Soviet Republics

In response to S. Frederick Starr’s “Volatile Soviet Situation Needs No ‘Help’ from Outsiders,” Op-Ed Page, April 30:

I have several bones to pick with Starr regarding his column on whether help should be given to the Soviet Union’s non-Russian republics who are trying to gain their former independence.

First of all, Starr is completely out of line when he compares the Soviet “Union” to the United States by quoting President Lincoln’s writings. Starr obviously missed the fact that the Soviet Union was forged by Russia after its revolution. Russia muscled its way into other (non-Russian) countries and, by breaking the backs of resistance, forced these countries into forming a “union” which the Russians have totally dominated.

Second, Starr missed listing the most critical of all the non-Russian republics, the Ukraine, in his list of five. The Soviet “Union” cannot exist without its wealthiest republic, the one which is forced to feed the Russians and whose tremendous natural resources are being plundered by them.

Lastly, Starr is against American involvement in spurring the non-Russian republics to rebel because “it would make the Soviet Union a less reliable partner in efforts to resolve conflicts in the Third World” and that the long overdue breakup of the Soviet Union would “ . . . hurt our efforts to reduce the U.S. federal deficit.”

Well, God forbid that the captive nations should gain their independence and mess up our economy! Let’s face it, our U.S. federal deficit is much more important than someone else’s freedom.

DARYL LANE SILVERSTEIN

Malibu