‘Deficits Put U.S. on Sale’
I was struck by the juxtaposition of two stories on the front page of the Feb. 24 Times: one showing a picture of former Defense Secretary Caspar Weinberger after receiving his honorary knighthood; the other headlined “Weak Dollar, Deficits Put U.S. on Sale,” pointing out what has been apparent for some time--that foreign interests are enjoying a shopping spree, buying up U.S. companies and real estate. Many of the interests involved are British, and Weinberger well deserves his knighthood for helping put this country in such a disastrous and vulnerable economic position.
Of course, he was not knighted for these reasons, but for his help to the British during the Falklands War, and maintaining the strength of the free world.
I believe, however, that the military expenditures and general defense policy of this Administration, in particular Weinberger’s playing indulgent uncle to the Pentagon’s entire wish list, are directly responsible for our economic predicament.
Far from making the U.S. and the free world stronger, our policies have burdened us with this fantastic debt not only to acquire a gigantic array of complex armaments, most of which don’t work well or are of dubious value, but also in maintaining troops Europe and Asia and trying to patrol the entire globe. We spend billions a year to defend Europe, while the Western European countries have twice the gross national product and one and a half times the population of the Soviet Union. They should be responsible for their own conventional defense.
We need better leadership, not bigger and more expensive weapons systems, to begin to wind down this insane military buildup. Of course we want to be strong, but primarily strong economically, strong because we have an educated, well-informed citizenry. We need to upgrade our transportation system, our educational system and take care of many human needs.
We must start to pay serious attention to President Eisenhower’s warning about the military-industrial complex, forget the slogans and the jingoistic propaganda and really analyze our priorities and our true military needs. Not only the Administration but too many people of both parties are afraid to do what needs to be done for fear that they will be accused of being weak or soft. Only objective and informed analysis will solve our grave problems and put us on the path to real strength and power.
AFTON SLADE
La Jolla
