Remarks from Senator Bob Dole on American Weakness in the Face of Soviet Provocations

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Extent (Dublin Core)

19 Pages

File Name (Dublin Core)

c019_020_031_all

Title (Dublin Core)

Remarks from Senator Bob Dole on American Weakness in the Face of Soviet Provocations

Date (Dublin Core)

1978-07-03

Date Created (Dublin Core)

1978-07-03

Congress (Dublin Core)

95th (1977-1979)

Topics (Dublin Core)

See all items with this value United States--Foreign relations--Soviet Union

See all items with this value Latvia--History--1940-1991

Policy Area (Curation)

Armed Forces and National Security

Creator (Dublin Core)

Dole, Robert J., 1923-2021

Record Type (Dublin Core)

speeches (documents)

Rights (Dublin Core)

http://rightsstatements.org/vocab/CNE/1.0/

Language (Dublin Core)

eng

Collection Finding Aid (Dublin Core)

https://dolearchivecollections.ku.edu/index.php?p=collections/controlcard&id=52&q=

Physical Location (Dublin Core)

Collection 019, Box 20, Folder 31

Institution (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Institute of Politics, University of Kansas, Lawrence, KS

Archival Collection (Dublin Core)

Robert J. Dole Speeches Collection, 1958-1996

Full Text (Extract Text)

This document is from the collections at the Dole Archives, University of Kansas
http://dolearchives.ku.edu

REMARKS OF SENATOR BOB DOLE
AMERICAN WEAKNESS IN THE FACE OF SOVIET PROVOCATIONS
BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS
JULY 3, 1978

IT'S AN HONOR AND PLEASURE FOR ME TO BE HERE IN BOSTON WITH YOU TO SHARE IN THE BEAUTY AND COLOR OF YOUR NATIVE LATVIAN SONGS, COSTUMES AND TRADITIONS. YOUR ABILITY TO PRESERVE YOUR LANGUAGE AND CULTURAL HERITAGE HERE IN THE UNITED STATES IS A TRIBUTE TO YOU, WHILE IT ADDS TO THE RICH FABRIC OF AMERICAN CULTURE WHICH IS COMPOSED ON THE HERITAGE OF PEOPLES FROM ALL OVER THE WORLD.

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WE SHOULD BE IN RIGA

YET, AT THE SAME TIME, I CAN'T HELP REMARKING AT HOW IRONIC IT IS THAT THIS MAGNIFICENT LATVIAN CULTURAL EVENT, WHICH DATES BACK OVER A CENTURY TO 1873, HAS TO BE HELD IN BOSTON INSTEAD OF RIGA WHERE IT TRULY BELONGS. BUT I DON'T HAVE TO REMIND YOU OF THE SAD REALITY OF LIFE IN RIGA AND THE REST OF LATVIA, WHERE IT IS BECOMING INCREASINGLY DIFFICULT TO BE LATVIAN, TO SPEAK YOUR ANCIENT LANGUAGE AND ENJOY YOUR AGE-OLD TRADITIONS.

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A HISTORY OF REPRESSION

IT IS ALMOST FORTY YEARS NOW SINCE THE TINY COUNTRY OF LATVIA WAS OVERWHELMED BY THE OCCUPATION FORCES OF THE SOVIET UNION. THESE INVADERS, WHO POSE AS LIBERATORS, ARE STILL GARRISONED ON LATVIAN SOIL. THROUGHOUT THESE FORTY YEARS, LATVIA HAS BEEN THE SCENE OF A GREAT STRUGGLE -- A STRUGGLE FOR FREEDOM, FOR THE RIGHT TO WORSHIP, TO MOVE ABOUT IN ONE'S OWN COUNTRY, TO SPEAK ONE'S MIND. BUT ABOVE ALL, LATVIA HAS BEEN THE SCENE OF A GREAT STRUGGLE FOR NATIONAL SURVIVAL IN THE FACE OF MASSIVE SOVIET EFFORTS TO PERMANENTLY CHANGE THE LANGUAGE AND CULTURE OF THE NATION THROUGH THE VEHICLE OF FORCED RUSSIFICATION. LATVIAN CHURCHES ARE SYSTEMATICALLY DESTROYED, ARTISTS EXPRESSING PRIDE IN THEIR NATIONAL IDENTITY ARE CENSORED AND REPRESSED,

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SCHOOLS ARE PROGRAMMED TO ELIMINATE INSTRUCTION IN THE 1000-YEAR LATVIAN CULTURAL AND RELIGIOUS TRADITION, AND AN ALIEN IDEOLOGY, CULTURE AND LANGUAGE ARE SUBSTITUTED FOR THEM. IN SHORT, EVERY EFFORT IS BEING MADE TO MAKE THIS GENERATION OF LATVIANS THE LAST. HOWEVER, IF WHAT WE SEE TODAY IS INDICATIVE OF THE LATVIAN SPIRIT, SOVIET PLANS FOR THE CULTURAL GENOCIDE OF LATVIA ARE DOOMED TO FAILURE.

