Posted on 10/16/2002 7:06:13 PM PDT by Tumbleweed_Connection
Remember the old conservative charge that many of the Democrats here in America were playing footsie with the Soviets? Some Republicans even said the Russians viewed the Democrats as their favorite party.
Now bombshell revelations prove these accusations beyond a shadow of a doubt.
Peter Schweizer, a Hoover Institution research fellow, has just written a new book, "Reagan's War: The Epic Story of His Forty-Year Struggle and Final Triumph Over Communism."
This book may well well force historians to revise the history of the Cold War.
Schweizer, after scouring once classified KGB, East German Stasi and Soviet Communist Party files, discovered incontrovertible evidence that the Soviets not only played footsie with the high-ranking Democrats, they also worked behind the scenes to influence American elections.
In "Reagan's War," Schweizer shows how the Democrats worked with Moscow to try to undermine Reagan before and after he became president.
Jimmy Carter's Dirty Tricks
Soviet diplomatic accounts and material from the archives shows that in January 1984 former President Jimmy Carter dropped by Soviet Ambassador Anatoly Dobrynin's residence for a private meeting.
Carter expressed his concern about and opposition to Reagan's defense buildup. He boldly told Dobrynin that Moscow would be better off with someone else in the White House. If Reagan won, he warned, "There would not be a single agreement on arms control, especially on nuclear arms, as long as Reagan remained in power."
Using the Russians to influence the presidential election was nothing new for Carter.
Schweizer reveals Russian documents that show that in the waning days of the 1980 campaign, the Carter White House dispatched businessman Armand Hammer to the Soviet embassy.
Hammer was a longtime Soviet-phile, and he explained to the Soviet ambassador that Carter was "clearly alarmed" at the prospect of losing to Reagan.
Hammer pleaded with the Russians for help. He asked if the Kremlin could expand Jewish emigration to bolster Carter's standing in the polls.
'Carter Won't Forget That Service'
"Carter won't forget that service if he is elected," Hammer told Dobrynin.
Carter was not the only Democrat to make clear to the Russians where their loyalty lay. As the election neared in 1984, Dobrynin recalls meetings with Speaker of the House Thomas P. "Tip" O'Neill.
O'Neill told Dobrynin that no effort should be spared to prevent "that demagogue Reagan" from being re-elected.
Soviet documents report that O'Neill told Dobrynin: "If that happens, Reagan will give vent to his primitive instincts and give us a lot of trouble, probably, put us on the verge of a major armed conflict. He is a dangerous man."
Note that I don't say 'clandestine operation', because Soviets even didn't bother to hide. New generations haven't heard the names of Romesh Chandra or Bertrand Russell, who were the KGB straw men of the highest rank. Next to them were members of clergy with the eucumenical leaning - and the rest of the above mentioned international bodies and many, many others were liberal Western intellectuals generously mixed with the KGB operatives.
Soviets provided all the logistics, all the funding. Their population was starving, but Romesh Chandra purchased luxury apartments in all major European capitals. They footed the bills for air-tickets, accomodation, best venues, "Stoli" and caviar for scores of delegates to endless "parliaments for peace", "writers summits", "children convents against nuclear arms" etc.
There's a saying: he who pays, orders the music. Thus the ideological tune was also of the Soviet making.
How many liberals of the sixties and seventies, now in positions of power, were conscious fellow-trevellers or simply paid agents of the KGB? And how many of them were made answerable for that?
