This Day In 1970's History: Thursday December 10, 1981
- A plea to Americans to leave Libya at once was issued by President Reagan, who also ordered the invalidation of American passports for travel to Libya. A senior administration official said there were no immediate plans to halt Libyan oil imports or to impose additional sanctions against the Tripoli regime for what the White House terms its "current lawless behavior."
A departure of American technicians, who discovered oil in Libya in 1955 and have been the dominant force in increasing production, will cause serious problems for the industry, Tripoli's oil minister acknowledged. Industry analysts suggested that the withdrawal could prompt Libya to nationalize American oil holdings. [New York Times]
- NATO refused to back U.S. actions against Libya. At a meeting in Brussels, Italy and France opposed any attempts to isolate Libya at this time, and Britain and West Germany said they opposed any consideration of a boycott on Libyan products. [New York Times]
- Charges about Raymond Donovan, the Labor Secretary, have prompted the Justice Department to consider whether to recommend an inquiry by a special prosecutor. A former union official has told federal prosecutors that he was present at a luncheon attended by Mr. Donovan when a reported illegal $2,000 payoff was made to the union at a time when Mr. Donovan was a top officer of a New Jersey construction company. [New York Times]
- The President won a budget victory in the House, which approved an omnibus bill that would reduce government spending by $4 billion through March 31. In the key vote of 222 to 194, all but three Republicans heeded Mr. Reagan's appeals for approval, and 36 conservative Democrats also rebuffed the Democratic leadership. [New York Times]
- No youth who fails to register with the Selective Service System will face criminal charges now, according to the Justice Department. It said it had informed federal prosecutors to refrain from seeking indictments until the Reagan administration decided whether to continue the military registration program. [New York Times]
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