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Soviet armed forces invaded Afghanistan, bordering on Russia on the south, and
also
bordering Iran on the east. The northern border of Iran also is a Russian
border.
Under the Shah, the U.S. had military bases in Iran, bordering on Russia.
A few
years ago I was invited to meet the King of Afghanistan in Kabul. Before I could
make
the visit, a military coup overthrew the government and the King had fled. There
has
been, until a week ago today, a Soviet-dominated man heading the Afghanistan
government
in Kabul. But the Kremlin felt he was not sufficiently loyal to Moscow. So a
week
ago today, some 30,000 Soviet troops crossed the border into Afghanistan. The
head
of government there was assassinated. A new government head, regarded by Moscow
as completely loyal to the Soviets, though still in Russia, was appointed.
A few days ago, President Carter called Mr. Brezhnev on the government hot
line.
The communist leader claimed he had been asked by someone to "protect" the
people
of Afghanistan. This obviously disillusioned Mr. Carter, and he told the ABC
network
he now saw the Soviet Union in a new and different light than before.
WHERE DOES THAT LEAVE THE IRAN SITUATION? Local civil upheavals against
Khomeini have been sputtering in different parts of Iran. The militants (they
are NOT
really "students") holding U.S. government representatives hostage remain firm
in not
letting the hostages go.
Is Russia now planting her boot solidly, with increasing thousands of
troops, in
Afghanistan, on Iran's border to the east? Will Russia, any day now, also invade
Iran,
to prevent the U.S. from having any military bases adjacent to the Russian
border?
That situation, today, January 3rd, is as EXPLOSIVE AS DYNAMITE--and could
we
even say, as NUCLEAR HYDROGEN BOMBS?
I emphatically do not expect an immediate nuclear war between the Russians
and
the U.S.A. Certainly no such war is prophesied!
BUT--I do foresee this having an explosive reaction on America's European
allies!
The U.S. has now lost two military bases--Iran and Afghanistan, ringing around
Russia.
Europeans have had to rely on U.S. military power to protect them from Russia--
with