I'll add one more example and then go back to work.
In 1983, the United States was keeping Soviet air defenses jumpy as hell by testing their response times to incursions. On purpose. In September 83, a Korean airliner strayed into Soviet airspace. They shot it down.
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In 1983, the United States was keeping Soviet air defenses jumpy as hell by testing their response times to incursions. On purpose. In September 83, a Korean airliner strayed into Soviet airspace. They shot it down.
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Then, as now, plenty of people laid the blame on Reagan. If we hadn't been spying on them, if we hadn't escalated Soviet-US tensions, if we hadn't been poking their air defenses, etc.
The USG rejected all of that and Jeane Kirkpatrick tore them a new one at the UN.
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The USG rejected all of that and Jeane Kirkpatrick tore them a new one at the UN.
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The Soviets didn't really care what kind of plane it was. The Koreans had screwed up and flown over their installations in the Far East before. They were tired of it. They were going to teach everyone a lesson.
So who's to blame? Reagan, for "escalating?" Or the Soviets?
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So who's to blame? Reagan, for "escalating?" Or the Soviets?
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I mean, if you're Seymour Hersh, it's still our fault. But normal people recognize that even in times of intense confrontation, you have a responsibility to keep your guys on a leash. Maybe even *more* so during such times. /3
Lots of ppl in 83 were doing the same dance as now: "If only Reagan hadn't provoked them and scared them, they wouldn't have blown up a 747 full of innocent people."
Bullshit then and bullshit now.
Thank you for coming to my Air Defense Command and Control talk. /4x
Bullshit then and bullshit now.
Thank you for coming to my Air Defense Command and Control talk. /4x
