THE WEEK

Maybe Bentsen should drop him from the ticket.

Budget constraints and declining American support for overseas troop deployments will force a gradual scaling down of American military commitments, says a report from the (Democrat-dominated) House Armed Services Committee. The report argues that our allies, especially West Germany and Japan, should increase defense spending because they have a more immediate interest than the U.S. in defending their territory. Whether the report’s conclusions are in the interest of national security depends on the question: Will an American withdrawal be based on a declining Soviet threat or on declining American resolve? The Iron Curtain still stands, Southeast Asia still bleeds, and Ortega is still in power. Our allies know the answer. So do the Soviets.

Featured Tags

Maybe Bentsen should drop him from the ticket.

Budget constraints and declining American support for overseas troop deployments will force a gradual scaling down of American military commitments, says a report from the (Democrat-dominated) House Armed Services Committee. The report argues that our allies, especially West Germany and Japan, should increase defense spending because they have a more immediate interest than the U.S. in defending their territory. Whether the report’s conclusions are in the interest of national security depends on the question: Will an American withdrawal be based on a declining Soviet threat or on declining American resolve? The Iron Curtain still stands, Southeast Asia still bleeds, and Ortega is still in power. Our allies know the answer. So do the Soviets.