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LATVIANS CONTINUE TO FIGHT

AND INDEED, MANY LATVIAN PATRIOTS ARE FIGHTING FOR THE RIGHT TO REMAIN LATVIAN. TWO SUCH MEN ARE GUNARS RODE (GOO-NARS RODA) AND VIKTORS KALNINS (CALL-NINS), WHO COURAGEOUSLY DEFENDED THE RIGHTS OF LATVIANS TO BE THEMSELVES, TO RETAIN THEIR IDENTITY, ENJOY THEIR HERITAGE AND SPEAK THE LANGUAGE OF THEIR PARENTS. FOR SPEAKING OUT IN DEFENSE OF WHAT THEY BELIEVE AND KNOW IS RIGHT, BOTH MEN WERE SENTENCED TO LONG PRISON TERMS TO SHARE HORRIBLE CONDITIONS IN THE GULAG ARCHIPELAGO WITH COUNTLESS OTHER PATRIOTS OF LATVIA AND OTHER NATIONS OF THE SOVIET UNION.

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LATVIAN-AMERICAN EFFORTS ABROAD

I'M PLEASED TO NOTE THAT THROUGH THE EFFORTS OF MANY LATVIAN-AMERICANS WHO EXPRESSED THEIR CONCERN FOR THE FATE OF THOSE WHO DEFEND THEIR HOMELAND, BOTH MR. RODE (RODA) AND MR. KALNINS (CALL-NINS) HAVE BEEN RELEASED AND ARE NOW IN THE WEST WHERE THEY CAN PROVIDE ALL OF US WITH THE INSPIRATION TO CONTINUE OUR STRUGGLE TO SECURE FREEDOM AND SELF DETERMINATION FOR THE PEOPLES OF THE WORLD. FOR IN SECURING THE RELEASE OF THESE GREAT LATVIAN PATRIOTS, WE HAVE HELPED TWO POLITICAL PRISONERS GAIN THEIR FREEDOM. IN A SENSE, HOWEVER, EVERY LATVIAN CITIZEN IS A POLITICAL PRISONER AND WE MUST CONTINUE IN OUR EFFORTS TO GAIN THEIR FREEDOM AS WELL.

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LATVIANS ARE NOT ALONE IN BEING REPRESSED

THE FIRST STEP IN THAT DIRECTION SHOULD BE AN ACKNOWLEDGEMENT THAT THE SOVIET UNION CONSISTS OF MANY NATIONALITIES THAT DO NOT WISH TO BE PART OF THE SOVIET UNION AND ARE STRUGGLING FOR THEIR RIGHTS AS SEPARATE NATIONS. IN THE LAST FEW YEARS, A GREAT DEAL OF ATTENTION HAS BEEN FOCUSED ON THE HUMAN RIGHTS PROVISIONS OF THE HELSINKI AGREEMENT. THE PARAGRAPHS RELATING TO THE RIGHTS OF NATIONAL DETERMINATION, HOWEVER, HAVE BEEN LARGELY IGNORED. YET THE TWO SECTIONS ARE CLOSELY RELATED. PEOPLE IN LATVIA WHO ARE DENIED THE OPPORTUNITY TO EXPRESS THEMSELVES THROUGH THE MEDIUM OF LATVIAN CULTURE BECAUSE OF SOVIET RUSSIFICATION POLICIES AIMED AT HOMOGENIZING THE POPULATION OF THE USSR, ARE DENIED THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS IN THE MOST BASIC WAY. THEY ARE DENIED THE RIGHT TO BE THEMSELVES. CLEARLY, ONLY WHEN NATIONAL RIGHTS ARE GUARANTEED IN THE MINORITY REPUBLICS OF THE SOVIET UNION, CAN THE LATVIANS, ESTONIANS, UKRAINIANS, ARMENIANS AND SO ON, TRULY HAVE THEIR HUMAN RIGHTS.

