(20 of 20)
Why, then, has not Gromyko's ascendancy become a moderating factor in helping overcome the chill in relations between Moscow and Washington? The chill, of course, is the result neither of one man's policy, powerful though he may be, nor of any single event. Gromyko shares power with other key partners in the collective leadership that runs the Kremlin. And all of them, including Gromyko, are just now more belligerent and hypersensitive than usual. Not only has the Kremlin suffered serious setbacks, internationally and internally, in recent years, but it is still beleaguered by a transition in leadership. A hard, aggressive response and tight cohesion among themselves are the traditional Soviet defensive reflex whenever the leaders feel that the West might think them vulnerable.
This is also Gromyko's philosophy. But it is quite possible that he is even more distressed than his colleagues, as he views the best achievements of his life's work crumbling. Still, it is likely that, barring illness or accident, Gromyko will be around for some time. And I would not be surprised to see him, like the persistent bulldog he is and at the proper time, again try to restore Soviet-American detente, even if he must do it--in one of his own favorite phrases--"brick by brick."