A Soviet Solution

WE AGREE WITH the majority opinion that Syria is the main stumbling block to foreign troop withdrawal from Lebanon. We concur that Syria has little interest in promoting a settlement. And we too believe that the United States should home the Marines as soon as the Lebanese government can assume adequate control over the country.

But given this analysis, we are dismayed that the majority did not advocate what in our view could prove to be the only way out of the present stalemate. The United States should seek to directly involve the Soviet Union both in the troop withdrawal negotiations and, more broadly, in talks to help decide the future of the region.

Only the Soviet Union can exert a moderating influence on Syria. The Syrian military is literally a Soviet creation. If Moscow threatens to stop arms shipments to Damascus, President Assad would be forced to negotiate. And in fact, some Mid-east observer consider the Hayley's reduce of Syrien efforts against Arafat crucial in bringing about the partial--though short lived-cease fire between PLO factions in short, what the U.S. can only hope to accomplish with guns and blooded--get the Syrians out of Lebonon--the Soviet can do through coercion.

Of course, the United States is rightfully wary of Soviet interests in the Middle East. But we believe the Soviet could prove accommodating on the Syrian question. Moscow's support for Assad's regime is in truth an attempt to regain the foothold in the region lost when Sadat kicked the Soviets out of Egypt. If we allow the U.S.S.R. to reenier the negotiating process, they may well cease wasting their resources to fuel the Syrian military and seek simply to have their interests met at the negotiating table.

Taking into account the present state of the superpower relationship, we must admit such a U.S. strategy would not necessarily prove successful. Were detente still with us, the Soviets would be even more likely to give a little on Syria in hopes of gaining a little elsewhere in its dealings with the United States. It is precisely such a tack that Henry A. Kissinger and former President Richard M. Nixon flirted with concerning Vietnam by getting Moscow to pressure Hanoi.

But in truth, the absence of dialogue between Washington and Moscow makes even more imperative an attempt to involve the Soviets in the Mideast peace process. By letting pass an opportunity to cooperate with Moscow on Lebanon, we will not only hinder our efforts in that country, but also miss a chance to restore a more constructive relationship with the Russians.