Whew! Such a rich essay today ... and so much to respond to. I will read the two essays posted within this article, but I have an idea or two about the Neocons and Russia.
Your remarks about helping them stabilize surprised me, but it would've been decent of us to do that. After all, we rebuilt Germany and Japan after WWII ended. Or did it end? Korea, Vietnam, and now Ukraine just keep the ball rolling. It's as bad as the Arab/Israeli situation. WWII never really ended. My theory about the Neocons is that most of them were of the age who fought in that war and were still buzzed on the wine of conquest. We were the only country that survived that war unscathed. Then again, we were late to enter and did so after a humiliating destruction of our naval fleet. And we boosted our egos by patting our enemies and even our allies on the head with building contracts and said, basically, 'don't worry. We'll take care of everybody because we're not the Big Mamoo in torn'. That hubris had hardly waned when Saddam Hussein raised himself up as the new bad guy. And, as in the movie High Noon, when the Sheriff (us) was faced with another war scenario, our allies dug in their heels. It took a lot of arse kissing to bringing them in. And Russia was supporting anyone we wanted to vanquish because they have been our enemy since before WWII. Stalin may have shaken some hands and signed some treaties, but they were out to become the new Sheriff. Who did we think we were?
In the 80s, we discovered our industrial complex was turning to rust. Instead of rebuilding our own manufacturing base, incorporating new technologies, we took our labor search to other countries. We plied China with new business ventures in an effort to win them away from Russia. Biggest mistake we ever made, but it was done by the children of the Great Generation. We wanted to keep the American Century going as long as possible. And now, when globalism is looking a bit tarnished and dysfunctional, at least in our favor, we're turning to a pair of business tycoons with isolationist ideals. It will be interesting to see what the new Reich will bring, but I predict the Constitution will be used to line trash cans, and we will never have to worry again about voting. We Boomers forgot the adage about learning history because we'll be doomed to repeat it. Heil comrade.
Sorry, David, I did sort of throw up all over you, didn't I. Did any of this make sense? I was in a snit yesterday over the budget malarky and the role of certain people in it.
Sue, sorry I didn’t give a fuller response. You raise some important points. I understand your perspective. I disagree that the Neocons were (or are) warriors. Here’s a too long quote “ The term “neoconservative” was the product of a rejection among formerly self-identified liberals of what they considered a growing leftward turn of the Democratic Party in the 1970s. Neoconservatives perceived in the new left liberalism an ideological effort to distance the Democratic Party and American liberalism from Cold War liberalism as it was espoused by former Presidents such as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. After the Vietnam War, the anti-communist, internationalist and interventionist roots of this Cold War liberalism seemed increasingly brittle to the neoconservatives. As a consequence they migrated to the Republican Party and formed one pillar of the Reagan Coalition and of the conservative movement. Hence, they became Neo-conservatives.”
My goodness, so many versions of liberalism. No wonder the definition of that word has gone awry. I guess I've been listening to Bill Maher too much as he rants about the Left and how they have forgotten what it means to be "liberal." I do believe the man's a closet Libertarian. "Do whatever you want as long as you don't hurt anybody or their property." (Gotta get that "property" angle in there.)
I find myself hiding out a lot more than in recent years. The local community here was a tad too belligerent for me since 2016, but has calmed down a tad. Still, I'm with you. Can't handle it anymore. What' done is done and can't be undone, only endured. Merry Christmas, David and BW. Have a great soujourn in Egypt.
I'm going to comment before I complete reading. As Glasnost started breaking up the old Soviet Order our friend Gorbachev asked the UN for a sum of money and in world finance terms not an exorbitant sum,in order that the new Russia could get a suitable new "infrastructure" in place. His request was refused. It's as if the USA political administration WANTED to discredit the new regime by letting it become overwhelmed by lawless violent mafia. Maybe they were hoping to move in to protect or even establish freedom and democracy. But then Putin came forward and took charge. How he got there? Shrug. But the USA no longer had a pretext to go in,guns blazing. Would the world be very different today if that money had been granted. Who knows.
Whew! Such a rich essay today ... and so much to respond to. I will read the two essays posted within this article, but I have an idea or two about the Neocons and Russia.
