Put Soviet Embassy in a Swamp Full of Alligators, Byrd Says
WASHINGTON — Senate Democratic leader Robert C. Byrd suggested today that the United States move the Soviet Embassy in Washington to a swamp full of alligators.
Byrd, deeply disturbed by the Soviet spying in the U.S. Embassy in Moscow and apparent large-scale deployment of eavesdropping equipment built into the new U.S. Embassy still under construction, said Monday the United States faced an “alarming security sieve.”
Asked today whether he agreed with a suggestion from Rep. William S. Broomfield (R-Mich.) that the United States get the Soviets to buy back the new embassy in Moscow and the United States reclaim the Soviet Embassy in Washington, Byrd said, “Fine with me.”
“Put them in a swamp somewhere,” Byrd said without smiling. “See if we can’t find a good swamp somewhere with alligators.”
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