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Posted on 09/28/2004 10:32:29 PM PDT by SAMWolf
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 are acknowledged, affirmed and commemorated.
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| Our Mission: The FReeper Foxhole is dedicated to Veterans of our Nation's military forces and to others who are affected in their relationships with Veterans. In the FReeper Foxhole, Veterans or their family members should feel free to address their specific circumstances or whatever issues concern them in an atmosphere of peace, understanding, brotherhood and support. The FReeper Foxhole hopes to share with it's readers an open forum where we can learn about and discuss military history, military news and other topics of concern or interest to our readers be they Veteran's, Current Duty or anyone interested in what we have to offer. If the Foxhole makes someone appreciate, even a little, what others have sacrificed for us, then it has accomplished one of it's missions. We hope the Foxhole in some small way helps us to remember and honor those who came before us.
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ARMS TALKS In 1976, Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev promised to reduce East-West tensions. But within four years those promises turned to anger and mistrust. The Cold War was far from over.  Jimmy Carter and Leonid Brezhnev Secretary of State Cyrus Vance went to Moscow with a set of proposals -- one which called for radical cuts in arsenals well below the 1974 levels. But the Soviets bluntly rejected the initiative. At home, Carter and Vance promoted the talks as a positive move. But the public wondered whether the new White House team was up to the task of managing U.S.-Soviet affairs. Carter's proposed 3 percent increase in defense spending did little to deter the view among some that America was losing the arms race -- especially since the Soviets were still pouring resources into their military build-up. HUMAN RIGHTS In the era of détente, the issue of human rights gained attention on both sides of the Iron Curtain. In 1975 in Helsinki, 35 nations -- including the United States and U.S.S.R. -- signed a declaration on human rights. Meanwhile, Czech dissidents secretly drew up Charter 77, a human rights document that was smuggled to the West. Activists in the communist bloc set up Helsinki Watch Committees to monitor and publicize abuses. But the Soviets did not feel bound by the Helsinki Accords and persecuted the dissidents, many of whom ended up in KGB prisons -- or in mental hospitals, where mind-control drugs were used to make them recant.  Students held rallies and picketed the Russian Embassy while declaring a hunger strike to support refusniks. Jews were a distinctive group among the dissidents -- claiming the right to leave the Soviet Union. Many were refused exit visas and became known as refuseniks. Those who campaigned for their rights were often sent to forced labor camps for years. In 1979, the prominent refusenik Anatoly Sharansky was sentenced to 13 years for espionage and treason. Outside the court, supporters defiantly publicized his case to the Western media -- triggering forceful protests in the West. The evidence of human rights abuse inflamed anti-Soviet feeling in America. SALT II As Moscow and Washington clashed over human rights, they also stepped up negotiations for a new arms limitation treaty -- SALT II. One issue not on the SALT II agenda was the Soviets' decision to deploy the SS-20, a new medium-range nuclear missile that targeted Western Europe. West Germany and other NATO allies were alarmed. Instead of making the SS-20s an issue during the SALT II negotiations, the United States pursued a twin-track policy: America would develop its new generation of missiles and allow Moscow three years to negotiate limits on medium-range missiles. If no deal was reached, America would station its cruise and Pershing nuclear missiles in Europe -- and target Soviet cities. Fear of missiles in their backyard created a new mood of resistance among Western Europeans.  By June 1979, the superpowers had agreed to new limits on strategic arms -- completing the SALT II treaty. Carter and Brezhnev met for the first time when they came to Vienna to sign the agreement. Soviets viewed the treaty as a way to limit arms production -- and improve their civilian economy. But in America, the pact was condemned by the political right for not imposing limits on the development of new weapons systems. Ultimately, SALT II would fail to gain congressional approval. MALAISE Increasingly, Carter was charged with being soft on the Soviets. His critics pointed to Soviet expansionism in Angola and the Horn of Africa. They warned that U.S. oil supplies were threatened. Then the Shah of Iran was overthrown. Islamic fundamentalists, led by the Ayatollah Khomeini, took over the oil-rich country. A siege of the U.S. Embassy ended with all diplomats taken hostage. A failed rescue attempt sealed America's humiliation.  