ABSTRACT
This chapter examines Soviet views on the “Peace Program” “for curbing aggressors and averting a new world war, a program of struggle for the triumph of the principles of peaceful coexistence of states irrespective of social systems”, and outlines the complexities of the political-military processes. Soviet confidence in the international situation stems from a large number of facts, all pointing to increased Soviet influence and the decline of Western power. The Soviet “scientific potential” is insufficient to match that of the opponent, and this includes the military capacity. Even though the Soviet comprehensive approach to arms control seems more attractive in theory, the numerical differences and the geographic asymmetry between Eastern and Western forces in Europe make it extremely difficult to strike a mutually acceptable balance and to determine what is “equal security.” The new proposal only affected the Soviet-American nuclear balance near the European theater and pointedly omitted Soviet non-nuclear capabilities to “project military power.”.
