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WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
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Topic Author's Original Post - Dec 27, 2007 - 02:45pm PT
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I read this years ago, and now might be an appropriate time for those who haven't read it to do so. JFK was reading it or had just read it when the Cuban Missile crisis hit, and it shook him up. According to those present at the time, it had a profound effect on how he approached the crisis. Little things can lead to very big unpleasant things when not managed well. If we find ourselves in a big unpleasant thing in the future it will probably be due to a "minor" incident that grows out of control cascading into a disaster for millions. Whoever becomes our next president is going to be confronted by a very dangerous world with the potential to stumble into catastrophe for millions. You won't see the next large scale war coming because a country honorably follows the rules and sends a note declaring said war. No, with the proliferation of nukes, there will be a miscalculation, an inadvertent error, a misunderstanding, or possibly some religious fanatic that gets his hand on the button.
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UncleDoug
Social climber
N. lake Tahoe
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:02pm PT
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'No, with the proliferation of nukes, there will be a miscalculation, an inadvertent error, a misunderstanding, or possibly some religious fanatic that gets his hand on the button.'
ahhhhh, you must mean the fanatics in tel-aviv.
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:09pm PT
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I've never read it but it looks interesting if you're a history buff. I was watching a History Channel show the other day on this war. It's kind of ironic that there's a thread referencing a climb called Trench Warfare right now too. It's amazing the conditions everyone had to fight in during that war. Brutal.
They also discussed the fact that on Christmas, to overcome despair, the German trench lines broke out in Christmas song. The Brits were quite puzzled, especially when a German soldier came across the field wielding only a small fir tree with some candles on it. He offered it to the Brits, who blew his brains out...just kidding. They accepted the gesture of good-will and started to meet regularly in the battle-zone betwwen the trenches exchanging food and such.
Eventually the commanders got wind of this and were furious. They demanded that Germans be shot, but the Brits were hesitant. Eventually the goodwill amonst men eroded and the fighting resumed.
(Sigh)
Woody, you ever read about these events? Flanders field I believe...I know you're a history buff. Do tell.
Here's a link to what Woody was talking about;
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Guns_of_August
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:15pm PT
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Woody,
you are correct indeed. Tipping points can seem inconsequential at the time, so a wise eye to the future may be our best counsel.
The book may have saved the world four and a half decades ago when it instilled the same in JFK.
Check out the Infinifilm bonus in the Thirteen Days DVD.
Excellent!
(I also think its cool that JFK's nephew had a significant role in the film.)
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Toker Villain
Big Wall climber
Toquerville, Utah
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:21pm PT
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Bluering,
read Silent Night by Stanley Weintraub.
There's also a good film about the 1914 truce, but the title escapes me, but I believe I do remember the name of a film loosely based on the concept and staged in the Ardennes during the Battle of the Bulge in WWII;
A Midnight Clear
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Ghost
climber
A long way from where I started
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:38pm PT
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My maternal grandfather was gassed in those trenches. Didn't kill him, but left him with lung problems for the rest of his life.
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WoodySt
Trad climber
Riverside
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Topic Author's Reply - Dec 27, 2007 - 03:41pm PT
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Poor Uncle Doug, his obsession with Israel as being the great Satan in the world probably has him frothing around on the floor while he chews on the edge of the carpet.
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Gary
climber
Desolation Basin, Calif.
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:43pm PT
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Yeah, Woody, it's a very good book.
Interesting to note that at one point in time we had presidents who actually read...
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bluering
Trad climber
Santa Clara, Ca.
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Dec 27, 2007 - 03:59pm PT
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Hey Ron, thanks for the head's up. I'll have to try and get "Silent Night" and read it. Seems the show I watched was based on the events that Weintraub documented in his book.
"Peace is harder to make than war."
So f*#king true, isn't it?
Here's a good review of the book;
http://www.greenmanreview.com/book/book_weintraub_silentnight.html
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