BE mailbox

Nuclear facts
vs. Opinions

OPEN LETTER TO
CHUCK COOK, MP

Thank you for keeping
your campaign promise to
me. You proiniscd te send
your constituents a question-
naire on nuclear issues, and
you have done so.

I would like to comment
on the questionnaire, and
correct a few misconceptions.
Firstly, you have indicated
that the USSR has ‘‘superior
strength’ and a ‘‘present ad-
vantage’’ in nuclear
weapons. According to the
U.S. Department of Defense
Report for fiscal year 1982:
“the United States and the
Soviet Union are roughly
equal in strategic nuclear
power’’. Yes, for certain
types of warheads, the
Soviets are ahead, and for
others, the U.S. is ahead. In
sheer numbers, the U.S. has
900 more warheads (9681 te
the USSR’s 8781) ano very
superior technoleny for
greater accuracy, yet in
megatonnage, the USSR has
nearly double that of the
U.S. Frankly, does it matter
who is ahead when either side
can annihilate all life on earth
already? The Soviets have in-
dicated a willingness to agree
to a freeze. Please, Mr.
Cook, state both sides’ opi-
nio:s and ali the facts, not
selective ones.

In question 2, answers 2)
and b) are virtually the same,
but answer b) indicates your
bias that strength through

“deterrence is the answer to.

the threat of nuclear war (or
conventional war in Western
Europe). Firstly, deterrence
is obsolete because of the vast
overkill capabilities the
superpowers already achiev-
ed years ago. And secondly,
it’s evident that deterrence
does not work to prevent
conventional wars — witness
Korea, Vietnam, Lebanon,
Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, the
Falklands, etc.

In question 3, you have
asked ‘‘Given the facr (my
italics) that Western Europe
cannot hope to defend itself
in a conventional war, would
you support a Canadian vote
for a ‘no first use’ position
on nuclear weapons by
NATO at the U.N?” You
have included 4 very biased
opinion in the body of the
question which makes it very
difficult to answer in the af-
firmative. Likewise with
question 4, to answer Is ‘the
USSR’s ‘no first use’ position
... either meaningful or credi-

ble?’ in the affirmative
would nearly mean admitting
that | am a flaming red com-
munist, which I most em-
phatically am not.

Please, Mr. Cook, do not
cloak your persona!  opi-
nions as facts. Give both
sides of the story, if any at
all, then ask objective ques-
tions of Canadians who have
enough insight and in-
telligence to form their own
opinions without being led by
you.

Gail Hunt
North Vancouver

Bet hag A ba
THE LEADIN
BRANDS

i

G

- DIT
jie OU. FIND VE"

Dog-owner
abandoned .
dying cat

Dear Editor:

On Sunday January 6,
while my wife and I were
walking along East 4th St.
(300 block), we witnessed to
our shock a large, black,
Bouvier dog viciously attack-
ing and seriously injuring a
cat. The dog had run ahead
of its owner into the yard

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A9 - Wednesday, January

where the cat was. The owner
simply gathered up her dog
(and another dog close by)
and walked away with no
cancern for the cat (whose
back leg was broken and in-
sides were hanging out).

My sincere thanks to the
neighbor who offered use of

23, 1985 - North Shore News

her phone and to the North
Vancouver S.P.C.A. who ar-
rived within 10 minutes of the
phone cail. Aiso, my sym-
pathy to the owners of the
cat, as it had to be put to
sleep.

Mark Douglas
North Vancouver

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with a special lunch Pipers, Haggis,
Roast Beef and all the trimmings!
FRIDAY, Jan. 25/85
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