[net.politics] thoughts on Russia

lew (11/16/82)

About ten years ago I bought a copy of "Khrushchev Remembers", but I just
started reading it after Brezhnev died. (That's logical isn't it?)
I guess I "knew" about Stalin's purges and the ruthlessness of the
establishment of collectivism and so on, but it is easy to pass over these
simple phrases without realizing their true import.

Reading Khrushchev's matter-of-fact descriptions of these hellish goings
on is absolutely blood curdling. It is chilling to realize that the
current Soviet regime is the direct descendant of this rule, and is in
fact essentially of the same nature now as then. The case is no
different than it would be if we had come to some sort of truce with
Hitler, and continued to deal with his successors. I know that most
conservatives have never wavered from this position and remain, in
fact, amazed that so many fail to see the obvious truth of it.

Andropov emerging from the KGB to rule the nation gives added weight
to these considerations. Do you suppose he's as bad as Beria?
He could easily be! Don't begin to think that the mere advancement
of years moves us to a new age.

Another thought: I recently read, "Peter the Great", by Robert K.
Massie, and I am really struck by how similar the methods of
the Communists were to Peter's in instituting sweeping "reforms",
conscripting labor and moving whole populaces for pet projects,
and especially in building huge armies on the backs of a groaning
nation. Is this more than coincidence?

Lew Mammel, Jr. ihuxr!lew

bdp (11/17/82)

Subject: re: Thoughts on Russia


    Reading Khrushchev's matter-of-fact descriptions of these hellish goings
    on is absolutely blood curdling. It is chilling to realize that the
    current Soviet regime is the direct descendant of this rule, and is in
    fact essentially of the same nature now as then. The case is no
    different than it would be if we had come to some sort of truce with
    Hitler, and continued to deal with his successors. I know that most
    conservatives have never wavered from this position and remain, in
    fact, amazed that so many fail to see the obvious truth of it.

    Lew Mammel, Jr.  ihuxr!lew


Yes, it does seem unfortunate that the US continues to have relations with
those murderous commies.  Of course, then there is *our* adventurism in 
Vitenam, Cambodia, Chile, and El Salvador.  To be consistent, perhaps we
should reconsider relations with ourselves.

Moral:  there are no innocents in international politics.

Bruce Parker
BTL Pissthataway

thomas (11/19/82)

There was a very interesting article in The Atlantic this month about the
US's love/hate relationship with Russia.  The author's contention is that
the US reaction to Soviet actions does not depend very much on those actions,
but on random domestic political factors.  The Russia which Jimmy Carter
and Ronald Reagan hate so much is basically the same Russia which Richard
Nixon, et al "loved".

=Spencer

geo (11/21/82)

In ihuxr.206 Lew mentions the book "Kruschov Remembers".
I was discussing this book, which I read as a teenager
with some friends of mine who are in Political Science.
They were under the impression that everyone knew it to
be a fraud.
	Geo Swan
	Integrated Studies
	University of Waterloo