The Cold War rhetoric of the subtitle is completely apropos to this hagiography, which gives the Gipper full credit for bringing down the Soviet Union. Schweizer is a fellow at Stanford's Hoover Institution and coauthor, with Caspar Weinberger (Reagan's secretary of defense) of The Next War. Using Reagan's own files and papers, and other newly released material, Schweizer demonstrates Reagan's development as a critic and determined opponent of communism and of the Stalinist Soviet Union. Schweizer depicts Reagan, from the beginning, regarding tactics and realpolitik as more important than ideas; in the process, the author does not carefully distinguish (as Reagan and most others of the era did not) Stalinism and what came after from communism as an ideal. Reflection, study and conviction led Reagan to the belief that steady pressure systematically applied would eventually bring down a Soviet Union whose legitimacy rested ultimately on force. He remained committed to this vision as his status rose in a Republican Party itself increasingly committed to a detente that Reagan argued both weakened the West and prolonged the survival of its rival power. Schweizer takes pains to establish the widespread belief in the West by 1980 that the balance of economic, military, and political forces had irrevocably shifted in favor of the U.S.S.R. On assuming the presidency, Reagan brought about a huge change in U.S. policy, abandoning defensive counterpunching and actively prosecuting a Cold War the U.S.S.R. had never ceased to wage. Schweizer argues that Reagan spent as much time convincing his own lieutenants to abandon the defensive as he did confronting the Russians. It's a story that is clearly and stirringly told, but without seriously entertaining dissenting views on its iconic subject.
These gutter rats never cease to amaze. I'll go with the bet most everybody else is. The lightweight, lamestream media will bury this deep in the bowels of the beast, if they cover it at all. The utopians in the media are more dangerous to us than the simple minded Dims. It wouldn't take much of a turnaround, only 3% - 5% of the voters turn our country around. I truly believe there are some decent folks out there who consistantly vote Dims purely based on media misinformaion--propaganda. Makes me want to puke!
FGS
So did I.
Thank GOD I never voted for him, had changed parties prior to his run.
OK, I did. Couldn't see very big difference. The old empire is essentially the same...
Well, KGB changed name, a small-time spook from its rank is now the president of the country, and his popularity is frighteningly close to 100% - right like that of Saddam's.
Tryed but couldn't take courage of that.
That is what we are going to have to recognize if we are to turn this around. The media drives politics in this country. Why do you think many Republicans don't do or say what you think they should? It is because the media will use their tactics to destroy them. Newt Gingrich is a classic example of that.
I don't believe most in the media have a real agenda. I just believe they are completely ignorant and are brainwashed by their leftist professors. Has anyone ever made a study of the average SAT score for journalism students versus students studying real subjects?
Excellent question. Maybe there are several instances of the left offering hope instead of fear...we just have to think of them. Er, lessee.....the GOP wants to starve old people! Well, that's fear, I guess. Ooh, I know..."the Republicans are anit---______________ fill in special interest group here. Well, I guess that is fear mongering also.
What was Carter's ultimate goal in "stopping Reagan"?
Carter knew that if Reagan was successful, he (Carter) would look like a limp wristed gas bag compared to him. Funny, it was ONE thing that ole Jimmah was correct about.
I don't know when he "turned republican" but it was in the 50's that he was active against communism in Hollywood. That is why he is so hated by the democrats.
I tried to find the details but have to rely on my memory. I think he had some special role as entertainer/war supporter for the government. Can anyone else help?
Reagan did volunteer and served, but poor eyesight made him 4-F for combat. He was assigned to the War Department to make films. He starred in more than War Dept propaganda---one film he made was on recognition of the Japanese Zero. It was important stuff, and required viewing by all fighter pilots in the Pacific theater because friendly shoot downs had become a problem. He also narrated several films, along with Walter Huston. I also believe Regan worked with John Ford--who was also employed by the 1st Motion Picture Divison in Los Angeles. Ford directed such greats as The Grapes of Wrath and took footage (from his own camera!) during the Japanese assault on Midway island in June of 1942.
There's one exception: Eldride Cleaver, a black activist and rapist, fled to Russia and then Cuba. While in Cuba, he noticed all the soldiers were black and all the generals were white. He became a Christian and conservative and returned to the US to finish his sentence before he died.
I did a report on "Soul On Ice" in college and followed Eldridge til he died.
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