78-01-A1

- Main Page \ Reagan Radio Commentaries \ 1978

<< Previous Broadcast

Next Broadcast >>

Salt II

Transcript When it comes to the current Strategic Arms Limitation Talks (they're called SALT II for short), the Soviet Union seems to be resorting to a technique they've used with us before: bluster. Right now, they seem so pleased with some tentative concessions they got from our government last fall that they've launched a major propaganda campaign to lock them in place. American critics of the current negotiations are worried that our cruise missile will be bargained away. It's a new weapon system that could provide security for Western Europe. In fact, its deployment in Western Europe was one of the Russians' greatest worries till their Foreign Minister met with President Carter in September. Now they aren't talking about it anymore. To review, Secretary of State Vance went to Moscow last spring, made some proposals and was turned down cold by the Soviets. After that, Moscow turned its propaganda machine to "high" in denouncing the U.S. This, too, stopped after the Gromyko-Carter meeting and after the SALT talks themselves seemed to turn more to the Soviets' liking. Bear in mind the Soviet objectives. They want maximum flexibility for their mobile-launched missiles; they want to downplay the importance of their intercontinental Backfire bomber and, of course, they are firmly against on-site inspections. Now, since fall, there has been a barrage of Pravda stories and Radio Moscow panel programs to stress the urgency of signing a formal agreement quickly -- "on the basis of agreements reached in principle as result of recent talks." Meanwhile, attacks on U. S. skeptics of the SALT talks sharpened, especially against Senator Henry Jackson of Washington, former Defense Secretary Melvin Laird, Senator Barry Goldwater and former Deputy Secretary of Defense Paul Nitze. Pravda and Isvestia have unleased some of their highest voltage criticism on these men because they have expressed sharp doubts about the turn the negotiations have taken. Moscow has also asked the help of its friends on the left in the United States to try to build pressure for a favorable SALT II agreement signed. Prompted by the Soviet-controlled World Peace council, an ad hoc group met twice in October to work out a link-up between advocates of U.S. disarmament and the more hysterical elements of the anti-nuclear movement. Among groups supporting the [https://findingaids.library.nyu.edu/tamwag/tam_127/ Mobilization for Survival], the new ad hoc operation, are some old familiars on the left: the War Resisters League, Women Strike for Peace and the American Friends Service committee. The plan of this coalition is to fight every new American weapons development tooth-and-nail (along with nuclear power), on the grounds that if we take the first disarmament steps unilaterally, the Russians are sure to follow. Heard that one before? It's been around at least two decades. One of the things that caused so much controversy over Paul Warnke's appointment by President Carter as disarmament chief last year was Warnke's apparent belief in this theory. You needn't ask whether there are any Moscow chapters of this anti-nuclear, pro disarmament lobby. There aren't. And the Kremlin is going ahead with nuclear power and weapons development full-tilt, without so much as a peep of protest from the American left. This is Ronald Reagan. Thanks for listening.		Details Batch Number 78-01-A1 Production Date 01/09/1978 Book/Page Online PDF Audio Youtube? No
		Added Notes