Web Letters: NATO: Still Mission-Creeping at 60

Give it up Cockburn, the cold war is over, and the Soviet Union is gone. The conventional Soviet Army kicked Germany's rear end, and they were just as dangerous during the cold war. The major events during my military service in Europe began with the Hungarian uprising and ended with the rise of the Berlin Wall. I got back to the States in time for the Cuban Missile Crisis. NATO never had enough ground forces to handle the Soviet Army, so tactical nuclear weapons were deployed to stop them or act as deterrents. When I was stationed in Germany, one of the people in my outfit picked up Soviet tanks talking to each other on his car radio.

As a defense alliance, I had no problem with NATO, but pushing into Russia's sphere of influence as an offensive alliance is another thing. Many of our ancestors came to this country to get away from the quarrels of the old world. It is not in our national interest to become involved in these frozen conflicts. One cold war is enough. Oh, I don't favor any favored-nation trade pacts with anyone! I want on national American market back!

Pervis James Casey

Riverside, CA