Mikhail Gorbachev has passed away at 91

Started by steve58, August 30, 2022, 04:38:40 PM

Previous topic - Next topic

0 Members and 1 Guest are viewing this topic.

Uberhaus

Thanks for the commentary on Kadyrov.  I'll have to learn more about Patrushev.

As for Medvedev, I had learned about his alcoholism when he threatened the west a short while ago, but now I'm hearing rumours about a suicide attempt. No reputable sources I can find mention this, though.

SirAndrewD

Quote from: Uberhaus on September 02, 2022, 08:10:45 PM
I'll have to learn more about Patrushev.

He's bad news too.  Very connected and in line with Putin's fascist leanings, while being an extreme adherent to conspiracy theories.  Some believe that Putin's recent unhinged state has been partly, or almost wholly Patrushev's influence.

He could conceivably be a much worse version of Putin if he takes control.  Some have called him "The most dangerous man in Russia".
"These men do not want a happy ship. They are deeply sick and try to compensate by making me feel miserable. Last week was my birthday. Nobody even said "happy birthday" to me. Someday this tape will be played and then they'll feel sorry."  - Sgt. Pinback

Gusington

^He's also over 70, so maybe he will wither and die sooner than later.


слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

JasonPratt

The detailed essayist in my head just  :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: this forum!  :smitten:

All hail to SirAndrew for more detailed info!  :notworthy:
ICEBREAKER THESIS CHRONOLOGY! -- Victor Suvorov's Stalin Grand Strategy theory, in lots and lots of chronological order...
Dawn of Armageddon -- narrative AAR for Dawn of War: Soulstorm: Ultimate Apocalypse
Survive Harder! -- Two season narrative AAR, an Amazon Blood Bowl career.
PanzOrc Corpz Generals -- Fantasy Wars narrative AAR, half a combined campaign.
Khazâd du-bekâr! -- narrative dwarf AAR for LotR BfME2 RotWK campaign.
RobO Q Campaign Generator -- archived classic CMBB/CMAK tool!

Gusington



слава Україна!

We can't live under the threat of a c*nt because he's threatening nuclear Armageddon.

-JudgeDredd

SirAndrewD

Quote from: JasonPratt on September 03, 2022, 01:43:27 PM
The detailed essayist in my head just  :smitten: :smitten: :smitten: this forum!  :smitten:

All hail to SirAndrew for more detailed info!  :notworthy:

LOL, thanks. 

Finally some of the stuff I specifically went to college for and published on before I dumped academia.
"These men do not want a happy ship. They are deeply sick and try to compensate by making me feel miserable. Last week was my birthday. Nobody even said "happy birthday" to me. Someday this tape will be played and then they'll feel sorry."  - Sgt. Pinback

FarAway Sooner

That stuff is always good for cocktail party conversations, Andrew. 

If you drink your cocktails with a bunch of military history nerds...

I've not read the book you refer to, although I did read "The Sleeping Bear" back around 1992 or 1993.  The author acknowledged the difficulties ahead, but he seemed a bit more optimistic about Russia than facts ultimately warranted. 

Most of what I was studying fell apart in 1990, but I happened to be doing a semester abroad at a Danish program specializing in European politics in the middle of it all, so I got to tour a number of the failing Republics when the governments were brand new. 

It was interesting, because the heads of state had almost all changed by Spring 1990, and popular sentiment which had been suppressed for 45 years was welling up all over the place.  But the new governments were still brand new, so Marx-Lenin Platz hadn't had the name changed yet, the border guards on trains in the Warsaw Pact countries were still stern bullies to their own citizens (although they weren't quite sure how to respond to those of us with American or Western European passports), and various Communist monuments had historical plaques covered with paper or industrial tape.

Walking the streets of Prague in March, my blue jeans could have been European, but my tennis shoes (the only pair of shoes I brought to Denmark) clearly set me off as American.  I had an elderly Czech lady stop me in the streets, with tears in her eyes, thanking me that the US had stood strong against the Soviet Union so that her people could finally have their freedom back after 50 years.

Gorbachev wasn't able to do much for Russia.  But he did A LOT for Eastern Europeans.

GDS_Starfury

Toonces - Don't ask me, I just close my eyes and take it.

Gus - I use sweatpants with flannel shorts to soak up my crotch sweat.

Banzai Cat - There is no "partial credit" in grammar. Like anal sex. It's either in, or it's not.

Mirth - We learned long ago that they key isn't to outrun Star, it's to outrun Gus.

Martok - I don't know if it's possible to have an "anti-boner"...but I now have one.

Gus - Celery is vile and has no reason to exist. Like underwear on Star.


Sir Slash

I think Ukraine's doing a pretty-good job of that already.  ^-^
"Take a look at that". Sgt. Wilkerson-- CMBN. His last words after spotting a German tank on the other side of a hedgerow.

Old TImer


Crossroads

Quote from: FarAway Sooner on September 04, 2022, 02:34:18 PM

Gorbachev wasn't able to do much for Russia.  But he did A LOT for Eastern Europeans.

... by being bad at his job, losing the control of events that took place. Not for a lack of trying, he did order Soviet tanks to crush the Baltic independence movement in the three countries, killing tens of civilians while at it. No sympathy for perhaps a lesser devil, but a devil regardless.

Quote from: SirAndrewD on September 02, 2022, 08:22:10 PM
Quote from: Uberhaus on September 02, 2022, 08:10:45 PM
I'll have to learn more about Patrushev.

He's bad news too.  Very connected and in line with Putin's fascist leanings, while being an extreme adherent to conspiracy theories.  Some believe that Putin's recent unhinged state has been partly, or almost wholly Patrushev's influence.

He could conceivably be a much worse version of Putin if he takes control.  Some have called him "The most dangerous man in Russia".

Patrusev's Putin's old boss from the KBG days iirc? Definitively bad news, and as one Putin's very few confidants, a likely successor if Putin's has anything to say about this.

The only opposition Putin's afraid of - and perhaps the only opposition that exists as such - is the war opposition, a bunch of hawks who view Putin as too weak with his actions. Patrusov's one of them for sure.

It will get worse before it gets better might well be how this would play out. Assuming it would get better with Russia. That would require their full military defeat in Ukraine, among other things.
Campaign Series Legion | CS: Vietnam 1948-1967 | CS: Middle East 1948-1985

CS: Vietnam DAR: LZ Albany as NVA (South Vietnam 11/17/65)  
CS: Middle East AARs: High Water Mark (Syria 10/12/73) Me vs Berto | Riptide (Libya 8/6/85) Me vs Berto | The Crossroads (West Bank 6/5/67)  Me vs Berto

Boardgame AARs: AH D-Day | MMP PanzerBlitz2 Carentan | OSS Putin's Northern War | GMT Next War: Poland | LnL Against the Odds DIY