79-14-A4

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Salt II

Transcript When negotiations began on the second Strategic Arms Limitation Treaty with the Soviet Union, five specific objectives were named as essential to protecting our national interest. They were: to establish equal nuclear capabilities for the U.S. and the Soviet Union; secure significant Soviet Arms reductions, especially in those areas where Soviet offensive forces pose the greatest threat; stabilize the situation between the two countries so that neither would be tempted to strike first during an international crisis; reduce the effect of nuclear weapons on world politics; and, enforce verifiable limitations to which both countries must adhere. Those are reasonable terms and certainly fair to both the U.S. and the Soviet Union. Whey then should our Senate waste even five minutes debating the SALT II agreement? Because it meets none of the five specifics we listed as essential to protect our national interest. Point one called for equal nuclear capabilities. Note that word "capabilities". We didn't say equal numbers. The Soviet missiles are far more powerful than ours and the agreement permits them to go ahead with some 300 giant missiles, each armed with a number of separately targeted warheads. We are not permitted to have anything similar. Oh, we can have the same number of missiles but it's like comparing battleships to rowboats. Then there is that point about stabilizing the situation so that neither side would be tempted to settle an argument by launching a nuclear first strike. Secretary of Defense, Harold Brown, has admitted that virtually all our I.C.B.M.'s, a substantial number of nuclear missile carrying submarines and many of our B-52 bombers would be vulnerable to a Soviet first strike. Even though some of our European allies express a hope that SALT II will be ratified one can't help but wonder if they are sincere or if they are worried about the Russian Bear sitting right on their borders. Privately they confess to many misgivings. They had counted on the effectiveness of a new weapon -- the cruise missile with at least a 1500 kilometer range -- for their own protection. We let the Soviets bargain that down to a 600-kilometer range which puts most Soviet targets beyond its reach. Then there is the supersonic Russian Backfire Bomber minutes away from their heartlands. WE agreed not to even include those bombers amount the weapons to be limited by SALT II. We did likewise with an intermediate range nuclear missile, the Soviet SS20, deployed and able to wreck every capitol city in Europe. And as for verifiability of whether they are keeping their part of the treaty -- it just doesn't exist. SALT II allows the Soviet Union military advantages which are denied the U.S. SALT II will not increase the chance for world peace. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 79-14-A4 Production Date 10/02/1979 Book/Page RihoH-90 Audio Youtube? No
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