Look Adrien this guy is beating his chest just a little too much, but the Soviets did in fact try to compete with the US in the arms race with an economy that simply could not peform. Had it not been for 7 consecutive US Presidents pushing the USSR they would more than likely still be in power.

__________________
[IMG]http://www.gersbachia.com/gort%5Fanim%5B1%5D.gif[/IMG]
The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu

I don't know about that. The USSR had too many problems with its agriculture, I think. But what's that to do with the Cold War? The USSR ended when Russians got really fed up with it.

Had the Soviets not had to spend all that hard currency on weapons systems, upgrades and R&D to stay current with the US they could have spent some of it to buy the consumer goods their economy was so piss poor at producing. That would have kept the people fat dumb and happy for at least a little while longer and hence kept the bolsheviks in power a while longer.

__________________
[IMG]http://www.gersbachia.com/gort%5Fanim%5B1%5D.gif[/IMG]
The universe grows smaller every day and the threat of aggression by any group anywhere can no longer be tolerated. There must be security for all or no one is secure... - Klaatu