Am I Crazy For Missing The Cold War...?

[SteyrAUG]

Maybe it's just nostalgia or an old person's "things were better back when..." kinda thing, but I think the whole "US vs. USSR" thing made the world a better place. Sure we coulda suffered nuclear armageddon at a moments notice but generally both sides were sane enough to wish to avoid that outcome and generally responsible enough to prevent it from happening "by accident."

Also meant we were concerned about being the "good guy", and by comparison showing them as the "bad guy" so generally we didn't accept too much corruption from our leaders, though it did happen of course.

Also with us trying to secure ourselves and NATO from "communist aggression" we didn't waste a lot of money on wars of ideology and money flushing socialist programs. We had them of course, and a war on drugs, etc. but they didn't get the same kind of tax dollars they do today.

Commies and socialists were in the closet. The Russians were the bad guys and so was their system of government. It wasn't McCarthyism during the 70s and 80s but the socialists in government knew they had to tread lightly.

Terrorism was events like Munich, radicals like Baader Meinhoff and a few plane hijackings. Nobody dreamed of shit like the USS Cole as people feared the US and their response. Events like the Ft Hood shooting would have been impossible.

The Russians of course did horrible things like shooting down KAL 007 but compared to 9-11 that is almost nothing, unless of course you were on KAL 007 or knew somebody who was. Not trying to diminish it, just make a point. And of course the Russians invaded Afghanistan, do you think we can give it back to them?

Because we couldn't afford to appear weak to the USSR when dipshits from Arab crap holes like Quaddafy Duck from Libya threatened us we bombed the shit out fo them and taught them to address us in a respectful manner. Leaders of other arab states paid attention.

We had American heroes like Rambo, John T. Booker/Col. James Braddock and even Chevy Chase and Dan Akroyd were with the good guys in "Spies Like Us." We didn't have to suffer too many dipshits like Jake Gyllenhaal in "Jarhead" and Michael Moore wouldn't have stood a chance. Bill Maher knew his place and kept his ass in the Avocado Jungle.

We of course forgave the Germans and Japanese and helped restore their countries after WWII and even helped build their economies. But we didn't kiss their damn ass during the war and weren't afraid to call a Nazi a Nazi and we didn't have a "hands off" policy when it came to Shinto temples. And we sure as hell didn't put the lives of US soldiers at risk in order to prevent civilian casualties in Europe.

Granted we fought Vietnam with our hands tied behind our backs with much of the population cheering for the enemy so maybe things weren't perfect then either. Thankfully that sort of crap wasn't quite as prevalent during the 80s.

[GermanSynergy]

I kinda miss the CW, but really dig going to Hungary, Czech Republic and Romania on holiday and chattin up the ladies there

[rickrock305]

Also meant we were concerned about being the "good guy", and by comparison showing them as the "bad guy" so generally we didn't accept too much corruption from our leaders, though it did happen of course.

sure, Iran Contra, selling chemical weapons to Saddam, funding the mujaheddin in Afghanistan, none of those things were too bad were they

Also with us trying to secure ourselves and NATO from "communist aggression" we didn't waste a lot of money on wars of ideology and money flushing socialist programs. We had them of course, and a war on drugs, etc. but they didn't get the same kind of tax dollars they do today.

Yea, Vietnam was nothing right?

Terrorism was events like Munich, radicals like Baader Meinhoff and a few plane hijackings. Nobody dreamed of shit like the USS Cole as people feared the US and their response. Events like the Ft Hood shooting would have been impossible.

Guess you forgot about Beirut and the bombing of the Marine base there?




The 70s and 80s gave us the problems we're dealing with today regarding the economy, terrorism, trade deficits, etc.

[bobvila]

You can not compare wars and what happened during them. Simply because of the news coverage and what the public was feed are nothing the same. Just look at when people started freaking out about Vietnam, when they started seeing babies burned by napalm on tv and in print. If everyone had a tv and internet during WW2 and saw what was actually going on it would have been the same, people do not want to see war or what happens during it.

