Very interesting http://www.nytimes.com/2014/10/27/us/in-cold-war-us-spy-agencies-used-1000-nazis.html
"Evidence of the government’s links to Nazi spies began emerging publicly in the 1970s. But thousands of records from declassified files, Freedom of Information Act requests and other sources, together with interviews with scores of current and former government officials, show that the government’s recruitment of Nazis ran far deeper than previously known and that officials sought to conceal those ties for at least a half-century after the war. In 1980, F.B.I. officials refused to tell even the Justice Department’s own Nazi hunters what they knew about 16 suspected Nazis living in the United States. The bureau balked at a request from prosecutors for internal records on the Nazi suspects, memos show, because the 16 men had all worked as F.B.I. informants, providing leads on Communist “sympathizers.” Five of the men were still active informants. Refusing to turn over the records, a bureau official in a memo stressed the need for “protecting the confidentiality of such sources of information to the fullest possible extent.” Some spies for the United States had worked at the highest levels for the Nazis. One SS officer, Otto von Bolschwing, was a mentor and top aide to Adolf Eichmann, architect of the “Final Solution,” and wrote policy papers on how to terrorize Jews. Yet after the war, the C.I.A. not only hired him as a spy in Europe, but relocated him and his family to New York City in 1954, records show. The move was seen as a “a reward for his loyal postwar service and in view of the innocuousness of his [Nazi] party activities,” the agency wrote."
Japan and Germany are two countries I don't think we are being careful enough with. Slowly, slowly they are rising back to major powers. Merkel and Putin spend a considerable amount of time together, private meetings in Milan Italy last week (or two weeks ago). Also Merkel and Putin sat together for the World Cup Championship game in Brazil. I think Germany is more dangerous than people think. I also see Japan and China as two major powers that could clash in the near future, sprinkled in with many other pacific nations and of course the United States.
I don't see Germany ever aligning with Russia, far too much bad blood and distrust between them. Germany has always been a major power and Merkel is definitely pro West. The private meetings are probably as a direct result of the sanctions we have handed down on Russia doing their job and Russia behind closed doors asking for some help. Now Japan and China.... I live in Asia currently and I can tell you there is a lot of hatred building up towards them not just in the Japan but also in the Philippines were I am and in Vietnam. They are really pushing their territorial boundaries by sending their fishing boats to Philippine waters and in Vietnamese waters. People may turn a blind eye to the boundary dispute with the Philippines but it is a very important set of islands as there are some good natural resources. The same with Japan. I'm more worried about our foreign policy getting China and Russia in bed which would be very bad for a lot of people. I don't think it's coincidence that the US has decided to reopen bases in the Philippines, I think we are just getting ready for the inevitable which will be China invading Taiwan.
Funny I was just having this conversation with someone yesterday without seeing this thread. I explicitly stated that if WW III ever happens, it will be China, Japan, and Korea that start it. The Chinese are getting bold, theyre really not ready to go to war yet, but theyre getting a little too confident in their abilities. Now had we not have neutered the Japanese military, they would more than likely be able to handle it themselves, but that conflict will draw us in. We wont have a choice. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
The problem is China has us by the balls and they know it, they are slowly developing more and more weapons, they are slowly building up their military and the worst part is there is actually a good amount of people in Taiwan who want to become part of the mainland. I hope these idiots saw what happened in Hong Kong and what is still happening over the last month and maybe change their mind but they like to think with their wallet and not their brain. My guess is if China decided they wanted Taiwan they would take it before the US could even get destroyers there to defend it. Vietnam might be a little bit tougher as our dumb leaders took years to figure out. I think the Chinese would have a pretty tough go of it with Japan and Korea as I see those two working very closely. The X factor in all of it is North Korea. It would be very interesting to see what they were capable of knowing they have the backing of Beijing. The good news in all of this is that China knows any escalation is bad for business and that's all that matters ........... right now
