Well, well, well. Was The Donald right yet again.

[EddieM]

When someone once said "The only certainties in life are death, and taxes", they weren't kidding

With smoking you're killing 2 birds with 1 stone, killing yourself (though maybe not from covid) whilst being taxed to death too.

 

[Notch7]

Yes, a real thicko who only got across a table from Gorbachev to bring about the end of the tyranny of the Soviet Union. Easy to snipe at someone who brought down the iron curtain if your benchmark for politicians is lying Johnson. Don't think you're a great judge of politicians' qualities.

Reagan either wanted to win the cold war or end the cold and bring peace, Im not sure we know which, but his acceleration of the nuclear race with the star wars programme that was instrumental in ending the cold war.

 

[JohnD]

The Soviet Union collapsed from within, due to economic failure and loss of political trust and belief, and enmity that had been created in its satellites and provinces.

Sadly its assets were allowed to fall into the hands of organised crime, where they remain.

 

[ajohn]

You don't want to take what you read that literally JohnD. That view is as nearly as incorrect as Kennedy forcing the Soviets to remove missiles from Cuba.

 

[Vinty]

You don't want to take what you read that literally JohnD. That view is as nearly as incorrect as Kennedy forcing the Soviets to remove missiles from Cuba.

Cuban Missile Crisis
Part of the Cold War

CIA reference photograph of a Soviet medium-range ballistic missile in Red Square, Moscow.
Date October 16–28, 1962
(Naval quarantine[1] of Cuba ended November 20)
Location
Cuba
Result

• Removal of the Soviet Union's nuclear missiles from Cuba
• Removal of American nuclear missiles from Turkey and Italy
• Agreement with the Soviet Union that the United States would never invade Cuba without direct provocation
• Creation of a nuclear hotline between the United States and the Soviet Union

The reason the Russians threatened to place their missiles in Cuba was because the Americans had placed Jupiter missiles in Turkey.
The Russians allowed Kennedy to claim victory by not disclosing the terms of a secret deal to remove American missiles from Turkey.

 

[Vinty]

The Soviet Union collapsed from within, due to economic failure and loss of political trust and belief, and enmity that had been created in its satellites and provinces.

Sadly its assets were allowed to fall into the hands of organised crime, where they remain.

I thought for a moment you were describing the EU.

 

[ajohn]

That is 100% correct but the news did not report it like that. Turning boats around was mentioned - Kennedy victory, USA on red alert for an immediate strike if they didn't.

It's seems Khrushchev could see the missile from his dacha - or so rumours said.

 

[transam]

Yep good old JFK almost started WW 3 , as he thought it was a jolly good jape to station nuclear missiles on the russian border

bloke was a b erk imo , a bigger one than Trump

may be bigger than trump is stretching it a bit

 

[ajohn]

Russia gets a lot of bad press really and also gets up to things that are bad. Influencing other countries is standard global politics including arming factions.

For instance Russian this and that weapons including planes - doesn't mean a Russian is using them. Then killing civilians, we have collateral damage. If the west arms a group that's fine.

Communism isn't what it used to be either. It's rather capitalist in an odd sort of way these days.

 

[Vinty]

Russia gets a lot of bad press really and also gets up to things that are bad. Influencing other countries is standard global politics including arming factions.

For instance Russian this and that weapons including planes - doesn't mean a Russian is using them. Then killing civilians, we have collateral damage. If the west arms a group that's fine.

Communism isn't what it used to be either. It's rather capitalist in an odd sort of way these days.

The good news is that the Russians have been allowed off the naughty step, they have replaced by the Chinese as the new bogyman.

 

[EFLImpudence]

The good news is that the Russians have been allowed off the naughty step, they have replaced by the Chinese as the new bogyman.

When all along it has been the Americans.