Word: sdi
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...comparing himself to Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy, Simon's views are more in line with the quirky fringe that's so critical in the lowa Democratic caucuses: huge cuts in military spending, no aid to the contras, U.N. handling of the Gulf crisis, an end to SDI research and an immediate ban on nuclear testing. These ideas are not all necessarily bad, but they are when the advocate, like Simon, has put forth no course of action to be followed if the Sandinistas break the Arias plan, or if the Soviets violate the new arms control agreement...
Despite this uncertain future, Star Wars remains a major obstacle in the path of a U.S.-Soviet agreement to reduce long-range nuclear missiles. Mikhail Gorbachev's determination to negotiate limits on SDI wrecked the Reykjavik summit last year, and when he arrives in Washington, Star Wars will undoubtedly be one of the top items on his agenda. Yet Reagan insists on pushing ahead with the program. As the President told a group of cheering supporters at the Old Executive Office Building last week, "We will research it, we will develop it, and when it's ready we'll deploy...
...Soviet long-range nuclear weapons. Main reason: the Soviets have backed away from the demand for a dead stop in the U.S. Strategic Defense Initiative (Star Wars) program that sank the Reykjavik summit. "They have become much more ambiguous," reports a senior U.S. official. "They seldom mention SDI at all; instead they talk about strengthening the ((1972)) ABM treaty. Now, it may be that their real aim is to cripple SDI, and if so, no sale. But maybe we are seeing an evolution of their position that will provide leeway" for a compromise permitting SDI research and some testing while...
Reagan is in no such happy position. Since Reykjavik the President has suffered one disaster after another: loss of the Senate to the Democrats; the Iran-contra debacle; increasingly bold and successful congressional opposition on everything from taxes to funding of SDI and the Nicaraguan rebels. But as the end of his presidency approaches, Reagan seems to regard the INF treaty as his legacy to history and a vindication of his whole approach to foreign policy. Says an aide: "This treaty shows the wisdom of Reagan's tough way of dealing with the Soviets...
...rating in the U.S. Gallup poll is higher than that of most American officials. In the secret files that are being sent to the President by his experts, Gorbachev is viewed as ready to deal if he gets an offer. Should Reagan hint that he could ease up on SDI, the Soviet Chairman might be willing to climb into blue jeans (well, maybe some corduroys) and fly to the California ranch for a fireside discussion on the next step in reducing nuclear missiles...