True and Japan has China by the balls because they use japanese tech for their exports. Thats another factor keeping them at bay. Its funny were paying so much attention to the middle east, we cant see where the biggest threats are coming from. I know the government knows this. It was discussed on various reports detailing the Chinese military build up and mobilization. North korea is a wild card. Who knows what they will do. Sad part is, nobody really knows because the country runs in such a whim its difficult to predict. These asian countries have been at war for so long within and amongst themselves. I def think we need to pay close attention. Its due to erupt in the next decade or so. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Exactly, I don't see China going full out and going after those islands in Japan because they know Japan will punch them right back in the mouth at 1st chance. It's going to be one of two things that start it, China will either decide to enact their "One China Policy" or they will take these islands in the South China Sea that they are disputing with the Philippines. In 2 months of living in Manila I have found out that A) this definitely is not "The Pearl of the Orient" it's quite a shit hole and B) the government here is so beyond corrupt that they will do anything for money regardless of who it hurts. There is widespread belief among the public that the reason their military doesn't just wipe Abu Sayef off the map is because their military leaders actually sell them weapons and tolerate a few kidnappings and bombings in exchange for that business. With the US military coming back full time I can see Abu Sayef going away pretty quickly as our military won't play games with a few bandits. We'll bomb their few islands into next year and that will be the end of them. The real wildcard in all of this will be the Russians, we know they will side with China but the question is how far are they willing to go. They have to know that siding with China will make the Chinese the clear favorites especially if they give them aid, money or even worse military assistance.
My Filipino friends do not like it there. They hate going there. They would rather pay to fly their family here to visit. Theyll send a care package basically full of spam and socks, but thats about as far as it goes. Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
I like living here but I'll probably be home right before the Super Bowl but it's definitely a lot different than the US. I live in a high rise , food is cheap and I live a few blocks from the central business district. The corruption is scary, the poverty unimaginable and the pollution sickening but that is in Manila. Once you get out into the province or to some of the islands you forget where you are. I'm debating on going to Davao which is about as far south as you can go, essentially on the equator as there are some amazing beaches down there but I just have to see. In December I might head over to Vietnam or Borneo but I just have see what my finances are like. I don't want to pay for another visa extension so we'll just see. I have to get a visa for Vietnam but it might be worth it.
I hear Vietnam is very cheap. I hear you can live like a king for what we middle class make here. Im not really a fan of the heat, but visiting isnt out of yhe question. I was told that you just have to stay away from certain areas and its not terrible Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
Trump is building a tower a few steps from where I am living, I have no idea what the going rate will be for a studio there but my building was completed in April has 64 floors, all the nicest amenities and I am paying 27.5 thousand pesos or about 620 bucks for a studio a month. Really depends what you eat but I could go to a decent restaurant in the mall get some pad thai and some fried rice with a coke for about 12 dollars. If I eat McDonalds I can get a Big Mac value meal for about 4 bucks. That coconut water they sell in the stores for about 5 bucks I can get it right out of the coconut for about a dollar. Maybe the funniest is I got a pound of mangosteens last week for 70 pesos or about 1.50 but back in 2011 they were selling for 45 dollars a pound in New York.
Ha my rent on my townhouse is 1200 a month without utilities. If I took the 56k i make there, id have it made. Hows it since the disaster? Getting better? Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-N900A using Tapatalk
If the Chinese take Taiwan it will be through a treaty signed with the elected leadership of Taiwan at the time. No idea what the odds on that are but China is not going to start WWIII over Taiwan. The potential gains in a major war scenario are vastly offset by the potential losses. Look at where the aggressors in WWII wound up in terms of sovereignty. Their people were decimated during the conflicts and the leadership elite who started and led the war were humiliated, prosecuted, executed and permanently forced from power. Both of the societies were completely changed by the defeat and had their new governmental and much of their legal systems dictated to them by the victors. No Chinese leader or group of leaders will ever allow China to potentially suffer the type of defeat that the Axis powers suffered in WWII. There's nothing in it for them.
