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In June
1979, the SALT II agreement is signed in Vienna by President Jimmy
Carter and General Secretary Brezhnev. In spite of some progress
in the field of arms control, Soviet forces had continued to be
strengthened while Alliance defence spending and force levels had
remained static for some years. In 1977, President Carter had proposed
that the NATO allies should each increase defence spending by three
per cent a year. Attempts were also made to get better value for
money by ensuring the interoperability of defence equipment, whereby
the allies' communications systems, fuel, ammunition, spare parts
and so on would be compatible. In spite of these moves, many in
the West argue that the continuing imbalance in the forces of the
two sides could undermine both the stability which had been achieved
in inter-continental systems through the SALT process, as well as
NATO's deterrent strategy. These anxieties become more acute when
the Soviet Union begins the rapid deployment of the SS-20, multiple
warhead, intermediate-range nuclear missiles, most of which are
targeted on Western Europe. By the time of a special meeting of
NATO Foreign and Defence Ministers on 12 December 1979, some 130
SS-20 missiles with 390 warheads have been deployed. The Ministers
adopt a 'double-track' decision. NATO would deploy in Europe 572
US Pershing II missiles and ground-launched Cruise missiles, all
with single warheads. But as modernisation proceeds, 1,000 nuclear
warheads would be withdrawn from Europe. In addition, and this was
the second track, a broad set of initiatives would be launched to
further the course of arms control and confidence-building so as
to improve mutual security and cooperation in Europe as a whole.
On 27 December
1979, the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan in order to preserve
the Marxist regime that had taken power in the country the year
before. President Amin is executed and Babrak Karmal installed in
his place. The Soviet invasion of Afghanistan shatters the West's
hope for lasting improvements in East-West relations. Shortly after
the invasion, the Allies convene an extraordinary meeting at which
they emphasise their disapproval. President Carter refuses to submit
the SALT II Treaty to the US Senate for ratification. The Afghan
war will last for ten years and claim fifteen thousand Soviet lives.
Afghan deaths are estimated to rise to one million, while up to
five million Afghans flee as refugees to Pakistan and Iran.
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