Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP
Posting-Version: Notesfiles $Revision: 1.6.2.17 $; site uiucdcsp.UUCP
Path: utzoo!linus!philabs!cmcl2!seismo!harvard!talcott!panda!genrad!decvax!harpo!whuxlm!whuxl!houxm!ihnp4!inuxc!pur-ee!uiucdcsp!ashby
From: ashby@uiucdcsp.UUCP
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: results of poll of world news servic
Message-ID: <13700007@uiucdcsp.UUCP>
Date: Wed, 20-Feb-85 21:13:00 EST
Article-I.D.: uiucdcsp.13700007
Posted: Wed Feb 20 21:13:00 1985
Date-Received: Sun, 24-Feb-85 02:49:06 EST
References: <134@rtech.UUCP>
Lines: 41
Nf-ID: #R:rtech:-13400:uiucdcsp:13700007:000:2208
Nf-From: uiucdcsp!ashby    Feb 20 20:13:00 1985


/* Written 10:38 am  Feb 19, 1985 by orb@whuxl in uiucdcsp:net.politics */

From Tim Sevener: 

> I find it a curious irony that the very people who claim to be so "macho"
> are really just wimps: afraid to take any risks in the interests of Peace.

/* End of text from uiucdcsp:net.politics */

Well, I'll be.  I never thought I'd see the day when I would be called a
"wimp" for believing in a strong defense.  Tim Sevener seems to equate
machismo with risk-taking; he may well be correct.  The nut who walks
a dark alley at night may call himself macho, but most of us would call
him stupid.  I do not advocate chest-pounding bravado; I merely advocate
prudence.  And I feel it is prudent to distrust the Soviet Union, and to
act accordingly.  Sevener points to the Test Ban Treaty as a monument to
Soviet good will.  He conveniently ignores all the other treaties that the
Soviets have ALREADY violated.  In particular, he ignores the ABM treaty.
With their *deployment* of the very large array antennae, they are currently
violating this treaty.  [Let me save you some typing: the US's research
into the SDI (popularly called "Star Wars" by the dim-witted) does NOT
violate this treaty; research is explicitly allowed.]  

Finally, I ask Tim to note that it was Reagan's resolute stance that
brought the USSR back to the arms table.  RR didn't cave in to their
demands for a "moritorium" on the cruise and Pershings.  They backed down.
He didn't cave in to their demands for talks only on space weapons.  They
backed down.  What happened as a result of Reagan's "inflexibility"?  Well,
surprise, suprise, the Soviets backed down from their inflexibility.  And
next month the two superpowers will discuss ALL aspects of the arms race.
Is not this better than discussing just space weapons, as the Soviets 
had originally wanted?  I think so.  

So, the next time you want to take a risk for peace, Tim, please don't
throw all of us into jeopardy.  We have been at peace with the USSR
for over 30 years now.  And maybe, just maybe, it is because they are
"wimpy" enough to fear our nuclear arsenal.

                            Steven Ashby
                            Univ. of Illinois @ Urbana-Champaign