OT: Politics and Such

[Guest guest]

Hey CM,

 

> > American foreign policy has changed little over my lifetime.

>

> Butch, we are about the same age..

 

BS .. you are younger than I am. ;-) US Foreign policy has changed

little since the early 1900s .. support and defend friends against

enemies and support those who strive to adapt democratic ways that then

lead to human rights. Of course the strategies have changed and the

recipients of support changed .. that's a necessity of RealPolitik.

 

Was a time we had to choose between Dictators who supported Communism

and those that didn't .. and we choose those who didn't.

 

> Remember when we had to hate the Russians, now we try to be Buddies with them?

 

We used the word " Russian " then to mean " USSR. " It was not totally

correct not totally incorrect back then .. but now we are dealing with

Russians.

 

> Hate the Chinese, because there where too many of them?

 

Not for that reason .. but for the actions of Mao and the Politburo.

Its the Russians now who must be concerned about the Chinese.

 

> Now we need them all to fight terrorism which has become a more dangerous

> foe than communism?

 

Since the beginning of time groups have formed alliances against common

enemies. That will continue to be the case.

 

> I find it weird that we where so scared of communism, when it folded so

readily,

> just getting them turned on to capitalism and the religious issue surfaces

like

> in ancient times.

 

As I said in the other post .. it was always there .. but they were

sporadic attacks without central leadership.

 

> Maybe Osama is just putting up a smokescreen. since his aim is to conquer

> Saudi Arabia, maybe he does just want to have the oil and than party...

 

Some folks aren't aware that back in the early 70s .. when Saudi was

just thinking about putting an embargo on the USA .. there were some

discussions on taking over the country because it would have been a

serious threat to US National Security. If Osama Yo Mama thinks he can

control the oil fields of Saudi via a hostile takeover then he will be

in for a loud surprise. ;-) For sure they are upset that Iraq is now

producing over 2 million barrels a day .. and that other reserves have

been found in the region.

 

> Even Germany still has a communist party, so does Italy, so does Spain.

 

Yea .. I know. ;-) Italy and Greece have always had more members of

the Communist party than did the Soviet Union. It was something one had

to aspire to in the USSR.

 

> I just don't think they want to live like in Russia or the East block

> countries had to live. They are just poor souls still caught up in the

> ideology..

> C-M

 

Mostly young folks too .. with some opportunist older leaders. Its not

difficult to see why an idealist would think Pure Communism is a good

thing .. problem is that Marx and Engels lived in a different age and

the times then were such that pure Communism was a viable alternative.

This was no longer the case when it became applied Communism. The same

lessons will be learned by Europe in time .. on Socialism. It becomes

too difficult to manage when it goes beyond the social and economic and

gets into the political. Capitalism also will undergo some changes.

 

Social systems will eventually evolve into something we wouldn't be able

to recognize .. or accept .. today. But they will work. Butch