Former GDR top brass slam US-NATO policy, anti-Russian rhetoric in open letter

[grumbler]

...Also, they had 170,000+ troops for most of their history...

Which makes it rather odd that they are bitching that the current German Army, the same size army as they oversaw, represents an "intensive militarization of Europe." 

[Valmy]

Former German generals pointed to NATO's "intensive militarization of Europe" saying that war "has returned" to the continent.

Stuff printed in RT is so insane you just...are left speechless. I wonder if this is what it felt like to sane people back in the 30s.

[Malthus]

Former German generals pointed to NATO's "intensive militarization of Europe" saying that war "has returned" to the continent.

Stuff printed in RT is so insane you just...are left speechless. I wonder if this is what it felt like to sane people back in the 30s.

Heh, it's a good point.

Thing is, in the 30s there was insanity on all sides, the left/right thing was strongly binary here in thw West - lots of people thought the Nazis made good points, and plenty of folks who hated the Nazis thought that Stalin was A-Okay; guys like Orwell were, seemingly, in a minority.

In contrast, present day Russian nonsense simply has less traction outside of Russia. As time goes on, it has increasingly less. When the whole Ukraine thing first came to people's attention, there was an initial move by hardcore left types to support Russia's claims and to actually buy into 'Ukraine is run by Fascists installed by the West', fueled by a veritable army of Russian internet trolls; as time goes on, this line of thinking has died down a lot, only true fanatics could possibly buy into that now.

[derspiess]

Former NVA officers (with a handful of exceptions) had and continue to have a hard time dealing with reality.  This book does a pretty good job getting into their heads.  Author rambles a bit at times but it's otherwise a good read: http://www.amazon.com/Fallen-Elites-Military-Unification-Germany/dp/0804773963

[Razgovory]

Former German generals pointed to NATO's "intensive militarization of Europe" saying that war "has returned" to the continent.

Stuff printed in RT is so insane you just...are left speechless. I wonder if this is what it felt like to sane people back in the 30s.

Heh, it's a good point.

Thing is, in the 30s there was insanity on all sides, the left/right thing was strongly binary here in thw West - lots of people thought the Nazis made good points, and plenty of folks who hated the Nazis thought that Stalin was A-Okay; guys like Orwell were, seemingly, in a minority.

In contrast, present day Russian nonsense simply has less traction outside of Russia. As time goes on, it has increasingly less. When the whole Ukraine thing first came to people's attention, there was an initial move by hardcore left types to support Russia's claims and to actually buy into 'Ukraine is run by Fascists installed by the West', fueled by a veritable army of Russian internet trolls; as time goes on, this line of thinking has died down a lot, only true fanatics could possibly buy into that now.

Orwell only got that way after his own side tried to kill him!