Letters: Jan. 3, 1983

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Australian Intrigue

Your article "Many Questions, Few Answers" [Dec. 131 reviews old allegations, often by anonymous sources, about CIA involvement in Australian domestic politics and particularly in the affairs of the defunct Nugan-Hand Merchant Bank. You correctly assert that the case set out by James A. Nathan in Foreign Policy magazine "is long on speculation and short on evidence." Vice President George Bush, former director of the CIA, specifically confirmed during his recent visit to Australia that there had been no CIA involvement. Former Senator Frank Church has stated unequivocally that his Select Committee on Intelligence, which investigated the matter, uncovered no evidence implicating the CIA. By continually reviving these unsubstantiated allegations, we are ill-serving our special relationship with valued allies.

John H. Holdridge

Assistant Secretary of State

Washington, D.C.

Countering Arbatov

In trying to portray America as an enemy of the Soviet Union, Georgi Arbatov [Dec. 6] can think of nothing better than to drag out the feeble and ineffective American Expeditionary Force that was sent to Russia in 1918. These troops were soon withdrawn. What Arbatov forgets is how we helped the U.S.S.R. survive in World War II. As a reward we received only Stalin's lies, treachery and broken agreements, which are exemplified by the seizure of Poland and Czechoslovakia.

David E. Renshaw Pittsburgh

Rain, Rain, Go Away

Acid rain is a serious and expensive problem to resolve [Dec. 6]. Yet one solution, nuclear power, is not even mentioned in your article. Until the antinuclear lobby came along, nuclear energy was well on its way to reducing air pollution. Is it possible that in the final analysis nuclear power offers the lowest hazard to our environment and possibly even to genes?

Harry Wetzel

Chairman of the Board

Garrett Corp.

Los Angeles

Utilities balk at the cost of cutting emissions. They should be reminded that the air is more than a convenient, low-cost dump site for their garbage. A spring rain is now a sobering reminder that our lakes and rivers are receiving yet another lethal dose of water.

Garry L. Finnestad Maple Grove, Minn.

Namibian Pullout

In the article "Troubled Talks" [Dec. 61, which describes the current negotiations over the independence of Namibia, you state that "the South Africans appear to have fashioned a stalling tactic" by insisting that the Cuban troops in Angola are to withdraw on a schedule comparable to the pullout of South African troops from Namibia. Is it unreasonable for the South Africans to demand a withdrawal of Cuban troops from Angola while offering to remove their own from Namibia? Any other approach would ensure that no permanent peace could come about.

Marion H. Smoak

Shipley Smoak & Henry

Legal Advisers to the

Government of Namibia

Washington, D.C.