Nuclear stance

Press, 5 March 1987, Page 20

Nuclear stance

Sir, —The petulant U.S. reaction to our anti-nuclear policy has worried quite a few pre-nuclear-age critics, naturally from the National Party, who want us to return to a nuclear A.N.Z.U.S. If things continue to go the way they have been going in Washington, we are likely to see in 1988 a new and presumably anti-nuclear Administration there. It might even be earlier if Reagan loses more of his protective staff, such as Regan, and is exposed as an incompetent President. The growing anti-nuclear tide in the interests of survival in the U.S. is being reinforced by powerful economic forces who can see that the only way to reduce the huge U.S. dollar deficit is by easing up on the arms race and forgoing the immensely costly "star wars” scheme. Probably a virtue (human welfare) will be made out of necessity (saving money). So N.Z. should wait and see if a new Administration is more kindly disposed towards us in a nuclear sense.— Yours, etc., VERNON WILKINSON. February 27, 1987.