re: #119 ckkatz

There was discussion back in the 1970’s and 1980’s about how the US Army (and the Brits and French) were not in Germany to watch the Russians, but to guarantee that the Germans don’t try for a third time in the 20th Century.

After the wall fell, Thatcher absolutely DID NOT want to allow the reunification of Germany. HW outmaneuvered her, and made certain it happened against her wishes. (Thatcher also didn’t want Mandela out of prison, she was quite insistent that he was an untrustworthy terrorist and should spend the rest of his life locked up. Even when the whole rest of the world was celebrating him, ticker-tape parade here in NYC, when he was elected to lead his nation… she still never changed her mind)