Is it our business, or their business? An example of our business....

[Stuart G]

In 1962 there was a crisis in Cuba. About Russian missiles that were pointed in our direction. 90 miles away. So, I recall talking to someone years later who was on a Navy ship at the time, and he said it was clear we were headed for war. We were mobilizing and it was clear to everyone on the ship, that that was the case. So, Nikita Khrushchev, the Russian leader backed down. Why? Cuba, even though a Russian friend, was not their business. 90 miles from us, missiles pointed at us, that is our business. Canada, Mexico, Puerto Rico..our business.. So, he backed down.

Ukraine, Crimea, not our business. It is Russian business. Anyone who looks at a map, or reads the history of the area, knows whose business it is. Was Viet Nam our business? or.. Iraq? Crimea ain't our business. Go ahead and argue it. But it ain't our business.

Those for war, and there are many...well, you go, not the young men and woman who have recently gone. You go, suit up, get your guns and armor on..go fight in a war...and have fun...

[Downwinder]

1. But -- but. The dominoes.

[Stuart G]

2. Fuck the ...dominoes..

Johnson thought there were ..dominoes...so many dead.
....fuck the so called dominoes...Let them shoot it out, it ain't our business.

[Downwinder]

5. I said that 50 years ago and won a trip to Da Nang.

[malthaussen]

3. Well, ya know, a bit more complicated than that.

We had missile bases surrounding the USSR in several satellite nations. The Soviets were particularly annoyed about the ones in Turkey, which shared a direct border with the USSR. So the movement to Cuba was a move to counter the Turkey bases in typical MAD tit-for-tat fashion.

What is left out of the "Krushchev backed down" narrative is that Kennedy secretly negotiated a deal to pull our missiles (not all our bases, just the missiles) out of Turkey, which was the point of the exercise from Nikita's side. But it had to be secret, or JFK would get hit with more "soft on Communism" attacks. Kruschev got to brag to his mates that he won the confrontation, and so did Kennedy. Meanwhile, nothing much changed.

-- Mal

[Pretzel_Warrior]

4. Why do you assume war is the only option?

[blm]

6. One thing people haven't been factoring in is our treaty with Ukraine that we were all pleased about

when it happened. When we were rounding up former USSR's nuclear weapons for disposal, Ukraine turned theirs over to us on the condition that should they be targeted by outside forces (Russia) the US would come to their defense. We are trying to work out a diplomatic solution to avoid any use of force as part of that promised defense - why are some of you so intent on trying to make those efforts appear wrong?

[Boom Sound 416]

7. You don't have to be pro-war

And still feel it's "our business"

Aggression over a democratic country is our business. Not solely ours, but we do set the responsive tone (most of the time).

[Stuart G]

9. Perhaps this "responsive tone" can be our business,

As long as we don't send troops, or arms, or whatever starts a war..

Blustering and talk is our business..
Negotiation is our business.
Unless we are directly threatened, with force, or horrific events,
then war is not our business.

Perhaps.., just perhaps, there are exceptions for war.... maybe

But the Ukraine, and Crimea are not them..

[Pretzel_Warrior]

12. I also think sanctions, asset freezes, and jacking over their command/control with cyber techniques

is fine as well.

[Iggo]

13. ...but it helps.

[woo me with science]

8. More examples of our business

Kerry bearing gifts: $1 Billion for Ukraine
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024604576

White House 2015 budget=$26.4 billion in extra funding for Pentagon
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024602860

Lawmakers want to see the ‘black budget’
http://www.democraticunderground.com/1251353688

White House: SS cuts remain on the table
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024603578

Obama's TPP will lower wages for *90 percent* of American workers.
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10023661805

[Stuart G]

10. Thank You wo me with science...

What you have posted above, is what I think we can do with our "war" money

[woo me with science]

11. Thank you for the OP.

What a despicable con game.

The Pentagon’s Phony Budget Wars - The Nation
http://www.democraticunderground.com/10024618716