Soviet military power: the dominant resource for Soviet foreign policy.

Abstract

In just sixty-five years, the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics has grown to the status of world super power, flaunting the world's largest military forces, and exhibiting considerable influence in international affairs. Through a combination of their size, composition, capabilities and strategic worldwide distribution, the Soviet Army, Navy, and Air force Rave corrector the dominant resource of power for the Kremlin leadership. As a result, the Soviets have capitalized on the opportunities within the past 12-15 years to exert their influence into the countries of the Third World. This has been accomplished in part through the use advisers, arms sales, troop emplacements and the use of proxy forces, to support Third World national liberation struggles. Soviet goals in the Third World are underpinned with ideological and nationalistic objectives. In the recent past however, it has become more evident that strategic positioning of military forces in these areas afford the Soviets a sphere of influence outside the Eurasian landmass never before realized in Russian history. The Soviet leadership have carefully and meticulously weighed the probabilities of success or failure in their Third World adventures. Coupled with a certain restraint on the part of the United States to interfere directly in these activities and the powerful military machine supporting the Kremlin's foreign policy decisions, the Russians found the decade of the 1970's an excellent period for expanding their worldwide influence. Future activities by the Soviet Union in the conduct of their foreign affairs, is a complex issue. However, there does appear a direct correlation between Soviet adventurism in the Third World and the reliance on their massive military power as the Harm of influence" that supplies the necessary muscle to enable the Kremlin to exploit opportunities of intervention. The Soviet leadership firmly believes that military power is decisive in international affairs and is the prerequisite for advancing political goals. As long as the buildup and modernization of military hardware continues, the U.S.S.R. will pose a real and tangible threat to the free nations of the world.