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2023-06-12 -Land of the Free

On this day in history, June 12, 1987, Reagan urges Gorbachev to 'tear down this wall'

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Posted by Skidmark 2023-06-12 00:55|| || Front Page|| [8 views ] Top

#1 Remember when politicians used to do great and effective oratory? This was one of those times, and I think a very underappreciated one at that.

Posted by Raj 2023-06-12 02:25|| 2023-06-12 02:25|| Front Page Top

#2 Reagan used the phrase despite at least three State Department efforts to eliminate it. Truth be told, State's diplomats fought Reagan and Secretary of State George Shultz (1982-1989) with continued and undisguised contempt. Somehow, they both endured.

Posted by Slavising Unineting5672 2023-06-12 07:52|| 2023-06-12 07:52|| Front Page Top

#3 My favorite story is still all the DoS weenies crying when Reagan stomped Gorbachev at Reykjavik.

Posted by M. Murcek 2023-06-12 08:41|| 2023-06-12 08:41|| Front Page Top

#4 Gorbachev wanted to reform Communism.
But you can't, because Communism is based on oppression. Take away oppression and the whole thing collapses.

And the wall was the most visible symbol of it. Reagan reminded him of this dilemma. Two years later Gorbachev decided to do nothing. He may have been a man with good intention, but he was unable to go the whole way.

Posted by European Conservative 2023-06-12 11:16|| 2023-06-12 11:16|| Front Page Top

#5 Gorbachev could have been able to gradually liberalize the repressive state and economy of the USSR since the Soviet population is pretty passive. But the hardliner coup that removed him and Yeltsin's rebellion against the hardliners ended that chapter. Maybe if Yeltsin's ticker was healthier, he could have been more in charge of "reforms" that turned Russia into a mobbed up kleptocracy and paved the way for Putin.

Posted by Enver Slager8035 2023-06-12 11:27|| 2023-06-12 11:27|| Front Page Top

#6 Maybe if Yeltsin wasn't a drunk...

Posted by Abu Uluque 2023-06-12 11:35|| 2023-06-12 11:35|| Front Page Top

#7 mobbed up kleptocracy

Sounds a lot like Washington DC.

Posted by Abu Uluque 2023-06-12 11:37|| 2023-06-12 11:37|| Front Page Top

#8 Drunk and corrupt, unfortunately.

Posted by European Conservative 2023-06-12 11:37|| 2023-06-12 11:37|| Front Page Top

#9 Maybe they should put the wall back up, but this time on Russia's own territory.

Posted by AuburnTom 2023-06-12 12:22|| 2023-06-12 12:22|| Front Page Top

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