ABSTRACT
The coastal lines from Kamchatka to Kampuchea all belong to Communist countries. Direct access into the Pacific offers increased opportunities to the Soviet Onion that are essential to Moscow's strategies in the Western Pacific region. With its newly acquired bases in Vietnam and Kampuchea, the Soviet navy and air force could pose serious threats to all shipping on the Western Pacific. The Soviet naval threat forces the other nations of the region to spend more on defense at the expense of other development programs. The Communist countries employ various means to reach their goals, which, when applied to any nation, could be considered a threat to national security. The Communist countries cannot over commit themselves in any way that might lead them directly into war. The real threats to Southeast Asian countries security are their own economic and sociological problems, coupled with Communists who keep close watch to ignite flaming situations when failures of government occur.