Your remarks about helping them stabilize surprised me, but it would've been decent of us to do that. After all, we rebuilt Germany and Japan after WWII ended. Or did it end? Korea, Vietnam, and now Ukraine just keep the ball rolling. It's as bad as the Arab/Israeli situation. WWII never really ended. My theory about the Neocons is that most of them were of the age who fought in that war and were still buzzed on the wine of conquest. We were the only country that survived that war unscathed. Then again, we were late to enter and did so after a humiliating destruction of our naval fleet. And we boosted our egos by patting our enemies and even our allies on the head with building contracts and said, basically, 'don't worry. We'll take care of everybody because we're not the Big Mamoo in torn'. That hubris had hardly waned when Saddam Hussein raised himself up as the new bad guy. And, as in the movie High Noon, when the Sheriff (us) was faced with another war scenario, our allies dug in their heels. It took a lot of arse kissing to bringing them in. And Russia was supporting anyone we wanted to vanquish because they have been our enemy since before WWII. Stalin may have shaken some hands and signed some treaties, but they were out to become the new Sheriff. Who did we think we were?
In the 80s, we discovered our industrial complex was turning to rust. Instead of rebuilding our own manufacturing base, incorporating new technologies, we took our labor search to other countries. We plied China with new business ventures in an effort to win them away from Russia. Biggest mistake we ever made, but it was done by the children of the Great Generation. We wanted to keep the American Century going as long as possible. And now, when globalism is looking a bit tarnished and dysfunctional, at least in our favor, we're turning to a pair of business tycoons with isolationist ideals. It will be interesting to see what the new Reich will bring, but I predict the Constitution will be used to line trash cans, and we will never have to worry again about voting. We Boomers forgot the adage about learning history because we'll be doomed to repeat it. Heil comrade.
Thanks for these thoughtful comments and perspective Sue.
Sorry, David, I did sort of throw up all over you, didn't I. Did any of this make sense? I was in a snit yesterday over the budget malarky and the role of certain people in it.
Sue, sorry I didn’t give a fuller response. You raise some important points. I understand your perspective. I disagree that the Neocons were (or are) warriors. Here’s a too long quote “ The term “neoconservative” was the product of a rejection among formerly self-identified liberals of what they considered a growing leftward turn of the Democratic Party in the 1970s. Neoconservatives perceived in the new left liberalism an ideological effort to distance the Democratic Party and American liberalism from Cold War liberalism as it was espoused by former Presidents such as Harry S. Truman, John F. Kennedy and Lyndon B. Johnson. After the Vietnam War, the anti-communist, internationalist and interventionist roots of this Cold War liberalism seemed increasingly brittle to the neoconservatives. As a consequence they migrated to the Republican Party and formed one pillar of the Reagan Coalition and of the conservative movement. Hence, they became Neo-conservatives.”
My goodness, so many versions of liberalism. No wonder the definition of that word has gone awry. I guess I've been listening to Bill Maher too much as he rants about the Left and how they have forgotten what it means to be "liberal." I do believe the man's a closet Libertarian. "Do whatever you want as long as you don't hurt anybody or their property." (Gotta get that "property" angle in there.)
It can be very disillusioning. I can’t handle it anymore myself. I prefer to focus on the past, since we’re doomed to repeat it.
I find myself hiding out a lot more than in recent years. The local community here was a tad too belligerent for me since 2016, but has calmed down a tad. Still, I'm with you. Can't handle it anymore. What' done is done and can't be undone, only endured. Merry Christmas, David and BW. Have a great soujourn in Egypt.
My first trip to Mexico was that kind of pilgrimage. I wasn't the same when I got back, and I knew I had to move to Mexico someday.
I'm going to comment before I complete reading. As Glasnost started breaking up the old Soviet Order our friend Gorbachev asked the UN for a sum of money and in world finance terms not an exorbitant sum,in order that the new Russia could get a suitable new "infrastructure" in place. His request was refused. It's as if the USA political administration WANTED to discredit the new regime by letting it become overwhelmed by lawless violent mafia. Maybe they were hoping to move in to protect or even establish freedom and democracy. But then Putin came forward and took charge. How he got there? Shrug. But the USA no longer had a pretext to go in,guns blazing. Would the world be very different today if that money had been granted. Who knows.
Thank you for that reminder and witness Jane.