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LACK OF ADMINISTRATION CONCERN

YET THROUGHOUT HIS ENTIRE HUMAN RIGHTS CAMPAIGN, PRESIDENT CARTER NEVER ONCE MENTIONED THE RIGHTS OF SOVIET NATIONALITIES TO USE THEIR OWN LANGUAGE AND ENJOY THEIR CULTURAL HERITAGE. LAST YEAR IN BELGRADE AT THE FOLLOW-UP CONFERENCE TO THE HELSINKI AGREEMENT I HAD A CHANCE TO REMIND THE NATIONS INVOLVED THAT OUR COUNTRY HAS NOT FORGOTTEN THE FORCED INCORPORATION OF THE BALTIC STATES INTO THE SOVIET UNION AND HAS NEVER RECOGNIZED THE SOVIET TAKE-OVER THERE. THAT STAND CONTINUES TO BE OFFICIAL U.S. POLICY, BUT A VERY QUIET ONE, IT SEEMS. APPARENTLY, THE SILENCE OF AMERICAN OFFICIALS ON THIS ISSUE IS DESIGNED TO AVOID ANNOYING THE SOVIETS.

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SOVIET EXPANSION UNABATED

YET WHILE WE HAVE REMAINED SILENT ON SUCH A BASIC ISSUE AS THE RIGHT OF NATIONS TO DETERMINE THEIR OWN DESTINY, THE SOVIET UNION AND THEIR EAST EUROPEAN AND CUBAN CLIENTS HAVE BEEN BUSY ARMING AND TRAINING VARIOUS NATIONAL LIBERATION GROUPS IN AFRICA AND ASIA. AT THE SAME TIME THAT THE KREMLIN MEDDLES IN THE AFFAIRS OF DISTANT CONTINENTS, ON THE CONTINENT OF EUROPE THEY HAVE BUILT UP THE FORCES OF THE WARSAW PACT FAR IN EXCESS OF ANY PURELY DEFENSIVE NEEDS. ALL OF THESE OMINOUS SOVIET MOVES IN MILITARY BUILD-UPS AND FOREIGN INTERVENTION SHOULD BE CONSIDERED IN LIGHT OF SOVIET HISTORY WHICH INCLUDES THE FORCIBLE INCORPORATION NOT ONLY OF LATVIA AND THE OTHER BALTIC STATES, BUT ALSO THE FORCED INCORPORATION OF THE CAUCASUS STATES, UKRAINE, BYELORUSSIA (B-YELL-O-RUSSIA) AND COUNTLESS

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STATES IN SOVIET ASIA. THE HISTORY OF SOVIET INVASIONS OF CZECHOSLOVAKIA AND HUNGARY IS STILL FRESH IN OUR MINDS. CLEARLY, THE SOVIET UNION IS AN EXPANSIONIST POWER WHICH VIOLATES THE RIGHTS OF INDIVIDUALS AND ENTIRE NATIONS IN ORDER TO CONTROL THE HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF THE NATIONS IT CONQUERS. IT WOULD BE OBVIOUS THAT OUR NATION CANNOT REMAIN INDIFFERENT TO EITHER SOVIET EXPANSION OR HUMAN VIOLATIONS.

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WEAKNESS IN THE FACE OF A CHALLENGE

SO FAR, WHAT HAS THIS ADMINISTRATION'S APPROACH TO SOVIET POLICIES BEEN? THEY HAVE REMAINED SILENT ON THE RIGHTS OF MINORITY REPUBLICS WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION AND DILUTED TALK OF GENERAL HUMAN RIGHTS TO THE POINT OF MEANINGLESSNESS. THEY ANNOUNCED THE CANCELLATION OF THE PRODUCTION OF THE B-1 BOMBER THAT WAS TO REPLACE OUR 25-YEAR OLD B-52 BOMBER FORCE. THEY DECIDED TO SLOW DOWN PRODUCTION OF THE MX MISSILE SYSTEM. THEY ANNOUNCED POSTPONEMENT OF THE DEVELOPMENT OF THE NEUTRON BOMB AND SERIOUSLY EMBARRASSED AND WEAKENED OUR WEST GERMAN ALLIES IN THE PROCESS. THEY HAVE ANNOUNCED PLANS TO WITHDRAW OUR FORCES FROM KOREA, ALARMING OUR JAPANESE ALLIES IN THE PROCESS. AND THE ADMINISTRATION IS NOW IN THE MIDST OF THE STRATEGIC ARMS LIMITATION TALKS AND EMPLOYING QUESTIONABLE NEGOTIATING TACTICS.

