Stupidly, I've just spent a couple of hours writing a lengthy reply to Rafiq -- foolish I know -- when I've got a mass of marking to do for tomorrow. Oops. I don't really post anywhere else very much, it seems that the internet is a cold dead place -- rather like revleft is something.
Just commented on that thread. It's a bit shocking as to how far Rafiq's regressed. Before he was merely ignorant - which we all are when starting out - but now he's disappeared into his own little world. It's what happens, perhaps, when there's no a redstar or Led Zeppelin around to shred his bluster. Bit sad but I'm trying to see the funny side. (Quality necro though.) And I do miss our debates actually. I feel my reading's gotten a bit narrow since we stopped sparring: I've gone deep(er) into Soviet history without having the excuse to step back into the broader picture. Let me know if there's other places on the internet where you argue with people.
Yeah. I've tried to tell him that if he want's anybody to read his posts he will have to actually write them in coherent language. But it doesn't make a difference. Your return reminded me of an old thread (which I've dug up -- top of history now) in which rafiq described Stalin's talking about himself in the third person as weird. Revleft has broken the poor lamb. He used to be able to convey ideas in one or two lines. I'm afraid to say that my view on appeasement maybe a little more nuanced than it was but, like yours, hasn't changed that much. The more I read about it the more I'm convinced I was right all along. I was actually reading the official history of the British JIC and thought of our argument all those years ago.
Just popping in to see how things have/haven't changed. That I'm still around is because Rafiq has gone hilariously mad. But fair play to yourself for sticking around this long though - can't imagine there's much interesting debate going? And I've mellowed slightly on Finkel & Leibovitz. I still maintain that the broad outline (of pro-German/anti-Soviet sentiment in the British establishment) is useful but, on reflection, the specifics of their proposed 'deal' with Hitler is unsupported by the evidence presented. But I don't think my position on appeasement has changed that much.
Hi, nice to see you back. I miss the days on this board when we used to spar about history. Not it seems every time you pop you're head around the corner it is to try to bash some sense into people. PS. I hope you've stopped taking that dreadful Finkel and Leibovitz book seriously. It really is nonsense.
