[Poohbah]

Anyone with half a brain could see that Soviet Communism was doomed by the end of 1989--not a matter of IF, but WHEN, it would collapse. In other words, he accomplished the equivalent of predicting that if he let go of the rock he was holding up in the air, it would fall to the floor--not much of a prediction. Now, had he predicted the initial collapse, down to the date, in 1986, I would be impressed.

[tomakaze]

Anyone with half a brain could see that Soviet Communism was doomed by the end of 1989--not a matter of IF, but WHEN, it would collapse. In other words, he accomplished the equivalent of predicting that if he let go of the rock he was holding up in the air, it would fall to the floor--not much of a prediction. Now, had he predicted the initial collapse, down to the date, in 1986, I would be impressed

I think you're missing the point of the whole thing. The supposed "collapse" was theatre. nothing more.

[Stavka2]

Well obvious to everyone but the CIA (surprise, surprise).