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Kaboom: When Reagan's tough talk about the "evil empire" almost got us all killed
Document: US and USSR came dangerously close to nuclear war in 1983
When you think of war scares back in the Cold War, most people think about the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. But a newly declassified document reveals just how close we came to nuclear Armageddon in the 1980s, under President Ronald Reagan.
The document is a top secret 1990 report by the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. The report was obtained by the National Security Archive at George Washington University, after a 12-year fight, and released on Oct 24.
"In 1983, we may have inadvertently placed our relations with the Soviet Union on a hair trigger," the report concluded. “Soviet leaders had changed their strategic thinking and, in fact, believed that the US was attempting to gain decisive strategic superiority in order, possibly, to launch a nuclear first strike.”
In September 1983, a Soviet system malfunction indicated US missiles were headed to the Soviet Union, and only a doubting overnight officer stopped the Soviets from launching retaliatory nuclear missiles.
MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/declassified-document-shows-how-close-us-and-ussr-came-to-nuclear-war-in-1983/
When you think of war scares back in the Cold War, most people think about the Cuban missile crisis in 1962. But a newly declassified document reveals just how close we came to nuclear Armageddon in the 1980s, under President Ronald Reagan.
The document is a top secret 1990 report by the President's Foreign Intelligence Advisory Board. The report was obtained by the National Security Archive at George Washington University, after a 12-year fight, and released on Oct 24.
"In 1983, we may have inadvertently placed our relations with the Soviet Union on a hair trigger," the report concluded. “Soviet leaders had changed their strategic thinking and, in fact, believed that the US was attempting to gain decisive strategic superiority in order, possibly, to launch a nuclear first strike.”
In September 1983, a Soviet system malfunction indicated US missiles were headed to the Soviet Union, and only a doubting overnight officer stopped the Soviets from launching retaliatory nuclear missiles.
MORE HERE: http://yonside.com/declassified-document-shows-how-close-us-and-ussr-came-to-nuclear-war-in-1983/
1 replies
= new reply since forum marked as read
= new reply since forum marked as read
We often get caught up in the defeatist thinking "What can I do, I'm only one person".
Just like every journey of a thousand miles starts with one step, every change in the world (both good and evil) starts with one person. Sometimes that person takes initiative and creates something. Sometimes that person looks at a situation and reacts with reason. But in all cases it's about one person.
Think about that in November 2016 when it comes time to wake up a little early to stand in lines at the polling booth, maybe in the cold snow or rain. Think about The Power of One and don't expect everyone else to carry your weight.
I realize that most readers at DU are at the high end of political involvement but still, I read crap here that implies if so-and-so doesn't get the nomination, I'll just stay home. Yeah - that's really helpful.
By the time we get to November - I KNOW that my vote will be for Clinton, O'Malley, or Sanders (that's alphabetical on purpose). Between now and then, and I have some opinions on which of the three I like but In November 2016, I have no question that it's one of these three I like.
It's all well and good to have an opinion about the best of the three but don't get confused between intra-party rivalries and inter-party differences. Think about the short game but don't give up on the long game.
Rant off.
