European Stars And Stripes (Newspaper) - November 7, 1986, Darmstadt, Hesse Today s crossword Hmoih Mph he i he Chhibb a bib arms control folks us a bore Brand Rooney pm permanently unimpressed with talk about talks. I my especially unimpressed with talk about talks about arms control. Hie reason for my pessimism is simple. I Donl think it matters that toe russians have 1,398 icbms while we have Only 1,00. I m not even dear about what an icbms is or does. I imagine it s pretty next War is not nine to be won because they have 171 ss-20 missiles East of the ural mountains or we have Star wan and they Don t. An those statistics they talk about when they re arguing Over who should give up How Many of what Are nonsense to me. I suspect that limiting the speak in numbers of weapons we each own will have about As much effect on peace in the world As does the Pope praying for it every year at easter. The Petty details Aren t going to make the differ ence Between peace or War in the world. An arms control agreement Between the two major Powers in t going to make the difference either. While any single country Large or tiny or any individual sane or crazy has a smite nuclear weapon and the knowl Edge or How to deliver and explode it the world in t a Safe place in which to live. Bridges. We could Dean up our water and our Atmo sphere. After we d done an the important plenty left Over to spend on the it improve the Quality of life. We d have better Schoob teachers in the can t we work this out we it Waring a major uart or our ability to produce things. Between us the go an the Ussa on stuff that does t do anyone any Good unless we have a War. With the Money we saved Why not improve Public buildings have Good playgrounds swimming pools and gyms All Over town for Grozav up Tai we Watfor Chi Siren we could museums Heaters and concert Halls. Name it we could have it the soviet Economy is doing so poorly that it obvious they d genuinely like to Cut Back on their arms production. It s not because they want to Benice to us. It s because the soviet leadership under stands that if the socialist system Doest Start paying off for its citizens some of its citizens Are going to Start thinking of replacing the system. Making weapons unfortunately is a Good business Here. Making All these things we Don t Ever use is. V a. Here. L thes tiling Aon i Ever us Why do we keep making so Many of them when we profitable and our Economy seems to be Able to take know that the worst problems the world has cant be i if All the companies that make guns and Summa i i a i T.,n9 n a
