TODAY there's a lot of talk about putting "America First"--of taking care of problems in the United States before sending billions off to foreign countries. The first premise of this argument--that America cannot be strong abroad without being strong at home--is undeniably true.

One need not look far to see signs of the debilitating recession, the health are crisis, a widening drug problem, faltering schools and lingering unemployment. All of these domestic problems need to be addressed by the nation's leadership.

But the second premise of America First--that in order to protect national interests America must turn isolationist and withdraw from foreign affairs--is dangerously naive. Domestic and foreign affairs are far from mutually exclusive domains. With a global economy, common environmental problems and thousands of nuclear weapons, decisions we make abroad are very likely to affect our lives at home.

We all have heard the argument that "before we go helping the Russians with billions of dollars of aid, we should get the homeless off OUR streets and improve OUR schools..." In addition to dismissing out-of-hand a humanitarian concern the United States may have in feeding starving Russians, this argument totally ignores the threat a chaotic former Soviet Union--and its thousands of nuclear weapons--could pose to our country.

PROPOSED earlier this month, the $24 billion aid package for Russia--including an $11 billion contribution from the U.S.--is a step in the right direction. It will provide import credits, humanitarian aid, International Monetary Fund and World Bank loans, debt rescheduling and ruble stabilization.

"It's also a step that came just in time. Just before the aid package was announced, supporters of Boris N. Yeltsin's economic reforms were battling in parliament against those afraid of the short-term destabilizing effects of restructuring. The reformers could use the proposed aid as leverage to keep the changes in place.

Now that the reformers have the upper hand in Moscow, we should come through with the aid. If the United States denies Russia much-needed aid today, it should prepare for a crisis tomorrow.

History teaches that powerful nations in disarray--particularly those with the capacity to destroy the would--must be helped if they can't help themselves.