Gorbachev and Soviet Reforms

In Robert Toth’s article, “Gorbachev Puts Brakes on Pace of His Reforms” (Part I, Oct. 9), it states that the upcoming mid-winter period will be “dangerous” for Mikhail Gorbachev because “economic and nationalist pressures may erupt at the same time.” Your analysts should keep in mind that the nationalist factor has always been an underlying factor in the Soviet Union. After all, if you take over someone else’s independent country by force, you can never sleep peacefully because, sooner or later, there will be a revolt. This is the occupational hazard of all conquerors and empire builders.

What would the people of our country do it we had the misfortune to be forceably invaded by an outsider, have over a third of our population killed off, and be forced to produce food and hand over our other natural resources to our captor? We would rebel and continue to do so until we would shake off the invader. So is it so surprising that those countries which the Russians took over after 1918 and after World War II are kicking up their nationalistic heels? More power to them!

If our country’s leaders would think and observe more clearly, they would realize that a “strong” Soviet Union is simply wishful thinking. It is to our advantage to deal with independent countries.

KENNETH ROSENBERG

Woodland Hills