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Post by steel selachian on Aug 29, 2014 19:50:54 GMT -6
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Post by oldpop2000 on Aug 29, 2014 21:26:58 GMT -6
It is a shame about his family, he took most of them with him. Greed can sure cause trouble. |
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Post by steel selachian on Sept 8, 2014 18:30:27 GMT -6
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Post by oldpop2000 on Sept 9, 2014 9:12:30 GMT -6
Interesting article, thanks. I don't buy his argument about the absurdity of the Cold War. I was born at its beginning, lived and served during the Cold War. It didn't seem absurd to me, just a real waste of money and time, better spent on raising the level of economic well being for the populations of both sides. However, it wasn't absurd, you do what you have to, to survive. It's only with the clear vision of 20/20 hindsight do we now realize that they were more frightened of us, than we were of them. Pearl Harbor had a real effect on the psyche of the US nation during this time period. As will 9/11 in this generation. |
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Post by steel selachian on Sept 9, 2014 20:23:44 GMT -6
Exactly. And coughing up the information that's keeping your country safe if the other side miscalculates is inexcusable.
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Post by oldpop2000 on Sept 10, 2014 10:50:23 GMT -6
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Post by steel selachian on Sept 18, 2014 21:46:55 GMT -6
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Post by oldpop2000 on Sept 19, 2014 10:14:53 GMT -6
I am still reading the article, very interesting. I don't remember any real public scare at the time, just a lot of rhetoric as usual. I sensed though during the timeframe, that the political, social and economic atmosphere in the USSR was changing and that Communism had now been shown to be an abject failure. This was the theme in the period by most analyst. Apparently they were correct. The Soviets were starting to have real difficulties in Afghanistan starting in around 1980. By 1989, they were leaving; reminiscent of our Vietnam episode which I am very familiar with. Same sort of timeline for both but being a democracy and free society, we could object and make changes to our society and government plus recover economically. Communism could not do that and loss of power was the result. Something to remember, Vladimir Putin was KGB, need I say more. |
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Post by steel selachian on Sept 19, 2014 18:13:29 GMT -6
I am still reading the article, very interesting. I don't remember any real public scare at the time, just a lot of rhetoric as usual. I sensed though during the timeframe, that the political, social and economic atmosphere in the USSR was changing and that Communism had now been shown to be an abject failure. This was the theme in the period by most analyst. Apparently they were correct. The Soviets were starting to have real difficulties in Afghanistan starting in around 1980. By 1989, they were leaving; reminiscent of our Vietnam episode which I am very familiar with. Same sort of timeline for both but being a democracy and free society, we could object and make changes to our society and government plus recover economically. Communism could not do that and loss of power was the result. Something to remember, Vladimir Putin was KGB, need I say more. Yes, and it makes me wonder about the current spat with the Ukraine - whether or not the rather outlandish Russian propaganda is just that or whether the Kremlin seriously believes that an EU-affiliated Ukraine is a mortal threat to its security. |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Sept 19, 2014 20:24:04 GMT -6
I am still reading the article, very interesting. I don't remember any real public scare at the time, just a lot of rhetoric as usual. I sensed though during the timeframe, that the political, social and economic atmosphere in the USSR was changing and that Communism had now been shown to be an abject failure. This was the theme in the period by most analyst. Apparently they were correct. The Soviets were starting to have real difficulties in Afghanistan starting in around 1980. By 1989, they were leaving; reminiscent of our Vietnam episode which I am very familiar with. Same sort of timeline for both but being a democracy and free society, we could object and make changes to our society and government plus recover economically. Communism could not do that and loss of power was the result. Something to remember, Vladimir Putin was KGB, need I say more. Yes, and it makes me wonder about the current spat with the Ukraine - whether or not the rather outlandish Russian propaganda is just that or whether the Kremlin seriously believes that an EU-affiliated Ukraine is a mortal threat to its security. I believe that it is going to take more than thirty years to eliminate paranoia in ex-communist officials. When that day comes, then they will settle down and realize that the whole western world is not out to destroy them. When Putin has finally upset the financial applecart in his country, the wealthy will eliminate him. Capitalism at work. An example is oil production and the US. We used to be a net importer of oil, mostly from Canada and Mexico. Now, we are net exporters, we now export more oil than the Saudi's. We don't need arab oil anymore. Funny how life changes, and it will happen to the oil and gas production in Russia. When that happens, good bye Vladimir. |
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Post by ksbearski on Sept 30, 2014 21:46:49 GMT -6
If we are now exporting more oil than Saudi Arabia, why aren't we running OPEC...and setting the prices?
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Post by oldpop2000 on Sept 30, 2014 22:08:29 GMT -6
If we are now exporting more oil than Saudi Arabia, why aren't we running OPEC...and setting the prices? We are the largest oil producer, not exporter in the world. My choice of words was very poor and deceptive, my apologies. As of June of this year, we surpassed the Saudi's in oil production. Laws were enacted after the 1970's oil embargo to eliminate our dependency on foreign oil. These laws have prevented us from selling crude oil to foreign countries except Canada. We can sell the byproducts such as gasoline and diesel but not the crude itself. This might change in the near future. When that occurs, we might be running OPEC or we will dismantle it and develop our own little band of brothers. 
BTW: As of 2010, we are the largest producer of natural gas in the world. Darn clever these Yankees.
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Post by nukesnipe on Oct 2, 2014 7:05:39 GMT -6
I reported to NIMITZ in October 1988, just a relatively short while after Michael Walker was arrested. Talk about a ship scarred by the experience! The first thing they did when I arrived was to "non-prejudiciously" revoke my Top Secret clearance as "Nukes only need Confidential-Restricted Data to do their jobs." Hello? Watchstanding in CIC or on the Bridge? I was still a Surface Warfare Officer for Pete's sake!
The Nukes finally got their clearances back when I had the entirety of Reactor Department's Junior Officer (I was the senior of the bunch) walk out of Junior Officer training when they started the training with an intel brief classified Secret. That, and they began to run short on Bridge watchstanders.
All of the Walkers can burn in Hell for all I care.
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Post by oldpop2000 on Oct 2, 2014 11:14:13 GMT -6
I reported to NIMITZ in October 1988, just a relatively short while after Michael Walker was arrested. Talk about a ship scarred by the experience! The first thing they did when I arrived was to "non-prejudiciously" revoke my Top Secret clearance as "Nukes only need Confidential-Restricted Data to do their jobs." Hello? Watchstanding in CIC or on the Bridge? I was still a Surface Warfare Officer for Pete's sake! The Nukes finally got their clearances back when I had the entirety of Reactor Department's Junior Officer (I was the senior of the bunch) walk out of Junior Officer training when they started the training with an intel brief classified Secret. That, and they began to run short on Bridge watchstanders. All of the Walkers can burn in Hell for all I care. Your story is the first I've ever heard about the reaction from the Navy to the scandal. I worked on the Nimitz at Carrier Pier in Norfolk but it was before this episode. The scandal never affected our work on the ships, to my knowledge. |
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Post by oldpop2000 on Oct 2, 2014 12:00:19 GMT -6
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