Afghanistan

Press, 4 September 1982, Page 14

Afghanistan

Sir,-In his customary eagerness to portray the U.S.S.R. in the best possible light, M. Creel (August 31) again glosses over Soviet history with errors of both omission and commission. I would remind him that after the Bolshevik coup the country eventually lost at one time or another more than half of its territory and population through world war, revolution, foreign intervention, and civil war. By 1945 the losses had been regained and more (the Subcarpathian Ukraine as well as East Prussia), primarily by force of arms, with no plebiscites on self-determination and only one-party politics for Georgians, Uzbeks, Ukrainians, and others (the three independent Baltic states were even seized by the Red Army with Nazi Germany’s collusion). And, incidentally, until 1946 Soviet soldiers occupied northern Iran. Nevertheless — Mr Creel will no doubt be relieved to learn — the Soviet Union is still smaller than the Russian Empire at its maximum extent (Alaska, Finland, and Poland are- lacking).—Yours, etc.. JAMES R. GIBSON, ‘ Visiting Professor, Department of Geography, University of Canterbury. September 2, 1982. Sir, — In reply to M. Creel, the Soviet Union’s Treaty of Friendship and Good Neighbourliness would be a good laugh if it was hot tragic for the Afghans. The revolutionary Government of President Daud was not sufficiently red for the Russians. He was a Keremsky and was “eliminated.” The first Communist Government of President Noor Mohammed Taraki was not satisfactory either and was replaced. Perhaps he was a Tito and would not wear a Russian take-over. So the tanks went in and a

bloody war continues. To think that any of the constituent republics of the U.S.S.R. are free to leave the union is also a laugh although Lenin said they could. Let them try and they will get the Hungarian and Czechoslovakian treatment. As to Turkey, Stalin demanded bases in 'the Bosphorus that would have made it a Russian province; and they were not enemies, keeping out of the war. Fortunately Truman would not agree. — Yours, etc., H. F. NEWMAN, Blenheim. September 1, 1982.