DESTABILIZING THE EVIL EMPIRE

I have finished reading Jonathan Kwitny’s review of Peter Schweizer’s book “Victory” (Book Review, June 12) in which Peter Schweizer documents the Reagan Administration’s role in ending the cold war. Kwitny’s thesis seems to be that the Reagan Administration was uninvolved in the demise of the Soviet Union. Kwitny apparently agrees with Strobe Talbot that the collapse of the Soviet Union was inevitable, and just happened all by itself, with no assistance from the free world and the United States.

Kwitny is, however, happy to believe that Reagan took the initiative to do anything with which he disagrees, so he condemns Reagan for taking actions to “psychologically destabilize” Soviet commanders. He would prefer, it seems, a policy of foreign affairs who makes no firm decisions, takes no actions, and certainly takes no risks, such as the current Commander-in-Chief of our armed forces.

Kwitny warns that “readers are not well served by the unsupported boasts of former officials who would like to take credit for a famous victory.” The liberal press (a redundant phrase if ever there was one) has been remarkably silent in giving the Reagan Administration any credit for a famous victory.

Kwitny entertains “the suspicion that this is Soviet-style history--rewritten to suit the current propaganda need.” Historical revisionism is today overwhelmingly the province of the left.

ROBERT B. BAKER, RANCHO PALOS VERDES