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an
independent nuclear capabi/ity
for Western Europe!
Mr. Moodie's remarks brought
to mind a letter 1 received not long
ago from an acquaintance in Bonn,
Wes t Germany, E ric Sontag.
Mr. Sontag is an expert on East–
West relations, and especially East–
ern propagandist inftuences on West
Germany's youths. He is a great
fri end of the United States but is
greatly disturbed over developments
at high Jevels in the country.
In hi s letter, Mr. S o nt ag
enclosed a copy of a telegram he
sent to the U.S. House of Repre–
sentatives. His telegram read:
"I F
YOU CANNOT BOX YOUR WAY OUT
O F PAPERBAG NICARAGUA ANO
YOU R BISHOPS FREEZE NUKES,
W EST GERMANS BETT ER GET THEIR
OWN NUCLEAR WEAPONS.. .. "
Mr. Sontag appended his copy to
me with the additional word s:
" May sound crazy, but reflects
changing attitude of even conserva–
tives here."
Atlantic Rift Comlng
The lack of confidence in American
leadership must ultimately lead to a
parting of the ways between the
United States and Western.Europe.
This development might be wel–
comed by sorne, especially those
active in the antinuclear weapons
movements. But the t ruth is, the
prospects of a more unified Europe
detached from the United States will
lead to a
proliferation
of nuclear
weapons, rather than a reduction.
Michael Mandelbaum observed in
the May 25
New York Times:
"Severing the United States con–
nect ion might well mean more
European weapons, not fewer.
lt
would probably mean that nuclear
weapons would be more widely d is–
tributed than they are at present.
Without Amer ican nuclear protec–
t ion, the countries of Western
Europe that do not now have such
weapons-notably the Federal Re–
public of Germany- would have
st rong incentives to get them.
" Once the Western Europeans
got the bomb," Mr. Mandelbaum
continued, "others-the Japanese,
for instance-might decide to fol–
low suit. ... The world might
become much more dangerous,
chaotic and bloody than it has been
since 1945. As the debate about
nuclear weapons in Europe pro–
ceeds, the chance that such a
change might make the world a
radically worse pl ace to live is
something that we and the Westero
Europeans-and the Russia ns–
ougbt to bear in mind."
The Key - German y
The one nation most concerned
about the upset in the nearly four–
decade- long balance of power in
Europe is West Germany. The
Federal Republ ic, up till now, has
been content to rely upon the
United States for its security. But
Germans, observes Luigi Barzini in
his latest book,
The Europeans,
are
capable of great swings in nationaJ
temperament. His chapter dealing
with German national character is
ent itlea "The Mutable Germans."
Mr. Barzini concludes his book
by stating: " The future ... will
probably be decided, once again, by
Germany's decisions. And Germa–
ny is, as it always was, a mutable,
Proteuslike, unpredictable country,
particularly dangerous when it is
unhappy."
Interestingly enougb, the title of
Mr. Barzin i's book in the German
langu age is translated as
The
Future of Europe Js in the Hands
of Germany.
Thus, be hind the facade of
Western unity evident at the Wil–
liamsburg summit lies the prospect
of tumultuous political change
a head in U.S.-European rela–
tions.
o
P resident Reagan, as host at this
year's industrial na tions conference,
delivered tbe concluding joint
declara tion, center photo. Sorne
sessions, photo right, included top
aides such as foreign and finance
ministers. In pboto left, Mr . Reagan
is joined, clockwise, by leaders of
Canada, the Common Market
(P resident Gaston Thorn), West
Germany, France, Japan, ltaly and
the Uni ted Ki ngdom.
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