Stuart
@britestoan.bsky.social
Titoist. Both the man and my cat.
He's gonna be pissed when he learns about how the CIA supported the Islamists against the Communists in the 1979 revolution.
December 14, 2025 at 8:52 PM
He's gonna be pissed when he learns about how the CIA supported the Islamists against the Communists in the 1979 revolution.
Okay... And? Does that somehow change the reality of those policies depending on how many votes in Congress they passed with?
December 14, 2025 at 8:48 PM
Okay... And? Does that somehow change the reality of those policies depending on how many votes in Congress they passed with?
Which things didn't they do?
December 14, 2025 at 8:46 PM
Which things didn't they do?
Less of an idea and more simply established fact.
December 14, 2025 at 8:45 PM
Less of an idea and more simply established fact.
As well as the current Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamist led Indonesia, the right wing conservatives that coup'd Imran Khan, Sisi in Egypt... wow, it's almost like a pattern of behaviour.
December 14, 2025 at 4:11 PM
As well as the current Islamic Republic of Iran, the Islamist led Indonesia, the right wing conservatives that coup'd Imran Khan, Sisi in Egypt... wow, it's almost like a pattern of behaviour.
...no, because the Soviets never supported the Mujahedeen.
The US did support Shiite militias in Iraq against Hussein who they had also supported just years earlier when he was at war with Iran.
There's a great book you should read called The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins.
The US did support Shiite militias in Iraq against Hussein who they had also supported just years earlier when he was at war with Iran.
There's a great book you should read called The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins.
December 14, 2025 at 4:08 PM
...no, because the Soviets never supported the Mujahedeen.
The US did support Shiite militias in Iraq against Hussein who they had also supported just years earlier when he was at war with Iran.
There's a great book you should read called The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins.
The US did support Shiite militias in Iraq against Hussein who they had also supported just years earlier when he was at war with Iran.
There's a great book you should read called The Jakarta Method by Vincent Bevins.
And how does their views of each other justify the US arming the Mujahedeen which fell into the Taliban?
December 14, 2025 at 4:06 PM
And how does their views of each other justify the US arming the Mujahedeen which fell into the Taliban?
You claimed Scandinavia had socialist governments. You mean social democratic but I get that Americans don't understand how incredibly capitalist social democracy is.
December 14, 2025 at 4:05 PM
You claimed Scandinavia had socialist governments. You mean social democratic but I get that Americans don't understand how incredibly capitalist social democracy is.
Ah yes, famously communist Pizza Hut and Coca Cola.
If you're trying to compare perestroika to the NEP then you'd be ignoring that the NEP was temporary and a hated compromise by Lenin out of necessity.
If you're trying to compare perestroika to the NEP then you'd be ignoring that the NEP was temporary and a hated compromise by Lenin out of necessity.
December 14, 2025 at 4:04 PM
Ah yes, famously communist Pizza Hut and Coca Cola.
If you're trying to compare perestroika to the NEP then you'd be ignoring that the NEP was temporary and a hated compromise by Lenin out of necessity.
If you're trying to compare perestroika to the NEP then you'd be ignoring that the NEP was temporary and a hated compromise by Lenin out of necessity.
Yes, Biden continued austerity and Obama had a majority for his first four years.
December 14, 2025 at 4:03 PM
Yes, Biden continued austerity and Obama had a majority for his first four years.
Yes. It's really not a hard concept that parts of a government went to the Soviets and said "hey, we like that liberalisation you're doing so how about you get rid of the communists in our 'communist' party and then help us do the same... oh shit, the people don't like this please help us".
December 14, 2025 at 3:57 PM
Yes. It's really not a hard concept that parts of a government went to the Soviets and said "hey, we like that liberalisation you're doing so how about you get rid of the communists in our 'communist' party and then help us do the same... oh shit, the people don't like this please help us".
Ah yes the multiple generations between 1989 and 1994 that are just the same people.
December 14, 2025 at 3:54 PM
Ah yes the multiple generations between 1989 and 1994 that are just the same people.
It wasn't communism though. I can say I'm a Democrat and I love Kamala Harris but none of that actually aligns with my views does it?
December 14, 2025 at 3:53 PM
It wasn't communism though. I can say I'm a Democrat and I love Kamala Harris but none of that actually aligns with my views does it?
Look at the history of the CIA, do you really, honestly and genuinely believe that they had no hand in destabilising the region with proxies both directly and indirectly through the Saudis.
December 14, 2025 at 3:52 PM
Look at the history of the CIA, do you really, honestly and genuinely believe that they had no hand in destabilising the region with proxies both directly and indirectly through the Saudis.
I wish. If they were we'd still have the Soviet Union.
December 14, 2025 at 3:50 PM
I wish. If they were we'd still have the Soviet Union.
Again, the Mujahedeen were Islamists even if they weren't as extreme as the Taliban.
December 14, 2025 at 3:49 PM
Again, the Mujahedeen were Islamists even if they weren't as extreme as the Taliban.
No, in 1979 they were starting to privatise the economy and those surrounding Brezhnev, like Kosygin, were wanting to do the same as Deng was doing in China but the Soviets did it much less successfully.
And yeah, Deng isn't a socialist either.
And yeah, Deng isn't a socialist either.
December 14, 2025 at 3:48 PM
No, in 1979 they were starting to privatise the economy and those surrounding Brezhnev, like Kosygin, were wanting to do the same as Deng was doing in China but the Soviets did it much less successfully.
And yeah, Deng isn't a socialist either.
And yeah, Deng isn't a socialist either.
Words have meanings and you can't be building socialism if you're increasing privatisation. Do you think Gorbachev was a communist?
December 14, 2025 at 3:42 PM
Words have meanings and you can't be building socialism if you're increasing privatisation. Do you think Gorbachev was a communist?
...the Soviets weren't communist. Arguably they weren't even socialist by 1979, they were basically just doing state capitalism.
December 14, 2025 at 3:38 PM
...the Soviets weren't communist. Arguably they weren't even socialist by 1979, they were basically just doing state capitalism.
Except that the weapons in Afghanistan that were given to the groups that became the Taliban weren't captured or stolen but they simply stayed in the same hands.
See also: Iraq's chemical weapon supplies gifted to Saddam by the US.
See also: Iraq's chemical weapon supplies gifted to Saddam by the US.
December 14, 2025 at 3:37 PM
Except that the weapons in Afghanistan that were given to the groups that became the Taliban weren't captured or stolen but they simply stayed in the same hands.
See also: Iraq's chemical weapon supplies gifted to Saddam by the US.
See also: Iraq's chemical weapon supplies gifted to Saddam by the US.
I never said 'identical', I said they were Islamists that were organised into the Taliban... which is what happened.
No Scandinavian government has socialism nor have they ever. Just because Americans think it's socialism to have healthcare, it doesn't make it so.
No Scandinavian government has socialism nor have they ever. Just because Americans think it's socialism to have healthcare, it doesn't make it so.
December 14, 2025 at 3:34 PM
I never said 'identical', I said they were Islamists that were organised into the Taliban... which is what happened.
No Scandinavian government has socialism nor have they ever. Just because Americans think it's socialism to have healthcare, it doesn't make it so.
No Scandinavian government has socialism nor have they ever. Just because Americans think it's socialism to have healthcare, it doesn't make it so.