The Soviet Union is rarely praised for anything at all, let alone for its technology. Horrible as your article about the proliferation of small arms in Africa may be, it is nonetheless but unsolicited praise of the assault rifle designed by Mikhail Kalashnikov in 1947 and still used all around the world (“Out of Control,” September 12, 2009). Despite its inaccuracy, as you put it, it is still Africa’s “killing weapon of choice” because of its compactness, durability, and affordability. Soviet technological prowess goes much farther, of course. It is sufficient to mention the Proton rocket, first launched in 1965, which is still used even by Americans to reach the earth’s orbit. The brainchild of Vladimir Chelomei’s design bureau, it is compact, durable, and affordable once again. But one characteristic that connects the Kalashnikov and the Proton, which is entirely missing from your article, is reliability. And many things designed in the Soviet era excelled precisely in reliability, not exactly a forte of the so-called west.