VICTORY   The Reagan Administration's Secret Strategy That Hastened the Collapse of the Soviet Union,  by Peter Schweizer

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284 pages; published in 1994 by The Atlantic Monthly Press price in paperback $13.00

     This book is a detailed and completely annotated history of the United States' covert policy, as envisioned by President Ronald Reagan, to bring about the collapse of the Soviet Union by using economic, rather than military, warfare.  In light of current events, this book might seem to be an after the fact expose' with little relevance today.  Actually, Victory offers the reader an excellent understanding of the secret dealings that led, directly and indirectly, to the "liberation" of Afghanistan and many of our current problems in the Middle East.  It also provides some real insight into how spying and covert operations are actually used by the U.S. government. 

     The primary reason anyone in the petroleum industry should be interested in this book is because it outlines how our government intentionally manipulated crude oil prices to win the Cold War by depriving the Soviet Union of much needed capital.  Much of the economic turmoil experienced by the domestic oil industry over the past 20 years was planned and orchestrated by our own government. Victory sets forth in detail how this plan was envisioned by President Reagan and brought to fruition by CIA Director William Casey.  The book also provides a fascinating overview of how politics is played in the Middle East with the disparate governments, their competing Muslim factions and the vast reserves of crude oil.  The following quotes from the book outline its general thrust and tenor and, I hope, will entice you into reading it.
 

"In early 1982, President Reagan and a few key advisers began
mapping out a strategy to attack the fundamental economic and
political weaknesses of the Soviet system......The goals and means
of this offensive were outlined in a series of top secret national
security decision directives (NSDDs) signed by President Reagan in
1982 and 1983." 

"To Casey, the Saudis' concern about Soviet intentions" (following
their invasion of Afghanistan) "presented a chance to make Saudi
Arabia a powerful ally of the United States.  Oil was the mother's
milk of industry, and the West needed stable, secure access to
reserves if there was going to be any economic recovery.  In the
1970s, when Arab oil producers had been aggressively aligned
against the West, the price of oil had gone through the roof.....
Bringing oil prices down was an important goal of the new
administration.  It would help the U.S. economy enormously."

"One of the projects closest to Fahd's heart" (the Saudi Arabian
Crown Price) " was the effort to support Islamic movements in
Soviet Central Asia.  This was done through the Wahhabi clan and
was top secret." 

"The mujahedin" (the Afghan resistance fighters) "lacked an
effective response to Soviet air attacks..... Casey saw the need
for the Stinger and had been pushing for it for months....Yet there
was resistance from the State Department and some elements of
Defense which feared the missiles might fall into hostile
hands.....Mujahedin Stinger strike units were deployed aggressively
around Soviet air bases."

"The other policy change ultimately of fundamental import to the
demise of the Soviet economy came out of Riyadh.  In the late
summer of 1985, Saudi officials alerted the Reagan administration
that they should expect an increase in Saudi oil production, and as
a consequence a precipitous decline in international oil prices."

"Saudi production in early 1986 was running at almost 10 million
barrels a day.  Prices continued their plunge.  For the Saudis, the
burst in production more than made up for the drop in price. 
Earnings were expected to be up by one third.  Even if the price of
oil dropped as low as $8 per barrel, the Saudis would still collect
more than in 1985.  And the decline in the U.S. dollar, to which
Fahd had been alerted, was another enormous economic boost. 
According to a secret State Department memo, the Saudis 'received
a major windfall due to the recent decline in the dollar.'  For the
last six months of 1985 alone, that windfall amounted to 'as much
as 10 billion.'  the Saudis were expecting a similar harvest in
1986."

     Although these quotes are focused on the "oil weapon", the book is also concerned with the U.S. support of the Polish "Solidarity" independence movement, via the Israelis, as a means of keeping the Soviets from building a large natural gas pipeline from their Siberian fields.  Victory also deals with using Pakistan as a training base and conduit for the arms furnished to the Mujahedin. China was even involved.  They kept Soviet troops pinned down on their common border and supplied missiles and other weaponry.

    Victory is a detailed look at how secret dealings and clandestine alliances, forged by guns and money, are used by our government to reach political objectives that are never articulated or even admitted in the popular media.  The echoes and repercussions of these machinations will continue to influence world history for many years to come.

Bob Stolzle