[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] Okay, this topic is, is Russia a threat [breathing] to our security? [Sniffing]. I think they are more of a threat [breathing] to their own people at this day and time. [Breathing], how do you feel about it? [Breathing].
[speaker002:] Well, they do have, uh, a major internal problem [LAUGHTER]. Everybody wants to defect, and I can understand why. Um, [breathing] I think their biggest problem is just, you know, obtaining food to live, so when you have the basic needs, uh,
[speaker001:] [Breathing].
[speaker002:] being unmet [breathing], I don't think you think globally as far as, you know, being a threat to other people in the world.
[speaker001:] [Breathing].
[speaker002:] So, as soon as they get their, their own home country taken care of, then they'll consider,
[speaker001:] [Breathing].
[speaker002:] [Breathing] what they can do with the rest of the world.
[speaker001:] [Breathing] I believe Communism is very much waning [breathing]. It's, uh, pretty much on the way out of the door, [breathing] insofar as the strong hold that they used to have, and the Russian people are all realizing that the Communist system does not work to their satisfaction [breathing] or their way of [breathing] surviving in this world, and [breathing] their rebellions right now is the result of that [breathing]. If they can get the army,
[speaker002:] [Noise].
[speaker001:] or the military [breathing] to sway to their side, I think that, uh, [breathing] it will be [breathing] on the way out [breathing] eventually. It's just a matter of time, because,
[speaker002:] [Noise].
[speaker001:] [Breathing] in the Baltic States they have already massacred so many people who protested,
[speaker002:] [Noise].
[speaker001:] and that hasn't set too well with their [breathing] diplomacy for the, [lipsmack] regarding the, uh, outcome of their affairs [lipsmack]. What's your synopsis? [Breathing].
[speaker002:] Well, I do, I do realize that, uh, uh, the Bush Administration isn't too happy with, with how they're handling their internal, uh, strife, you know, as far as diplomacy is concerned [breathing]. I think it's been a good, a good positive direction for uh, the Soviets as far as Yeltsin is concerned. You know, he was, uh, allowed to, what, wh-, in his, in the Congress they, they gave him more power as far as his republic in Russia is concerned, which is, gives him more power overall, which I think is a good sign that there will be some, you know, politically speaking, you know, he's going to have more power, [breathing], and I think it's a step in the right direction. I think Gorbachev realizes that he's got a, [breathing] a major uh, uh, power figure, you know, competing against him, and I think it's going to be pretty close to his demise if he doesn't [breathing] follow suit with Yeltsin as far as, uh, [breathing] realizing, well, he does realize it, you know, with the fact that they reduced the uh, [breathing] or they, increased the prices on their food, food and goods.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] Uh.
[speaker001:] I think that it went up a thousand percent on most,
[speaker002:] It, yeah. Tha-, that's incredible but they had to, uh, go in the direction of a market driven economy, and, and they had to bite the bullet for that. So that's a good move [breathing], on, on Gorbachev's part in doing that.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh [whistling].
[speaker002:] So,
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] but Gorbachev has still not fully convinced everyone that,
[speaker002:] [Whistling].
[speaker001:] he's moving towards a two to three party system of government that, nor eliminating or diminishing the Communist power, [breathing] and I guess that's where Yeltsin steps in, [breathing] so far as his politics of government goes, uh, but I don't know how convinced the people are of him yet, myself.
[speaker002:] [Breathing] Well, that's all they got right now. That's their ray of hope.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] So, you know, they'll go with [breathing],
[speaker001:] [Breathing].
[speaker002:] you know, whoever comes through for them. I, it, it's just that,
[speaker001:] [Throat clearing].
[speaker002:] the weird thing is, is that Gorbachev is the one that opened the floodgates, as far as with glasnost and poistro-, perestroika and stuff, and I think he's got between the Old Guard and, [talking] [people in background], and the new, uh, glasnost. Uh, I think it's kind of escalated to a point where it's out of control.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] And I think he had to pull in the reins the only way he knew how, in order to keep the peace on, peace on both sides. So I think that's where you know, [talking], kind of where he's stuck. You know what I'm saying?
[speaker001:] Yeah. Uh, I understand.
