Seems Jacques Chirac has spiked Gerhard Shroeder's guns over Turkish entry to the EU. Good job, too. Turkey's human-rights record is appalling and it should not even be considered for membership until many laws are overhauled or repealed. Also, it needs to make serious reparations and a very public apology to the Kurds for its continuing mistreatment of them.



Mistreatment of the Kurds is one of the reasons that Saddam's Iraq is regarded as a pariah. Why the double standard, chaps?



The fact that the US is desparate for Turkey to join the EU is, in itself, reason enough not to let it join.



Turkey was the cause of the Cuban missile crisis in 1961/2. The US had installed ICBMs there in 1961. The USSR, understandably, panicked when it discovered that the US had atomic missiles which were capable of striking the USSR mainland, so it put some missiles in Cuba - within range of the US mainland. Tit-for-tat.



Why is JFK regarded as such a great statesman when he was the cause of the problem with his stupid missiles and he was the one who backed-down first?



He only removed those missiles from Turkey 'cos he was afraid his own sorry arse was going to be toasted, not 'cos he was a great or peaceful man. He was a moral coward - only such a person would have put those missiles in Turkey in the first place instead of trying to reach a peaceful understanding with the USSR.

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The USSR has always been portrayed as the bad guy in international relations, but a second thought about it reveals something somewhat different.



The USSR, Russia and its satellites, has been the target of attack from nearly all quarters for its entire history. Everyone's had a pop at them: the French, the British, the Germans, the Chinese(?), even the bloody Christmas Islanders have probably had a go at some time.



This is bound to lead to some paranoia. When the USSR eventually had the military strength to turn away potential invaders, it's understandable that it should have become somewhat insular and, apparently, threatening. It was just trying to protect itself.

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I note that the CIA is now allowed to kill even US citizens if they're "helping" al-Quaida. Hope no-one ever suspects Bushy-boy of "helping". Retract that. Really hope someone suspects Bushy-boy of "helping". I'll laugh my head off when the psychopathic bastard gets toasted.