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From: danc@orca.UUCP (Daniel Cobb)
Newsgroups: net.politics
Subject: Democrats Versus Republicans
Message-ID: <15@orca.UUCP>
Date: Thu, 4-Aug-83 13:12:19 EDT
Article-I.D.: orca.15
Posted: Thu Aug  4 13:12:19 1983
Date-Received: Fri, 5-Aug-83 12:19:08 EDT
Lines: 44

A recent article asked for a single major long-term issue that 
the Republicans and Democrats have dissagreed on.

There is a very major difference between political stances of the 
two parties with regards to foreign policy and specifically how 
they view or perceive Soviet expansionism.  To lump the two parties
together and on this issue and say there is no difference is absolutely
ludicrous.  While there have been exceptions the Democrats have historically 
been isolationists, pretending that if they would just close their eyes, 
somehow the problem would go away.  In concert with the news media, the 
Democratic Party contributed to our loss in Vietnam.  And when the dominoe
theory proved correct with the loss of Cambodia and Laos, they pretended 
again not to notice.  There was no revenge taken by those who warned us of
the consequences, but the Democratic Party was silent.

And now the Soviets or there proxies are in Central America, where the 
strategic threat real and certain, and the Democrata are screaming about 
another Vietnam.  THEIR Vietnam.  It is simply by refusing to fully face
the issue and support positive action, that they insure another Vietnam.

Some dont understand what our strategic interests are in Central America.
The Soviet Union and the Warsw Pact countries currently maintain a miliary
force level in Europe that is nearly 3 times the force levels maintained 
by NATO.  Their numbers of tanks and heavy artillary pieces far exceed ours.
They maintain these levels at the expense of their people (because of the 
staggering costs involved) and without justifcation, because they are
far more than what is required for defensive purposes.  If war did breakout
in Europe, NATO forces would need immediate resupply from the US.  This 
resupply would take place from the East Coast, which is well within reach 
Carribean Basin warplanes.  Even if their effort to interrupt the supply 
was only partially successful, there could be disasterous consequences
n Europe.  The same scenario could occur in the Middle East for our
Rapid Deployment Forces, because they are planned to resupplied in the same
way.  

The strategic threat here is real and obvious, and yet the Democrats sit
by, mumbling Vietnam.  
nd 


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Subject: Democrats and Republicans
To: net.politics
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