The advent of new leadership in the Kremlin, and changing conditions in many of the world's trouble spots, keeps in the forefront of our attention a question that has been assessed and reassessed in recent years by Western governments and scholars: what is the real nature of Soviet policy in the Third World? Rajan Menon wisely decides to concentrate on three aspects of the subject: Soviet theories on East-West competition in the Third World, Soviet capabilities for projecting power into those regions, and the role and influence of arms transfers in Soviet policy. On these he writes with a good command of the literature, knowledge of Soviet practice, and good sense.
