trc (04/15/83)
Response to Mr Turner
In plagiarizing my note, you were apparently trying to show that Russia
has motives similar to the US, correct? I do not agree. Yes, Russia
has reason to fear US weapons. But what is is that Russian leaders
dont want to see murdered and destroyed? Their people? - no, they
murder them without our help. Perhaps the ideal of Communism?
Well, no, they gave up on that experiment long ago. Perhaps their
buildings and cities? No, after all, they protested vigorously against
US deployment of neutron bombs that would save those. Hmmm, well
what is it that those leaders are protecting? Could it be their own
power and prestige?
In paragraph II, you suggest that Russia should have used its strength
judiciously to try to stop the nuclear arms race. This is an option
that is still open to them. I never see them running to embrace it
except when the US comes out with a new weapon that leaves them behind.
I agree that it would be foolish for Russia to unilaterally disarm, from
their point of view. I just think the world would be a whole lot better
if they did, and a whole lot worse if we did. Anyone who believes
otherwise has the option of emigrating to Russia to live in that wonderful
workers' paradise. And by the way, Russian productivity is far below
that of the US - so that part of your modified letter falls flat. The
following bit about Russia not wanting world domination is in direct
opposition to their words and deeds. ("We will bury you." Poland,
Afganistan, etc.)
I dont believe that Russian leadership has ever found a uni-lateral
buildup distasteful. The Russian people might have, but they were never
consulted.
And as to the US's panic reaction, we have already done such several times -
and in each case, our reaction was not to attack, but to dedicate ourselves
to increasing our strength. In regard to your comment that the only
alternative is world capitalism, I only wish that it were so. Surely
even you would prefer that to what Russia has done in Russia and Eastern
Europe, replicated world-wide.
Tom Craver
houti!trc