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From: al@vger.UUCP ( Informatix)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Re: Adverse effects of the Abolition of
Message-ID: <319@vger.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 30-Jan-86 17:09:36 EST
Article-I.D.: vger.319
Posted: Thu Jan 30 17:09:36 1986
Date-Received: Thu, 6-Feb-86 21:56:11 EST
References: <7800911@inmet.UUCP> <11620@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>
Organization: UC Santa Cruz, CIS Dept.
Lines: 29
Summary: 1.  Russians fear SDI because of expanded arms race and first strike. 2.  Russians are NOT paranoid (although very fearful).

In article <11620@ucbvax.BERKELEY.EDU>, weemba@brahms.BERKELEY.EDU (Matthew P. Wiener) writes:
> >IF they (the Russians) meant what they say about abolish-
> >ing nuclear weapons, why would they object to SDI so  much? 

As far as I can tell, for two basic reasons.  First, SDI extends the arms
race enormously.  Not only will this put an unwanted strain on the Soviet
economy (ours as well I might add), but there is some possibility the
Soviets would 'lose' the race, which brings up the second reason.

It is hard to believe that SDI can really protect the American people from
a determined attack, but using SDI to support a first strike is probably
do-able.  Once the MX, Tridents, Minutemen and Pershings get done working
over Soviet missiles and command and control, it might be possible to
stop the counter attack with SDI.  Thus, SDI may make a first strike
feasible - or at least you might be able to convince a President during
a crisis to attack.  Not unnaturally, the Soviets don't want to be 
the recipients of a US first strike.
 
> Why would they object?  I'll tell you why.  The number one personality
> problem Russians have is paranoia!  (I'm not joking.)

You may not be joking, but you're wrong.  The dictionary defines paranoia
as UNREASONABLE fear.  Russia has suffered three major invasions in the last
two centuries - every time from Western Europe.  In addition, she was beaten by
the Japanese in 1905.  America, Canada, England, France, and Japan launched
small invasions of Russia just after World War I.  England and France
attacked Crimea in the Crimean war.  Now maybe Russia deserved these
attacks - but in any case the Russian fear of military invasion is
firmly based in reality.