@tangs - about 1 year or 2 ago I saw a television program (BB C) which objectively and carefully analysed the Cuban missile crisis - and a surprising bit of information was revealed, namely that at a critical moment of the crisis President Kennedy picked up the phone and dialled a direct line to and spoke with Khrushchev at length - and between them they decided on a peaceful solution and withdrawal of missiles from Cuba.
Europe is angry but above all deeply disappointed in Putin, who seemed such a reasonable man, up to now - Germany above all had great hopes of drawing Russia into the circle of European alliances, which could have led to greater prosperity for all. Now it seems there will be a lot of damage to be fixed and the ordinary Russian will again be treated to the status he held under the Czar - a nameless and powerless krepostnoy krest'yanin (serf) to be dealt with at the whim of the ruling class, which strangely survived communism and is just as oppressive as the former lords and masters. Taurisk