As for Rambo, well that was as the cold war was ending, and most action movies after continued to use the Russians and every other country in the news as the enemy well after the cold war ended. Rambo was also showing how Vietnam vets were being treated like garbage long after the war.

[Belmont31R]

sure, Iran Contra, selling chemical weapons to Saddam, funding the mujaheddin in Afghanistan, none of those things were too bad were they



Yea, Vietnam was nothing right?




Guess you forgot about Beirut and the bombing of the Marine base there?




The 70s and 80s gave us the problems we're dealing with today regarding the economy, terrorism, trade deficits, etc.

Vietnam was winnable militarily. We "lost" because of how soft America came, and we will lose future wars because of it again and again until something so massive happens the gloves come off. We were at risk of doing the same thing with Iraq and Afghanistan by electing soft leadership.


Beirut and USS Cole are not comparable.


Never heard of the saying an enemy of my enemy is my friend?

[rickrock305]

Vietnam was winnable militarily. We "lost" because of how soft America came, and we will lose future wars because of it again and again until something so massive happens the gloves come off. We were at risk of doing the same thing with Iraq and Afghanistan by electing soft leadership.

i was referring to the OPs statement of wasting money on wars of ideology.

Beirut and USS Cole are not comparable..

Why not? Both suicide attacks by radical Muslims. Both on U.S. military abroad.

Never heard of the saying an enemy of my enemy is my friend?

Yes, but we never seem to learn that enemy of our enemy generally turns out to be our enemy sooner or later. Selling weapons and training to Iraq and Afghanistan turned out to be a great idea didn't it?

[Belmont31R]

i was referring to the OPs statement of wasting money on wars of ideology.




Why not? Both suicide attacks by radical Muslims. Both on U.S. military abroad.



Yes, but we never seem to learn that enemy of our enemy generally turns out to be our enemy sooner or later. Selling weapons and training to Iraq and Afghanistan turned out to be a great idea didn't it?

Fighting communism isn't exactly a war of ideology. Its a long term strategic effort...if we just turned a blind eye to communism taking over the world sooner or later we would be the lone duck sitting in a pool full of sharks. It was better to stomp it out instead of waiting until commie hoards really were running over the world.


Terrorism and fighting a war with what you have are not the same.


Yes Afghanistan turned out the way we wanted it to. Has little to do with what happened in Afghanistan after the Russians left. And least you forget it was those evil Muji's who worked with our SF in 2002/2003 to push the Taliban out of power? Not every mujihideen is "bad".

We should have taken Saddam out in 1991. We had a lot more troops, and it would have been far easier in 91 than 03. Another example of our softness get in the way of doing what was militarily possible and what would have been better for us in the long run.

[Alex V]

This is kind of a silly post lol.

Being itness to it from the other side of the Iron Curtain... its really silly. lol

I still believe that the US made a huge mistake in helping Mujaheddin. This rediculous fear of communism and the US's McCarthy-istic responce to it was stupid. Honestly, who gives a sh*t if Afghanastan became communist? The soviets were trying to help out a weak Commi government in the country and the US supported those who would later come to hate the US most. Gave them weapons, sholder launched missles, tought them to make bombs. "Now we can go out and get those reds cause the only good commi is one thats dead"

The US then needlesly layed down over 50K men in Vietnam, and for what? The country turned out communist in the end, did the world end? No. So what terrible things would have happend if we simply said "f*ck it" Nothing.

Communism would have run its cource as it just about it. Some would have gone communist, but only the countries that were of no consequence to the US either way. US Allies in Western Europe would not have gone commi, there was no need to. Only 3rd world countries would have done so, and at that point, who cares.

But no, the US had to fight the reds at every corner out of some stupid fear that communism would come to the US.

And 60 years later, with all those men dead, we are closer to a socialist way of live then ever.

What a waste!

[Safetyhit]

This is kind of a silly post lol.

Being itness to it from the other side of the Iron Curtain... its really silly. lol

While I like the OP, he may have stepped into it a bit here I agree. Too simplistic.

However, if we translate his post into: "The world is more ****ed up now than ever.", then there may be validity to his words after all.

[Oscar 319]

Wolverines!