows. The problem was doing it safely. The Zipper solves that problem with its concrete barriers and its ability to move them quickly.

The system is catching on. The company that makes it, Barrier Systems Inc., has provided 50 Zipmobiles to cities, including Boston, San Diego and New York. In Honolulu as elsewhere, it promises to be a valuable tool in traffic management.

However, a rail transit system will still be needed to keep traffic moving in the years ahead, even with the ZipLane.

N. Irish car bombing

PROTESTANTS and Catholics in Northern Ireland knew when they overwhelmingly endorsed a peace agreement in May that it would not end the bloodshed. Splinter groups on both sides let it be known they opposed the agreement and would continue their violent activities. Deadly attacks such as the car bombing in the town of Omagh should be regarded as criminal acts beyond the scope of politics and prosecuted as such.

Prime Ministers Tony Blair of Britain and Bertie Ahern of Ireland warned last spring that extremist groups would not honor the cease-fires observed by the predominant paramilitary groups, the mostly Catholic Irish Republican Army and two major Protestant camps, the Ulster Volunteer Force and the Ulster Freedom Fighters.

The Omagh bombing is believed to have been set by a splinter group called the Real IRA, consisting of about 10 experienced operatives who defected from the IRA, along with scores of young recruits. Its commander is Mickey McKevitt, who used to be in charge of weapons for the IRA. He resigned from its command in October, protesting the agreement's requirement that the IRA disarm under international supervision.

Gerry Adams, the leader of Sinn Fein, the IRA's political arm, said he was "totally horrified" by the bombing and expressed sorrow for the victims, a conciliatory remark unlike his response to past acts of violence by Catholic militants. Adams should turn his words into action and end suspicion that IRA members are arming the splinter groups by agreeing to have the IRA turn its weapons over to authorities.

Peace makers can only hope that the car bombing will not trigger further acts of terrorism. Retaliation by any major Protestant group for the Omagh bombing would fulfill the desire of the bombers to destroy the promise of peace and possibly provide them the public support they now lack. Law-enforcement authorities should act promptly to supersede any counterattacks.

---

Published by Liberty Newspapers Limited Partnership

Rupert E. Phillips, CEO

John M. Flanagan, Editor & Publisher

David Shapiro, Managing Editor

Diane Yukihiro Chang, Senior Editor & Editorial Page Editor

Frank Bridgewater & Michael Rovner, Assistant Managing Editors

A.A. Smyser, Contributing Editor