Its leadership decided that instead of repressive action which could have led to Civil War the USSR became no more. The rest is history. Now imagine if everyone in the USSR had a gun.
Then the collapse would have happened sooner, thus sparing the world--particularly the Soviet people--a lot of death and misery.
As I have access to the imagery at Dundee Satellite Receiving Station I remember that it was quite obvious 2-3 days prior to Hurricane Katrina reaching land that New Orleans area was going to suffer a major weather event and that New Orleans could be potentially flooded out because of the environmental damage and inappropriate land use of the Mississippi delta wetlands when the tidal storm surge hit. I think the US authorities knew this also as it was being reported around the world that this was potentially going to happen. The mandatory evacuation was a shambles, it was too late and it was too ineffective.
20/20 hindsight is a wonderful thing, isn't it?
Even the Cubans and Mexicans it would appear are much more on the ball when it comes to disaster planning for exactly the same type of incident.
I think it helps that Cuba and Mexico are not built largely on low-lying areas like New Orleans is. All the planning in the world isn't going to hold back the ocean if it wants to come in.
The poor and immobile left behind then began to fend for themselves as would any sane person who was left without fresh water and food - this was interpreted as looting by the US media, punishable by summary execution if only they had the men willing together with the rifles and bullets.
I don't recall the "poor and immobile" being subject to "summary execution". In fact, it turned out that reports of killings, whether looting related or not, were vastly exaggerated by the media.
When the full scale of the disaster was recognized as such by the International community even from countries like Cuba and Venezuela who offered help from the limited resources, the offers of direct aid and help were only to be turned down simply because of the political embarrassment felt by the US government. Even the aid sent by the UK was destroyed rather than be distributed. This aid would have saved many lives. Only the European oil reserves it seems were warmly received.
The offers of aid from Castro and Chavez were rightly rejected for what they were: symbolic, useless anti-US propaganda. And if you are referring to the UK MRE's I'm not sure they were destroyed. I remember some ultra left wing UK newspaper (was it the Guardian?) claimed that's what was happening but, given the state of the British press, I have my doubts. I didn't hear about European oil. If true, then thanks. I guess maybe Europe owes the USA a few favors in return for what we have done for them over the years.
The lack of Habeas Corpus even for the 'non-POW scumbags' is the thin edge of the wedge.
I suggest that if you are taken in arms against the US and its allies then you damn well better be fighting on behalf of a foreign government willing to take responsibility for you. That's what is meant by a POW. Otherwise enjoy your stay in Cuba. You may call that a "wedge". I call it a line.
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