XPost: soc.culture.baltics, soc.culture.czecho-slovak, soc.culture.russian   
   From: kurkku@hassuserveri.fi   
      
   "James A. Donald"  kirjoitti   
   viestissä:0uos94dq7v906uec3reo82rc3ojdcv5ugd@4ax.com...   
   >    --   
   > Markku Grönroos   
   >> This is a different matter all together. We all know   
   >> that Finns had to export goods worth hundreds of   
   >> millions of euros to the Bolsheviks without   
   >> compensation. The last shipment of this sort took   
   >> place in 1952. It is very true that a nation torn by a   
   >> major war and then after by this "war reparation"   
   >> looting was most effective a tool to keep the Finns   
   >> very poor.   
   >>   
   >> But do not confuse it with the barter trade between   
   >> the two countries (remember the chronological aspect).   
   >   
   > True barter is voluntary.  The "barter" trade did not   
   > take place with anyone who looked much like a volunteer.   
   > Now if the Soviets had set up similar arrangements with   
   > various countries that they were wooing but were in no   
   > position to threaten militarily, then you would have an   
   > argument.   
   >   
   Russian were able threaten ANY country in this world. Not only threaten   
   (anyone can threaten) but to destroy as well. For instance the Soviet navy   
   had several monster submarines patrolling in the waters of the Arctic Sea.   
   Biggest vessels had more than 100 nuclear war heads in storage. One such   
   submarine could have shelled the entire USA dead. Having lifted and melted   
   bedrock from cost to cost. They still have this capacity. And they are not   
   necessarily less anxious to shoot first.   
      
   However, this capacity is very much on paper only. Knowing how pathetic   
   Russkies can be (Americans closely resemble Russians in this) at war, they   
   probably would have shot their own toes off.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)