Afghanistan Refugees
Charles Krauthammer’s column “America Drowns Soviet Retreat in Sympathy” (Op-Ed Page, Feb. 19) criticizes the press for its innocent, sympathetic coverage of the Soviet Union’s withdrawal from Afghanistan.
Krauthammer claims the press has adopted Mikhail Gorbachev as its new hope for a humane communism, despite the “fact” (among other things) that “he is making bloody mischief for us in Central America.” It is exactly this type of condescension towards Third-World political movements, the inability to give credit to the people of Vietnam, Afghanistan, or Central America for wanting self-government, that permeates the thinking of the right wing in this country. It is this attitude that brought the U.S. to grief in Southeast Asia.
Yes, there are many parallels between the situation of the Soviet Union in Afghanistan and the United States in Vietnam; unfortunately, Krauthammer seems one of those who still has not learned from either experience.
PETER FELDMANN
Santa Barbara
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