In America, the loss of Iran led to long lines at the pump. The economy was slowing down. The blame fell on Carter, further damaging his prestige. Then the Soviets struck in Afghanistan -- essentially bringing an end to dŽtente. Carter, who saw the invasion as part of a wider Soviet plan, gave up hope of Congress approving SALT II. He organized punitive sanctions against the U.S.S.R., including a boycott of the 1980 Moscow Olympics -- a gesture that proved futile and unpopular. World affairs ultimately influenced the 1980 U.S. presidential election. Carter faced difficult odds: The economy was slack, Americans were still hostage in Iran, the Soviets were still in Afghanistan. Carter himself saw a growing spirit of "malaise" in the country. His opponent, Republican Ronald Reagan, won the election by a large margin -- in part by promising much tougher policies against Moscow. SOLIDARITY In Poland, the Soviets faced a fresh challenge. The Polish economy was in crisis, shortages were everywhere, Western loans had been squandered and the country was burdened by international debt. In the midst of the crisis, the new pope, Karol Wojtyla, visited his homeland -- and called on his flock to retake control of their destiny.  Lech Walesa and Solidarity Inspired by John Paul II's message, workers at the Gdansk shipyard staged an illegal strike in the summer of 1980 -- after the government yet again raised food prices. The strikers drew up a 21-point list of demands and refused to leave the shipyard until the demands were met. The government decided to negotiate and eventually agreed to the workers' key demands -- among them the right to strike. Intellectuals joined the workers in forming a new movement -- Solidarity. As support for Solidarity spread throughout the world, the movement became increasingly defiant. Moscow watched with growing alarm. MARTIAL LAW By December 1980, Soviet pressure on the Polish leadership was intense. Warsaw Pact forces were massed around Poland's borders. The message was clear: Curb Solidarity or else. American concern grew as Brezhnev pressed Poland's leader, Gen. Wojciech Jaruzelski, to plan countermeasures.  Meanwhile, the hard-line policies of the new U.S. president, Ronald Reagan, boosted morale in Poland, where Solidarity had 9 million supporters fighting for economic reform and political rights. Strikes gripped the country. On December 2, 1981, in a warning to Solidarity, riot police crushed a firemen's strike. Ten days later, Solidarity met to plan a nationwide strike. But that night, the Polish government sent in the army, arrested Solidarity's leaders and banned the trade movement. Jaruzelski declared martial law, suspending civil rights. Moscow had reimposed its will. East-West relations were fractured once more.
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I'm not a big fan of pigeons, except for the Band-necked ones I get at my feeder. ;-)
Unfortunately, those people are back, actually saying the world would be better off is Saddam and his murderous henchmen were still in charge. I am constantly amazed that brutality, oppression, fascism and terror remain so popular among self-described "progressives" and "liberals." I can only conclude it is evidence of the existence of Satan.
Thanks Valin.
Isn't it amazing how many other people in the world want the same Freedoms we have and yet we take ours for granted.
Thanks for the book recommendation, Valin.
I get that way about starlings.
Oh yes, another real nasty bird.
Communists = Socialists = Liberals = "Progressives"
IMHO our Liberals, when in power, enable Communist/Socialist regimes to prosper.
One good thing about the Portland area is that we don't have as many pigeons as Chicago did. Of course the Peregrine Falcons in town may have something to do with that.
Not only food gobblers and swarm in huge flocks, they're just not a good looking bird.
I guess 100 million dead in the twentieth century trying to establish communism isn't enough - they want to establish a record nobody could beat.
Most likely the Falcon ate well.
Sam, snippy and feather, The Three Birders of FOXHOLEVILLE!!
I also believe in the power of liberty to transform lives. I understand -- because I understand that freedom is not America's gift to the world, freedom is the almighty God's gift to each man and woman in this world.
George W. Bush
Well said. The service of our men and women is vital and not to be taken for granted at anytime, even when it is for what others might call "peacetime".
I guess Communism looks good to some people, especially if they believe they'll be the ones in charge.
Are we the bird brains?
Evening Samwise.
Great George W. Bush quote. :-)
David A. Vise, The Bureau and the Mole: The Unmasking of Robert Philip Hanssen, the Most Dangerous Double Agent in FBI History, Atlantic Monthly Press, 2002, is complete.
I've drawn the line at four books on the Walker ring. From 1969 through 1985, they gave the Soviets all our crypto.
Yet, though the Rosenbergs tested Ron Popeil's Insta-Spy-Zapper, the recent crop has been allowed to live.
Clinton installed John Huang at Commerce. Huang received CIA briefings, crossed the street to Stephens, and faxed to Lippo Group.
Lippo was partnered with ChinaResources a ChiCom intel front.
Clinton & Clinton should be with Ames, Hanssen, Walkers 1-3 and Whitworth--and they all should be dancing with Ready Kilowatt.
There's nothing lower than treason, and, speaking of John FOS Kerry, when faced with danger, inject botox, rouge up, and present a shimmering array of pseudopositions.
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