[speaker002:] And that's the, that's the situation that he finds himself in, and [breathing] you know, he's a tough guy, I mean, he's been through it [LAUGHTER]. So I have no doubt that he'll, I mean, I, I think overall he's been a, a [breathing], good figure for the Soviet Union. I mean, I think his intentions and his ideals are, [breathing] are uh, well intentioned.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] And in the long-term, but I just think that [breathing] because of [breathing] the basic needs that the people don't have, I think that, uh, makes the problem most severe, and makes him look, look worse that what his, um, what his ideals are,
[speaker001:] [Breathing].
[speaker002:] personally.
[speaker001:] I agree. What's bad for the Soviet system is that [breathing], they have the resources to grow and produce their food, but somehow it just does not get out to the market the way it should.
[speaker002:] [Breathing] I think it's, I think it's a lot of, uh, oh, how do you put it? [Breathing], bureaucracy and, and, uh, one thing, and then all the corruption. I think there's a, a large amount of corruption on the, the have and the have-nots.
[speaker001:] Yeah [breathing]. That's probably more true than,
[speaker002:] You know, I
[speaker001:] a lot of people realize.
[speaker002:] I know you're going to have that with every society. At least we're more blatant about it, but it's very secret, and it's been going on for years. I mean, you can't [breathing] change things overnight.
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] And, but if it gets to a point where people can't [breathing], survive, I mean, there's revolution. You know, and that's [breathing],
[speaker001:] It seems to be headed in that direction too.
[speaker002:] Yeah [LAUGHTER], big time [LAUGHTER], major [breathing], but you know, that's, that's what happens when, you know, the cork blows and you can't handle it anymore. I mean, that's [breathing]
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] that's the way the world, uh, you know, revolves that way [lipsmack]. Anyway,
[speaker001:] [Breathing] Well, their knowledge [breathing], with, uh, better communication processes in this world now that's reached them is more educated than to the, uh, ways of the western world, [breathing] and uh, I think that was a big stepping stone for them to initiate all their [breathing] righteous ways [breathing] of changing things, too.
[speaker002:] [Lipsmack] I really question, though, how much technology the average Soviet is exposed to.
[speaker001:] They, probably not enough, but [breathing] I'm sure I lot of it's filtered down enough to the common folks that they have gotten wind [breathing], of what they're missing out on.
[speaker002:] Yeah, I think they're starting to realize, but I, I just don't think they have the resources, if you were to compare, uh, the Americans to the Soviets as far as home computers are concerned or fact machines, Fax machines and cellular phones, and [breathing] state of the art equipment that we are so used to. I don't think they even realize what's out there, and to what extent.
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] Yeah, I'm sure a lot of them are missing those [breathing] household items [breathing] [LAUGHTER].
[speaker002:] Yeah, the major conveniences of life [LAUGHTER].
[speaker001:] Yeah [breathing] what we consider just, I don't [LAUGHTER], normal everyday things to them is real luxury.
[speaker002:] Yeah [breathing].
[speaker001:] Which is unfortunate for them, and of course, most of us, we don't really appreciate what we've got because we've been so used to it.
[speaker002:] This is true. This is very true. And we, it's human, it's human nature though to take things for granted and it kind of,
[speaker001:] [Breathing].
[speaker002:] you know, when you've lost something or, or uh, uh, don't have what other people have that's when you tend to realize, you know, [breathing] what's out there and what, you know, what you have and what you don't have.
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] Yeah I agree [breathing].
[speaker002:] [Lipsmack] So the original question, do we think they're a threat to our, you know, a security threat?
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] [breathing] Yeah.
[speaker002:] Um, [beep] yes and no.
[speaker001:] Yeah, I can go with that answer too [breathing]. The only yes I could go to is if uh, a renegade crew [breathing] decides to launch an attack or an accidental launching or something to that effect to, to a nuclear exchange, [breathing] but I don't even see that occurring.
[speaker002:] Um, no.
[speaker001:] [Lipsmack] Uh, because their internal strifes are more important right now than concentrating on any kind of outside affairs that they used to be adapted to I guess.
[speaker002:] Well, I don't really feel that the Soviets really want to blow up the world. I mean, um, we painted them back in the fifties and sixties as, as nonfeeling machine type people, and they're people just like us. I mean
[speaker001:] Uh-huh.
[speaker002:] you know, they get up everyday, and they put their pants on the same way, and they have to eat and everything else, and I just don't feel that [fade out]...