The Energy Crisis in the Cold War

RICHARD P. RUNYON and LAWRENCE ROCKS

In recent months we have seen the USSR enter into agreements with the U.S. in two key areas of international politics: limiting the arms race and expanding trade relations. After several decades of confrontation with the West, why has Russia suddenly done a complete about-face and agreed to a thaw in the cold war? Have the leaders in the USSR “got religion,” recognizing that the interests of humanity are best served by sheathing swords and pressing for international cooperation on all fronts? We doubt that this is the case. Certainly the continued repression of the Jews and the intellectuals within the USSR and the maintenance of controls over the satellites call into question the assumption that there has been a basic change in Soviet policy —domestic or foreign.