"Watch Out, United States"

General Haig comes home

No political image maker could have hoped for a noisier sendoff. Last week General Alexander Meigs Haig Jr., 54, Supreme Commander of Allied Forces in Europe, narrowly escaped death from an unidentified terrorist's bomb as he motored to NATO military headquarters in Casteau, Belgium. The blast missed Haig's Mercedes 600 limousine but blew a crater in the road, slightly injured three of his security guards and damaged their car. Two days later, Haig was jetting about Europe in a U.S. Air Force DC-9, receiving 17-gun farewell salutes. Said British Major General Geoffery B. Wilson: "We rejoice that you were spared [in the bombing], and we know we will hear more from you. Watch out, United States."

So ended Haig's 30-year career in the U.S. Army and his 4 1/2 years as NATO commander. By the weekend he was back in civilian clothes and set to begin a series of speeches and television appearances that will keep him in the public eye for months. Although Republican Haig brushes aside questions about his political ambitions, his intention seems to be to sound out the possibility of making a run in 1980, either for the presidency or for the Senate, possibly from his home state of Pennsylvania.

Republican professionals discount Haig's chances as a politician, mostly because he has no home base from which to run. Said John Sears, a strategist for Ronald Reagan: "It's very difficult to come in and grab the ball and run with it." Asked Conservative Fund Raiser Richard Viguerie: "Where would he get his money?"

Haig will also be a participant in the SALT II debate, elaborating on the warnings about the Soviet military buildup that he sounded as NATO military chief. He told TIME last week: "For 15 years, American restraint has not been matched by Soviet restraint. The growth of Soviet military power has been relentless, reflecting unflagging determination. Are we going to be able to do what is necessary to protect our vital interests under SALT II, or better without SALT II?" While in uniform, he avoided giving his answer to that question, though he was known to have some doubts about the treaty that was signed in Vienna. In any event, Haig favors more spending on U.S. defense. Says he: "It is clear that from 1980 to 1987, we will be going through an extremely dangerous imbalance in certain areas of equipment, with or without SALT."

This file is automatically generated by a robot program, so viewer discretion is required.