The Cuban missile crisis was a totally unnecessary flirtation with killing 300 million Russians and Americans (and a lot of other people as well). It was largely driven by people like Curtis LeMay, who were hungry to bomb and invade Cuba upon any pretext whatsoever.

The USA already had nuclear missiles close to the Russian borders, in Turkey and elsewhere....but they could not bear the thought of the Russians having a similar quick strike capability. Well, what do you call someone who is willing to kill half the people in the world to prevent an opponent from standing on an even playing field? You call someone like that a lunatic, that's what.

If America had a friendly island near Russia, would anything in the world suffice to prevent America from putting nuclear weapons there? No.

America, in 1962, was apparently willing to risk its own people and the people of the world in order to maintain a double standard over Russia. That is arrogance of a really awesome level, and it's amazing how they could justify it to themselves.

Cuba was a Russian ally. Why the hell should a nuclear power NOT be allowed to base nuclear missiles on an ally's territory if the ally allows it? The USA does it wherever they can. Why not Russia? Oh, well...it's simple....the USA is "under God" and is "good". Russia is "evil". You can't allow evil people to exist on a level playing field...(extreme sarcasm) No, only "good" people can be allowed to practice nuclear blackmail and to get away with murder.

Fucking incredible.

In return for Russia withdrawing from its placing of missiles in Cuba, Kennedy quietly dismantled the American nuclear missiles in Turkey. That was the real deal....you give this, I give that in return.

The American public was not told about that part, because the old phony double standard (we're good...they're evil...we won...they lost) had to be maintained as the official version in the American media, in order to preserve the great American illusion of predominance, victory, and unchallengeable strength.

Bush pursues that same illusion today. Democrats or Republicans, they all pursue that same illusion.