1. As always you've done a great job of pointing out it is political enemies that use a phrase like ex-KGB/CIA.

2. The Harvard Business Review had a number of great articles during the break up of the Soviet union about what draconian economic measures were being used. I'm not sure how far back the HBR achieves but that is where I first read about them so many years ago.

I totally agree with the reasoning for the cold war. Stalin was definitely going to grab as much of Europe as he could although he knew he was going to have to stop at some point or risk more war.

Very few had any guilt over the nuclear bombing of Japan. Remember over 14,000 American soldiers were killed on Okinawa and over 60,000 were injured. To most Americans dropping the bomb just saved a lot of American lives.(edit: Mc Authur was highly denounced for the way he handled the occupation of Japan with most of the critics saying he was far too lenient)

China's use of cheap labor is not much different than the rise of American Industrial power being first fueled by cheap Irish labor and a generation later being fueled by playing off freed slaves against European Immigrants and much of it fueled by money taken from the South (before the Civil War the South was the economic leader over the North). But, one sin does not excuse another.

The current issue in the Ukraine started when the Ukrainian government was offered two options, one from the EU and one from Russia. The government picked the Russian offer and right after that there were protests in Kiev. These protestors were bolstered by Western European groups. These protestors eventually created a coup and overthrew the elected government (who I might point out were elected because of corruption in the previous government too).

The two valid opinions are that Russia usurped the Crimea and the other is that Russia is protecting their naval base in the Crimea.

I would not put to much faith in help from the UK or France. The EU banking system is not the healthiest and had depended on Russian petro dollars as a reliable influx of money. The same can be said of German banking. Right now only the Austrian and The Netherland Banks are in a stable position.

There is also the fact that much of European Industry relies on not only Russian energy imports but cheap Russian energy imports. I believe that it was Reagan that warned Europe that this might happen nearly 30 years ago.

While there is talk of sending US Gas to Europe that will take a couple years. In the same time Russia can complete their gas pipeline to China. So the gas we could sell to China will be diverted to Europe while the Russian gas will be diverted to China...It comes out a wash.

Realistically none of the World powers is in any financial shape to do much. IMO this will end with the Crimea being a separate but aligned with Russia country or an autonomous state of Russia. This will allow all the politicians to pat themselves on their backs and the only ones to suffer will be the Ukrainian people.

Last edited by Sue Rarick; 03/09/14 08:33 PM.