nyssa@abnji.UUCP (nyssa of traken) (04/10/85)
From the Guardian: RUSSIANS ANNOUNCE NUCLEAR FREEZE From Martin Walker in Moscow and Hella Pick in London /* quoted w/o permission */ Mr. Mikhail Gorbachev last night announced a Soviet freeze for the next months in the deployment of nuclear missles in Europe, as an act of goodwill to give the Geneva negotiations a new momentum. The future of the freeze after November would depend on Nato's response. Mr. Gorbachev's statement makes a US-Soviet summit later this year a near certainty. The arms control dimension of Nr. Gorbachev's initiative was immediately rejected by the White House as a rehash of earlier proposals which would leave the Russians with an overwhelming superiority in medium-range nuclear missles. /* a lot more, but you get the jist. */ Yet another potential peace initiative from Moscow. Scorn from Washington as the present administration drives for mythical nuclear superiority. Just what we've come to expect. -- James C. Armstrong, Jnr. ihnp4!abnji!nyssa The cameras are still on, let the show begin! I want to hear them scream, until I'm deaf with pleasure! I want to see their limbs twist in excruciating pain! Ultimately, their blood must gush and flow through all the gutters of Varos!
mjk@ttrdc.UUCP (Mike Kelly) (04/11/85)
Although I continue to believe that a comprehensive Freeze would be the most progressive step taken towards nuclear sanity in forty years, I think there's another question for those who denounce the Soviet offer of a freeze on intermediate-range nuclear weapons in Europe: Why did the Reagan Administration respond so quickly and so vehemently in the negative? Why not say, well, that may not be perfect, but let's make a reasonable counter-offer? Instead, the official line from the White House was, "If they want to Freeze, fine." What a snide remark. What awful diplomacy. Unless, of course, achieving an agreement is the furthest thing from your concerns.... Flora Lewis in the Times pointed out that Reagan's new approach to foreign policy seems to be, OK, I'll talk and in return I get all the "bargaining chips" I want. Thus, I'll send a hawk to Geneva to "negotiate"; in return, you vote for the MX or you're sabotaging my negotiations. I'll tell the contra's to "negotiate" with the Nicaraguan government; in return, you'll vote for $14 million in "humanitarian" aid (a new concept: humanitarian aid to terrorists; next he'll be pleading for medicine and food for Islamic Jihad; and surprise! the amount needed for medicine and food *just happens* to be the same amount needed for guns and bullets last week.) Mike Kelly
nyssa@abnji.UUCP (nyssa of traken) (04/12/85)
Funny thing is, this is at least the second Soviet nuclear freeze in Europe since 20 Jan, 1981. The first past without response from 1600 Penn Ave, I guess this one will as well. -- Nyssa of Traken, now employed at Terminus Hospital, Inc. ihnp4!abnji!nyssa The cameras are still on, let the show begin! I want to hear them scream, until I'm deaf with pleasure! I want to see their limbs twist in excruciating pain! Ultimately, their blood must gush and flow through all the gutters of Varos!
matthews@harvard.ARPA (Jim Matthews) (04/15/85)
> Funny thing is, this is at least the second Soviet nuclear freeze > in Europe since 20 Jan, 1981. The first past without response > from 1600 Penn Ave, I guess this one will as well. > -- > Nyssa of Traken, now employed at Terminus Hospital, Inc. > ihnp4!abnji!nyssa How about the U.S. nuclear freeze? We haven't built a strategic land-based system since 1971. We haven't built a strategic bomber since 1962. In fact, in both those areas we have destroyed weapons, such as Titan IIs and older B-52s. These "freezes" didn't pass without response, however -- they were greeted with the SS-18, the SS-19, and the Blackjack. Jim Matthews matthews@harvard
nyssa@abnji.UUCP (nyssa of traken) (04/18/85)
An additional fact: although the USSR has deployed over 400 SS-20 missles, less than 300 are deployed in Europe, the remainder are aimed at China. -- James C. Armstrong, Jnr. ihnp4!abnji!nyssa In the sight of the Great Video, and of Varos, who gave his name to our planet, we pray that you accept the lives of these humble deviants, in recompense for their sins. We also pray that you look benignly upon us, and down upon your people as servants.