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Pastimes : Let's Talk About Our Feelings!!! -- Ignore unavailable to you. Want to Upgrade?

To: greenspirit who wrote (24448)	8/19/1998 12:57:00 AM
From: Dayuhan	Read Replies (1) \| Respond to of 108807

Michael, It is probable that living in the Philippines has given this particular side of things undue importance in my mind. But the same scenario was repeated in many countries, particularly in Latin America. This did not, of course, take place only during the Reagan administration, but by the time Reagan took office the disutility of the policy in question was very clear, and it seems that only obtuseness led to its continuation and escalation (remember the "Kirkpatrick doctrine?"). Historical revisionism is always risky, but it's entirely possible that if we had cut a deal with Mossadegh (sp?) instead of imposing the Shah, Khomeini would never have been more than a quirky outsider. And if we'd been a little less naive about Somoza the Sandinistas would never have been in a position to take over, and the contras would never have emerged. And on, and on... Polarizing your own society by imposing one kind of totalitarianism in an ill-advised effort to fight another is wrong. Imposing that maneuver on somebody else's society without their consent is pretty close to being evil. A long time ago I worked in a Vietnamese refugee camp. The experience led me to inquire into the history of that unfortunate nation, and what I learned convinced me that a more open-minded policy in 1946-48 would have prevented that war in its entirety. The point is solely that when a country takes on the role of world police, it has an obligation to act with discretion and knowledge, and to avoid leaping in and make decisions on purely ideological grounds. We made those mistakes, and didn't (except in the case of Vietnam) pay for them. Others payed, and are still paying. I agree on the impact of telecommunications on the Soviet Union. On the military side, I'm not sure. American military resolve was pretty clearly stated under Kennedy, and was never much in doubt after. Reagan's move to escalate from parity to superiority took an economic toll, as the Soviets could not afford an arms race, but I'm not convinced that it hastened the opening. In fact, a threatened nation is if anything less likely to liberalize. I still believe that internal pressures, primarily economically generated, had far more effect than external ones. <<Communism requires a certain amount of ignorance of it's citizenry to maintain it's grip on power.>> All totalitarianism (and communism is by no means the only kind) feeds on ignorance. Apathy is as bad. Which makes me worry about America, and people like Emile... Steve

To: greenspirit who wrote (24448)	8/19/1998 8:17:00 AM
From: Alan Markoff	Respond to of 108807

Dear Michael, That is some of the strength of integrity I am talking about and believe me the other countries study our leaders. They know their strengths and weaknesses. They know that Clinton has no military background and about all his scandals and he has jeopardised our security by his childish ways. GROW UP!! BILL!!! The Phillipines is a perfect example of why we need men of integrity and morals to lead for the sake of the people. They need a man that will not sell them out for their own gain. There are men like this, or if they make mistakes we have to look real hard for them and sometimes not find them until they have been gone for a long time. I wish Russia could get some relief from their poverty. It saddens me that they are having so many troubles because I see the average person as just like us and stuck in a game of politics. Nancy