SO WHAT?

Now to the point. Suppose the Soviets had said,"Yes, we make plutonium at Chernobyl and at other places; surely you have always known that we make it somewhere. And no, we do not have a US Congress to force us into separating our military and civilian nuclear programs; have you not noticed that we run things differently?" That would have enhanced their credibility and would therefore have been in their interest. But the Soviets are unable to discern their self-interest.

Even if my source was mistaken, there are many other examples of this: for instance, they tried to cover up the disaster at a time when it was already obvious that the increased radioactive background levels would soon be measured abroad. You can make a treaty with the Mafia, because you know its Dons will keep their word for as long as it is in their interest. You have no such luxury with the Soviets, for they do not know how long that is.

The reason for the difference is a simple matter of the feedback loops that keep any animal or system on its toes. If a Mafia Don makes a mistake, he is pounced on by his competing fellow families or by the police. But the Soviet leadership is immune to such automatic regulation. Gromyko has not walked the streets of any city in 40 years; the entire Soviet leadership lives in an unreal world of endless applause and accolades by their ossified institutions, which are themselves deprived of any effective feedback loops.

Does it make sense to enter into any agreements with such a system?