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NO AFFIRMATIVE STANCE

AT EACH STEP, WE SEE THE UNITED STATES MAKING CONCESSIONS, GIVING AWAY OUR BEST BARGAINING POSITIONS IN THE HOPES THAT THE SOVIET UNION WILL RESPOND IN KIND.

RUSSIFICATION AND REPRESSION -- THE ONLY RESPONSE

IN RETURN FOR AMERICAN SILENCE ON THE RIGHTS OF SUBJUGATED NATIONS, THE SOVIET UNION OFFERS RUSSIFICATION AND REPRESSIONS. IN RESPONSE TO AMERICAN RESTRAINT ON THE ISSUE OF INDIVIDUAL RIGHTS FOR SOVIET CITIZENS, THE SOVIET UNION OFFERS US THE TRIAL OF RUDENKO (ROO-DEN-KO) AND TYKHIY (TEE-KHIY) IN KIEV AND ORLOV IN MOSCOW. TO ANSWER OUR GESTURES LIMITING OUR DEFENSE CAPABILITIES, SOVIET AUTHORITIES OFFER US CONTINUED MILITARY ACTIONS IN ANGOLA AND ETHIOPIA. SOVIET ARROGANCE HAS INCREASED TO THE POINT THAT WE ARE NOT PERMITTED TO DEFEND OURSELVES AGAINST THEIR ESPIONAGE ACTIVITIES IN THE UNITED STATES. EARLIER THIS

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MONTH, FBI AGENTS ARRESTED TWO SOVIET U.N. EMPLOYEES FOR TRYING TO BUY U.S. DEFENSE SECRETS. IN RESPONSE, THE SOVIET SECRET POLICE DRAGGED AN AMERICAN BUSINESSMAN FROM HIS CAR ON A MOSCOW STREET, ACCUSED HIM OF BLACK MARKET ACTIVITIES AND OFFERED TO TRADE HIM FOR THEIR SPIES. EARLY LAST WEEK, TWO AMERICAN JOURNALISTS WERE ORDERED TO ANSWER CHARGES OF LIBELING THE SOVIET UNION IN THEIR DISPATCHES TO THEIR RESPECTIVE NEWSPAPERS IN THE UNITED STATES. IN OTHER WORDS, THE KREMLIN NOW SEEKS TO EXTEND ITS CENSORSHIP PRACTICES TO INCLUDE OUR NEWSPAPERS IN OUR OWN COUNTRY.

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A DISGRACEFUL PATTERN OF CONCESSION

WHAT WE SEE IS A PATTERN OF AMERICAN CONCESSIONS FOLLOWED QUICKLY BY SOVIET ARROGANCE. AND ALL THIS OCCURS AT THE SAME TIME PRESIDENT CARTER ASSURES US THE UNITED STATES WILL NOT BE PUSHED AROUND. BUT DESPITE SUCH BRAVE TALK, THE UNITED STATES IS PERCEIVED AS WEAK BECAUSE WE'VE BEEN ACTING WEAK. WE MUST LOOK MORE CLOSELY AT OUR POLICY WITH THE SOVIET UNION. WE WILL FIND THAT HISTORICALLY THE SOVIET UNION HAS EXPLOITED WEAKNESS AND RESPONDED TO STRENGTH.

IT'S ABOUT TIME OUR NATION STARTED ACTING LIKE THE STRONG COUNTRY WE ARE. AND IT'S ABOUT TIME WE INCLUDED SOVIET WEAKNESS IN OUR FOREIGN POLICY EQUATION AS WELL AS THEIR STRENGTHS.

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BRUTAL CONFORMITY VERSUS INDIVIDUALITY

SOVIET IDEOLOGY DEMANDS CONFORMITY IN ALL THINGS -- IDEAS, LANGUAGE, ATTITUDES, EMOTIONS AND ACTIONS. THEY EVEN DEMAND NOW THAT WE CONFORM TO THEIR IDEAS AND IDEOLOGY. ANY EXPRESSIONS OF INDIVIDUALITY ON THE PART OF SOVIET CITIZENS AND, NOW IT SEEMS, AMERICAN CITIZENS LIVING IN MOSCOW, ARE PUNISHED, OFTEN BRUTALLY. THUS WE ROUTINELY READ OF THE INCREDIBLE MISTREATMENT OF SOVIET INTELLECTUALS, ARTISTS AND NATIONAL PATRIOTS TO FORCE THEM TO BECOME "MODEL SOVIET CITIZENS," IN OTHER WORDS UNTHINKING COGS IN THE HUGE MACHINE CALLED USSR. THIS DRIVE TOWARDS INDIVIDUAL CONFORMITY AND NATIONAL HOMOGENIZATION THROUGH RUSSIFICATION IS INTENDED TO MAKE IT EASIER FOR THE KREMLIN TO MOBILIZE THE HUMAN AND NATURAL RESOURCES OF ITS OCCUPIED TERRITORIES

