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About this quote

What does it mean?
Mikoyan argues that US military presence near the Soviet Union naturally fosters suspicion and caution among Soviet leaders.
In plain terms
American bases nearby make the Soviets feel suspicious and watchful.
What can you take from it?
Military proximity breeds mistrust between nations.

Where it applies

  • diplomatic negotiations
  • international summits
  • media analysis

Putting it to work

  • policy briefing
  • historical analysis
  • news commentary

Questions to consider

  • How do military bases affect public opinion abroad?
  • Is suspicion always a rational response to military presence?

Another view

This view assumes military bases are primarily defensive rather than strategic.

More from Anastas Mikoyan

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  2. There are no U.S. flyers in our country. The bodies were handed over to the Americans. We have no other bodies of flyers or living flyers in the Soviet Union. …

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  3. We are accused of all sorts of terrible things, of us wanting to undermine your market, of dumping and so forth. There was no such talk before, but when you ha…

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