Bush says Cold War captivity one of great wrongs

NY Times ^ | May 7, 2005 | REUTERS

[WOSG]

I favor "antipolitical politics," that is, politics not as the technology of power and manipulation, of cybernetic rule over humans or as the art of the utilitarian but politics as one of the ways of seeking and achieving meaningful lives, of protecting them and serving them. I favor politics as practical morality, as service to the truth, as essentially human and humanly measured care for our fellow humans. It is, I presume, an approach which, in this world, is extremely impractical and difficult to apply in daily life. Still, I know no better alternative. --Vaclav Havel Open Letters "Politics and Conscience"

Wonderful sentiment... don't know if it is realistic, but it is a great sentiment.

[anonymoussierra]

"I can't apologize for my fellow country man of their behavior; I hope you don't think of me as idiot and low life guy. I asked them to knock it off; it seems my words are falling on death ears. I hope people would really get their act together and step out from these disgusting personal attacks. It’s not only appalling, but also disrespectful.”

[WOSG]

Destro is not big fan .. or hater (like you are). He is just a cold intellegent and independent watcher who don't like propaganda pro-russian or anti-russian."

Is it 'anti-Russian' to say that Stalin was an evil, horrible dictator? No I think that is truly *pro*-Russian, because Stalin killed more Russians and destroyed more of Russia than anyone else in history!!!

The Russian patriots are men like Solzenitsyn who recorded the crimes of Stalin for history to remember.

[WOSG]

"The Russians view their position as liberating Eastern Europe " Because they are still brainwashed by Stalinistic propaganda.

Yup. The Soviet Russian bear saved the poor sheep of eastern europe from the wolves of nazi Germany... and then decided what to eat for dinner.

[Romanov]

Ok, that's interesting, BUT, to me a guy who killed 10 is just as bad as the guy who killed 20. The GuLAGs, the dekulakification of Russia, the government engineered droughts, the building of the White Canal, the purges, etc., are just as bad as the Nazi racial purification inspired death camps.

[Romanov]

No need for you to apologize at all. It's an emotional topic, and I'd like to believe that most of what has been written on here that is out of line was posted in the "heat of the moment" and not a true reflection of how people actually think

[cornelis]

Havel isn't sentimental. He will be must reading for an ever-increasing bureaucratic U.S.A. You know about him?

[Kozak]

And then our Russian neighbors, went form being allies to occupiers.

Third period (1775–1917). The third period in the history of the Ukrainian Cossacks began with the destruction of the Zaporozhian Sich (1775) and the abolition of the Hetmanate (1780s). The abolition of the Cossack system evoked discontent among the Ukrainian populace, both from the officers, who had lost their political authority and feared they would also lose their rights as nobility (only a part of the Cossack starshyna were granted the rights of the Russian nobility), as well as from the common Cossacks, who, after the decree of 3 May 1783 on the enserfment of commoners, faced the threat of losing their privileges as an estate and even the possibility of enserfment. As a result there were numerous starshyna protests (eg, the ‘Oda na rabstvo’ [Ode on Slavery] of Vasyl Kapnist in 1782 and his mission to Berlin to receive Prussian aid in 1791) on the one hand, and a number of Cossack-peasant disturbances, which sometimes took on dimensions that threatened the existing order (eg, the Turbai uprising in 1789–93), on the other.

[anonymoussierra]

"I hope so; I really would like to hope so. Otherwise, it would be disrespectful and unkind. While I may get flame by some of my fellow country man, I hope we put this aside and concentrate on more evolving threats.”

[anonymoussierra]

"This whole argument is getting ridiculous! Deep breaths everyone..""Right on the money"Thank you"Romanov" "or I would put this in nicer way; gracias amigo; or grazie infinite"

[Destro]

Poles were so ungrateful they elected Communists over Solidarity, so you tell me.

[Admin Moderator]

"Thanks for your input and Understanding"

I have no idea what you're talking about.

[Destro]

Maybe not in the case of the Czechs or Poland but the USSR have every right to control Axis allies Bulgaria, Romania, Hungry and Slovakia (the only nations that joined Germany in the invasion of Poland).

[Destro]

Yes, the Germans were more technically proficient genocidal monsters who considered Slavs subhuman cattle so while the Soviets ended their famine the Nazis would never have stopped there genocidal practices. That is the difference and that is why the Soviets were better than the Nazis.

[Destro]

Nope - not even close - the Nazis killed for ideological purposes - at least under the Soviets once an aim was secured the terror was over - Soviet terror under Stalin kept shifting so there was some relief.

But under the Nazis there was no relief - ALL Jews had to die, ALL Gypsies had to die, ALL Slavs would have to be decimated and turned into human slave chattel for the Master Race - and this was to be done all time no matter how long it took. At least the famine in the Ukraine finally ended - there was to be no end to the death camp under the Nazis until the final solution was fulfilled.

That is the sickening difference.

[Destro]

The newly formed Slovakia was the only nation that joined the German invasion of Poland. Ironically, the Poles joined with the Germans to invade and break up Czechoslovakia.

[Kozak]

No they didn't. The PEOPLE of these countries had no say in those actions. Aren't you of the opinion that Russians are NOT responsible for actions of Soviet Government? Once the Axis friendly governments were defeated the Soviets had no more right to occupy and control them. At that point it was Imperialism plain and simple.

[anonymoussierra]

"Please accept my apology, what I tried to say is; I am thankful you keeping close eye on some of the posts that may be to controversial and disrespectful"

[Kozak]

And England was so grateful to Churchill they tossed him out, so what did that show?

[Destro]

To the victor the spoils.