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IN ORDER TO SERVE SOVIET AIMS, WHICH CLEARLY INVOLVE GREATER EXPANSION. BUT NOW TWO SIGNIFICANT TRENDS WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION TOWARD GREATER INDIVIDUALITY AND NATIONAL AUTONOMY THREATEN THE ABILITY OF THE KREMLIN TO EXERCISE ITS POWER. THE KREMLIN RIGHTFULLY FEARS THAT THE POPULARIZATION OF THE DISSIDENTS' IDEAS WOULD MAKE IT MORE DIFFICULT FOR THEM TO WAGE AN AGGRESSIVE EXPANSIONIST POLICY.

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WE NEED TO ENCOURAGE SELF-DETERMINATION

IT MAKES SENSE, THEREFORE, FOR THE UNITED STATES TO DO ALL IT CAN TO ENCOURAGE THE DUAL TRENDS FOR GREATER INDIVIDUAL AND NATIONAL RIGHTS WITHIN THE SOVIET UNION. OBVIOUSLY, OUR SILENCE ON THAT ISSUE AND CONCESSIONS ON THE DEFENSE ISSUE ARE COUNTERPRODUCTIVE. WE MUST MAKE THE SOVIET UNION UNDERSTAND THAT WE INTEND TO REMAIN STRONG AND WE INTEND TO REMAIN FORTHRIGHT IN OUR DEFENSE OF AMERICAN VALUES. ONLY WITH SUCH A POLICY CAN WE INSURE THAT WE WILL NOT BE PUSHED AROUND. AMERICAN CONCESSIONS ON EITHER ISSUE -- DEFENSE OR HUMAN RIGHTS -- MUST BE ANSWERED WITH GENUINE GESTURES ON THE PART OF THE SOVIET UNION.

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OUR SILENCE ON HUMAN RIGHTS AND NATIONAL SELF-DETERMINATION MUST BE PAID FOR WITH GENUINE CHANGE IN THE SOCIAL AND NATIONAL FABRIC OF THE USSR. WE MUST NOT BE FORCED INTO THE POSITION OF BUYING "PEACE IN OUR TIME" WITH THE CONTINUED REPRESSIONS OF SOVIET CITIZENS AND NATIONALITIES. THE SOVIET UNION CONSTITUTES A REAL THREAT TO WORLD PEACE AND WE MUST TAKE A REALISTIC APPROACH TO IT, NOT ONE BASED ON WISHFUL THINKING.

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WE MUST REMAIN STRONG

IN SHORT, OUR COUNTRY MUST REMAIN STRONG IN THE FACE OF SOVIET THREATS. ONE FORM OF STRENGTH IS FOUND IN WEAPONS AND ARMY DIVISIONS. ANOTHER FORM OF STRENGTH IS FOUND IN THE VITALITY OF AN ACTIVE PEOPLE FILLED WITH CREATIVE ENERGY. I SAW THE SECOND KIND OF STRENGTH TODAY IN YOUR FESTIVAL. THAT STRENGTH IN CONJUNCTION WITH A STRONG DEFENSE WILL MAKE OUR COUNTRY POWERFUL ENOUGH TO WITHSTAND WHATEVER OUR ADVERSARIES SEND US. IT CAN ALSO PROVIDE YOUR COUNTRYMEN IN LATVIA WITH THE PATIENCE AND ENDURANCE TO LIVE THROUGH THE LONG NIGHT OF SOVIET OCCUPATION. I AM CONFIDENT THAT THE STRENGTH EMBODIED IN YOUR SONG WILL PREVAIL AND THAT SOMEDAY THE LATVIAN SONG FESTIVAL WILL RETURN TO ITS RIGHTFUL HOME IN RIGA.

# # # # #

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Remarks from Senator Bob Dole on American Weakness in the Face of Soviet Provocations

Item