1999: Victory Without War

Nixon, who as U.S. president opened diplomatic relations with China, now recommends negotiations with the Soviet Union to forge commercial treaties and reduce the risk of accidental war. He strongly opposes the adoption of protectionist trade measures against Japan. These positions may surprise some readers, but on other issues his hard-line views are more predictable, if one scrutinizes the sweeping Cold War rhetoric carefully. On nuclear armaments, he endorses Reagan's plan for laser-based weapons in space (""Star Wars'') and urges ``no first-strike vulnerability.'' He advocates continued support of Nicaragua's contras, covert CIA actions overseas, build-up of nuclear power, more U.S. cruise missiles in Europe, the establishment of U.S. air bases in Saudi Arabia. He blames Africa's poverty on the terrible governments there. This hawkish blueprint of U.S. policy adds little of real substance to current debate. First serial to New York Times Magazine; paperback rights to Pocket Books. (April)