> Many on the American Right claim that it was Reagan's
> militaristic pressure, increased military spending
> (discussion of Star Wars etc), etc. that caused the
> collapse of the Soviet Union. The thinking goes that
> the Soviet Union had to spend more on military
> spending, couldnt afford it and this exacerbated
> contradictions in the Soviet Union, leading to its
> demise.
Gorbachov said very recently that the fSU spent 5 bn roubles per year on Afghan war. It is hard to believe that extra annual expenditure of 5 bn roubles was enough to destroy the fSU. What was the Soviet GDP in the 80s?
Ulhas