Anniversary of the Cuban missile crisis

[Devildoc]

This is a great article on how the Kennedy administration bore much of the responsibility of why the missile crisis almost went south, and how it could been avoided.

The Real Cuban Missile Crisis

 

[Brill]

Kennedy made what must be one of the most staggeringly absentminded (or sarcastic) observations in the annals of American national-security policy: “Why does he put these in there, though? … It’s just as if we suddenly began to put a major number of MRBMs [medium-range ballistic missiles] in Turkey. Now that’d be goddamned dangerous, I would think.” McGeorge Bundy, the national security adviser, immediately pointed out: “Well we did it, Mr. President.”

Wow.

 

[Gunz]

Very interesting article. JFK was very hawkish. He wanted to show everybody, mainly his GOP critics, that he was going to be tough on Communism. Hence his support for the Bay of Pigs, his stand on the Cuban missiles, and his support of the Diem regime in S. Vietnam.

 

[DA SWO]

Bay of Pigs wasn't a good example of hawkishness.

 

[SpitfireV]

Bay of Pigs wasn't a good example of hawkishness.

But it was a state-sponsored invasion?

 

[DA SWO]

But it was a state-sponsored invasion?

By the previous administration, look at why it failed.

 

[SpitfireV]

I'll go do some reading and get back to you.

 

[Red Flag 1]

I

 

[Devildoc]

My dad was in the Marines at the time. He was in intelligence. My mother said he left "urgently" twice in the early 60s; once for Bay of Pigs, and for the Cuban Missile Crisis. He was also with 1/8 when they went into the Dominican Republic. My mother said that at one point during the crisis my father called (they were at Camp Lejeune, this was pre-me), told her to pack up my sister, and head west. He meant "west" west, but she went as far as Goldsboro, NC, where she was from. Home of Seymour-Johnson AFB, which had B52s and was a significant east coast target.

 

[SpitfireV]

By the previous administration, look at why it failed.

I would say it was still hawkish. He approved the operation for a start but the lack of nuts when it came to the crunch doesn't make it any less hawkish since the hawk had already been let loose IMO.

 

[Gunz]

Bay of Pigs wasn't a good example of hawkishness.

Not hawkish? It was an attempt to invade Cuba and ultimately overthrow the Castro regime; backed, funded and supplied by the CIA. Yes, the plan originated during the previous administration but JFK signed off on it when he could've shitcanned the whole project. And it's failure led to the Cuban Missile Crisis.

One of the major issues in the Nixon-JFK campaign battle was the GOP contention that the Dems would be soft on Communism. Kennedy was determined to prove otherwise as he made clear in his famous inauguration speech and by his actions during his short presidency. And he inspired myself and many other young Americans to fight Communism anywhere in the world.

 

[Gunz]

But it was a state-sponsored invasion?

Absolutely. And the nuts and bolts sponsorship came when the JFK administration was "the State" and covertly responsible.

 

[Brill]

What old is new again?

In military terms, this is a game-changer for the Baltic region. Politically, it’s deeply destabilizing too. It’s nothing less than a regional version of the Cuban Missile Crisis, with Moscow placing nuclear missiles close to the Western camp for strategic advantage. Why Putin would do this when Obama has just three months left in the White House is the key question—and answering it reveals disturbing truths.

Obama Blows Off Putin, Encouraging Kremlin Aggression Against NATO