814 



Lastly, it must be noted that the Soviet Union has evidenced its 

 competence to engage in a high-technology arms race with the U.S. Its 

 technology may not be as refined, but it is obviously adequate to hold up its 

 end of this race; it is now almost conventional wisdom that its greater 

 conrnitment of resources to defense expenditures will actually give them an 

 edge of some sort over the U.S. in the latter part of this decade. 



Whether that evaluation is accurate or not (more importantly, whether a 

 strategic "edge" would be significant or not, and if so, in what ways), its 

 anticipation has already fueled a massive new U.S. defense increase. One can 

 only observe that continued seeking for strategic superiority in the face of a 

 determined opponent is a chimera that can only distract from the real quest 

 for security. 



East/West Transfer of Technology: 



One other science/technology -related issue likely to be of considerable 

 moment in the next five years deserves brief mention. It is the concern over 

 the transfer of technology to the Eastern bloc that could enhance the military 

 capability of the Soviet Union and its allies. 17 



This is an issue with a history stemming from the advent of the cold war, 

 and with recent attention as a result of the embargo on high technology 

 imposed in response to the Soviet invasion of Afghanistan. It is bedeviled by 

 controversy between the U.S. and its NATO allies over the costs and benefits 



l7"Technology and East-West Trade," Office of Technology Assessment, 

 U.S. G.P.O., Washington, D.C., 1979. 



