Nuclear weapons

Press, 7 May 1983, Page 18

Nuclear weapons

Sir,—l reply to Messrs George and Newman (May 4,5). When President Reagan talks about putting Marxism-Leninism on the ash heap of history, be sure he plans to light the fire himself; he is asking Congress for billions of dollars to find weapons to start, wage and win just such a conflagration. Both China and the Soviet Union have solemnly promised never to start a nuclear war so they will not destroy the world. Communist China has always claimed certain, limited territories; she does little to reclaim them and is. not “building up” strength for that purpose. The Soviet Union, so often, so disastrously invaded, certainly demands a border of non-antagonistic countries; it is the United States that funds, arms and encourages Afghanistan’s Muslim rebels. America has adversely affected more than 30 nations all over the world. — Yours, etc., SUSAN TAYLOR. May 5, 1983.

Sir,—Your article from the “Daily Telegraph” (“The Press,” April 28) on the lesson from gas for unilateralists contains two main points: (1) that deterrence was effective in dissuading Hitler from using poisonous gas, and (2) that unilateral disarmament of gas has not inspired the Soviets to do likewise. On the first point it is clear that the risk involved with the present nuclear deterrent is. that of the destruction of civilisation, possibly of all life. I consider, as do many others, that the risk is far too high to be playing deterrence. These were not the stakes with Hitler. On the second point it must be said that unilateral nuclear disarmament may be the only way to defuse the time bomb threatening our planet If the present “deterrent” nuclear arms

build-up continues then more and more people will see unilateral disarmament as the only possible way out. — Yours, etc., J. M. GRACE. May 4, 1983.