chrism@shark.UUCP (05/13/84)
[Psst. Hey comrade, want to join the Afgan Liberation Brigade? Learn new job skills? See exotic places?] Although no admirer of the Soviet worker's paradise, I think they do have valid reasons for boycotting the games. It is no secret that various groups have been loudly planning on making life difficult for the Soviet team once in L.A. Also, the fact that the game's events are spread out over such a huge area would seem to make security for threatened atheletes virtually impossible. Add to this Reagan's well-known saber rattling (empire of evil, lets raygun 'em), and I can understand the Russkies getting slightly paranoid.. Remember also that we started this mess by setting a precedent when we boycotted the Moscow games for overtly political reasons. We paved the way by tying athletics in with political considerations. In contrast, I don't recall the Soviets trying anything similar during our peace-keeping police actions in Vietnam or Grenada. Anyway, our boycott was quite a psychological blow; thus, who could blame them for having a little bit of "lets-get-even" motivation four years later? Especially when they have so little to lose, given the current low state of US-USSR relations? Chris Minson