Editing 77-24-A5 (section)

= National Security =

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=== Transcript ===
Production of the B-1 bomber has been halted and there are rumors that our cruise missile is less effective than we thought. I'll be right back.

In late September, the Washington publication Human Events published an exclusive interview with Major General George Keegan, recently retired Chief of Air Force Intelligence. The General is now Executive Vice President of the United States Strategic Institute.

In answer to a question as to why he was concerned about the Soviet military posture, he replied, quote, “There is virtually no area in which the traditional free world superiority or superior ability to defend itself has not been eroded seriously, has not been surpassed by soviet weaponry and forces.” Unquote. He went on to say that in a nuclear exchange, soviet cities might be destroyed but their extraordinary civil defense shelters would hold loss of life down to 5 million. Our own losses would be a possible 160 million dead.

Voicing a concern that a series of misjudgments and miscalculations on both sides might lead to nuclear war, General Keegan, however, expressed belief that we could avoid this. He said, quote, “Prudent and adequate investment in security and defense is basically what is required,” and added, “in my opinion we are not doing that today.” Unquote. 

Time won't permit discussing the entire interview so let me just quote some of the answers this man who headed up our Air Force Intelligence gave to the editors of Human Events. Quote, “Six years ago, the president was privately briefed that if there were a nuclear exchange the Soviets would enjoy a ten to one advantage over the United States.” Unquote. He was referring to casualties. He believes now the ratio could be as much as forty to one. 

His words, quote, “In a nuclear war today the United States would die, the Soviet Union would survive.” Unquote. Speaking of bombers, he said, quote, “The Soviets have doubled the size of the factories producing the Backfire Bomber.” Unquote. We, of course have been told the aging b-52s will be polished up as a substitute for the canceled B-1. The General says, quote, “The B-52 is a tired old airplane that was never designed as a low-level bomber. The idea that the B-52 or a 747 could deliver the cruise missile is pure nonsense.” Unquote. 

He listed the Soviets defenses as 5,000 radars to our 300. 12,000 SAM missiles, the kind that knocked down our b-52s in Vietnam. Over the horizon radar that can track our missiles and planes from takeoff and a high energy beam which possibly could neutralize our missiles in flight. He added another bit of information: “All our Soviet agreements deal with missile silos or launchers because when you launch a missile from a silo that's it for that silo. Not anymore where the enemy is concerned. The Soviets can reload and re-fire from their silos.” End quote. His last line in the interview is this. Quote, “We are infinitely less capable than we were 10 years ago.” Unquote.

This is Ronald Reagan.

Thanks for listening.
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=== Details ===
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<TR><TD WIDTH="150">Batch Number</TD><TD WIDTH="150">{{PAGENAME}}</TD></TR>
<TD>Production Date</TD><TD>11/29/[[Radio1977|1977]]</TD></TR>
<TD>Book/Page</TD><TD>[[Radio_Commentary_Books#Reagan.27s_Path_to_Victory|RPtV-233]]</TD></TR>
<TD>Audio</TD><TD>Yes</TD></TR>
<TD>Youtube?</TD><TD>No</TD></TR>
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===Added Notes===

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