interestrateripoff Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3378683/Ronald-Reagan-advised-Margaret-Thatcher-read-Tom-Clancy-s-thriller-Cold-War-strategy.html Late US president said he was ‘much impressed’ by Clancy thriller He said Red Storm Rising gave an ‘excellent picture’ of Soviet's intentions Exchanged was released as part of documents by the National Archives in Kew, London Ronald Reagan had an unusual suggestion to help Margaret Thatcher understand the mentality of the Soviet leader: read Tom Clancy's thriller. Papers released by the National Archives in Kew, London, reveal the former US president was "much impressed" with Clancy's Red Storm Rising, which takes places in Russia where an Islamist terror attack triggers a Third World War. After his meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev, Mr Reagan said that reading the book would help Mrs Thatcher understand Russia's Cold War thinking. He said the book provided an "excellent picture" of Soviet intentions. Briefing Mrs Thatcher after his meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev in Reykjavik, Iceland, in October 1986, he complained that Mr Gorbachev had only demanded a freeze on America's planned 'Star Wars' missile defence shield as a cover so the Russians could 'go ahead like crazy with their own missile defence plans'. 'The President strongly commended to the Prime Minister a new book by the author of Red October called (I think) Red Storm Rising,' Mrs Thatcher's foreign affairs adviser Charles Powell noted in his record of their telephone call. 'It gave an excellent picture of the Soviet Union's intentions and strategy. He had clearly been much impressed by the book.' Thank god no one had the finger on the nuclear button if this is the level of analysis used.... However there is the ironic twist that Clancy is clearly the new Nostradamus and everyone must read his books as events are very close to this. Was it perhaps sage advise from Reagan? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 He borrowed speeches from films he liked also. After the Challenger shuttle was destroyed in an explosion he made a moving speech about the heroism of the crew. It was then pointed out that it was the closing speech from the William Holden starring Korean war film The Bridges at Toko-Ri. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bossybabe Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Now all we need is to find out David Cameron is a Terry Pratchett fan. ? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rare Bear Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Now all we need is to find out David Cameron is a Terry Pratchett fan. Naw, that would be too close to real life. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Naw, that would be too close to real life. really??... flat earth suspended by four large elephants???? there seem to be quite a few members of the cabinet/royalty that still subscribe to flat earth theology. ..Arrogantly enough, they also still seem to think anybody who disagrees with them is a heretic. we went through this crap centuries ago, and they were theologically and scientifically humiliated then. I for one, do not wish for a repeat performance. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
sPinwheel Posted December 30, 2015 Share Posted December 30, 2015 Yes but it's turtles all the way down. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Rave Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 Red Storm Rising is a fantastic read, in fairness. First read it when I was 14 and was utterly riveted. I might be due a re-read about now, I tend to do one once every 8 years. My politics have done about a 360 since I first read it and I've always enjoyed it however I'm inclined at the time. I was a big Clancy fan in my teens and enjoyed most of the rest of his 80s/early 90s work; but I don't think I could possibly enjoy Clear And Present Danger now that I know that the War On Drugs is a massive crime against humanity. Red Storm Rising has none of that cultural baggage. If you've not read it, do, and push on through the pedestrian first few chapters till the war starts. It's quite brilliant. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Stay Beautiful Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 this is the level of analysis used.... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 well here's somebody's version of the EU if we don't leave. https://www.google.com/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=video&cd=1&cad=rja&uact=8&ved=0ahUKEwjw5abOiIbKAhUCXRQKHX7XBokQtwIIMDAA&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.youtube.com%2Fwatch%3Fv%3D-hYJumW_G8E&usg=AFQjCNFP6OYrCAB2Vh0-X94NBXvvsg0RGA Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Masked Tulip Posted December 31, 2015 Share Posted December 31, 2015 I was a big fan of 'The Survivalist' series of books written by Jerry Ahern in the 1980s. He used to knock out a book fairly rapidly. A complete load of hokum adventure about WW3, the Soviets winning it, the invasion and collapse of the United States and, um, the end of the world. I kinda lost interested after the hero, and his family, waking up thousands of years after the holocaust to discover that Nazis, who had been hiding and plotting in South America, now ruled the planet. It was complete nonsense, but fun nonetheless, and it had all the stuff - square-jawed all-American hero, blonde babe wife, guns, more guns, lots more guns and then a load more guns - that would appeal to a certain American mindset. If he was writing the stuff today I think the books would be even more successful I mention it was the books were very much of their time and of the Reagan period when WW3 was just around the corner and, supposedly, there was a commie spiy undereath every bed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 See if Thatcher had asked me, I'd have told her to read a few of these... XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
happy_renting Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 See if Thatcher had asked me, I'd have told her to read a few of these... XYY I bet you read them for the homoerotic subtext. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I read the Dr Suess books for all sort of context! I particularly liked "The cat that shat in a hat" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I suspect Tony Blair got his foreign policy from reading too much Sven Hassel. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I bet you read them for the homoerotic subtext. No chance renty. I watch Spartacus for that kind of thing... XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 No chance renty. I watch Spartacus for that kind of thing... XYY Arr! You want the Geordie version of the worthy chronicles of Dr Suess." Horton hoys a hooer"! That'll stop you getting excited about boys' bums in rugger it! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
oracle Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I suspect Tony Blair got his foreign policy from reading too much Sven Hassel. it was quite plainly oswald moseley's memoirs that he took a shine to. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
stormymonday_2011 Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 I bet you read them for the homoerotic subtext.Still required reading at my local all male sauna. Amazingly the Comic still being published according to Wiki though horror of horrors it is printed in Germany of all places https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_books Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Arr! You want the Geordie version of the worthy chronicles of Dr Suess." Horton hoys a hooer"! That'll stop you getting excited about boys' bums in rugger it! Geordie Dr Suess...? Nee way that's true Pinny man. The cat wears red and white stripes - he'd be lynched within five minutes..! XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The XYY Man Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Still required reading at my local all male sauna. Amazingly the Comic still being published according to Wiki though horror or of horrors it printed in Germany of all places https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Commando_books Gott in Himmel...!!!! XYY Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MrPin Posted January 2, 2016 Share Posted January 2, 2016 Geordie Dr Suess...? Nee way that's true Pinny man.s The cat wears red and white stripes - he'd be lynched within five minutes..! XYY I had never thought of the symbolism of that!. Obviously the "red and white shite" are only popular in the Toon when they play a London or Southern team. I sometimes wonder whether the good doctor had ever been futher North than Gateshead! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
interestrateripoff Posted January 2, 2016 Author Share Posted January 2, 2016 Red Storm Rising is a fantastic read, in fairness. First read it when I was 14 and was utterly riveted. I might be due a re-read about now, I tend to do one once every 8 years. My politics have done about a 360 since I first read it and I've always enjoyed it however I'm inclined at the time. I was a big Clancy fan in my teens and enjoyed most of the rest of his 80s/early 90s work; but I don't think I could possibly enjoy Clear And Present Danger now that I know that the War On Drugs is a massive crime against humanity. Red Storm Rising has none of that cultural baggage. If you've not read it, do, and push on through the pedestrian first few chapters till the war starts. It's quite brilliant. Just got the book, will read it and see if I agree. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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