Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: utzoo!linus!decvax!tektronix!tekecs!orca!danc 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 Cc: Subject: Democrats and Republicans To: net.politics -------