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USA Image Eroding Fast
Message
From
23/06/2006 09:32:05
 
 
To
22/06/2006 14:03:23
Walter Meester
HoogkarspelNetherlands
General information
Forum:
Politics
Category:
Other
Miscellaneous
Thread ID:
01129210
Message ID:
01131119
Views:
17
Marshall Plan:
http://usinfo.state.gov/usa/infousa/facts/democrac/57.htm

Cold War History:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cold_War

Seems to me they started around the same time (1947).

>The US had no significant role in the fall of the warsaw pact as the main reason was the economic reasons from within. The US had little to do with the actuall fall AFAICS. It has to do with the beginning of it.

What do you think weakened the Soviet Union to the point where it could no longer control its empire? Did Gorbachev wake up one morning and suddenly decide "hey, we suck, lets pull the plug"?

>Sure I do. But a question to you. What were the motives behind this? Do you have a full understanding of all the motives?

Umm, yeah, I think I have a pretty good idea.

>>The West won the Cold War, not solely due to the actions of the US, but in a large part because of it.
>
>Again, I'm not sure what you are arguing here. Please read back, the argument I'm making here is that I don't agree with the statement that if the US did not help us, we would not have freedom up here because we would have been occupied by the russians. I find that a very strong statment because the cold war on the european continent was controlled by the allies, not US only. It is very unlikely that the other allied forces would have sit and waited to be overrun by the russians.

You really need to read up on your history. Continental Europe was a basket case after the war. We helped get you back on your feet. If Russia had decided to march in the '40s or '50s, they would have either conquered a large part of Western Europe or it would be glowing in places right now.

Once the economies and populations of the West started to recover, then they were able to contribute more and more to their own self-defense. If Europe and the US had not stood together, though, we would have very different international boundaries over there. I'm not dismissing the Allied contribution. However, you are dismissing the US contribution. Who's insulting whom here?

>The cold war ended because of the fall of russian communism asa result of bankrupcy, not by the muscles showed by the west. The west did not beat comminism, but (russian)communism beat itself to death.

This is not my only source for this conclusion, but from http://americanhistory.si.edu/subs/history/timeline/end/index.html:

Throughout the 1980s, the Soviet Union fought an increasingly frustrating war in Afghanistan. At the same time, the Soviet economy faced the continuously escalating costs of the arms race. Dissent at home grew while the stagnant economy faltered under the combined burden. Attempted reforms at home left the Soviet Union unwilling to rebuff challenges to its control in Eastern Europe.

I rest my case.
Dan LeClair
www.cyberwombat.com
SET RANT ON - The Wombat Blog

Life isn’t a morality contest and purity makes a poor shield. - J. Peter Mulhern
Disclaimer: The comments made here are only my OPINIONS on various aspects of VFP, SQL Server, VS.NET, systems development, or life in general, and my OPINIONS should not be construed to be the authoritative word on any subject. No warranties or degrees of veracity are expressed or implied. Void where prohibited. Side effects may included dizziness, spontaneous combustion, or unexplainable cravings for dark beer. Wash with like colors only, serve immediately for best flavor.
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