Ike’s “Chance for Peace,” Revisited

[Richard Coleman]

This article focuses on a long excerpt from a 1953 speech by Eisenhower. I found it most surprising, given the conservative tilt of his administration (Guatemala, Iran, McCarthyism, etc.). Also of note: not only is JFK given a favorable mention (unique in Counterpunch; recall Cockburn and Chomsky's bitter attacks on JFK), but the conspiracy to assassinate him and its political basis is acknowledged. This is also unique for Counterpunch. Along with several other assassination conspiracies, although Dag Hammarskjold is not mentioned, regrettably.

http://www.counterpu...eace-revisited/

[Paul Rigby]

Thanks for drawing attention to this piece - it's quite outstanding by any standards, and little short of remarkable for Counterpunch.

Eisenhower's reference to "recent statements and gestures of Soviet leaders" - who "give some evidence that they may recognize this critical moment" - is in fact a cautious tribute to the extraordinary speed and range of reforms initiated upon Stalin's death by the briefly dominant figure of Lavrenty Beria, the former chief of secret police. These ranged from mass pardons for members of work camps, to the withdrawal of the Red Army from Eastern Europe. Much of the agenda we associate with Gorbachev was drawn directly from this earlier reform programme.

The opposition to Beria's measures extended from the Soviet military to the American warfare state: we thus see the formation in this period of precisely the coalition of forces which killed Kennedy and deposed Khrushchev.

Thanks again,

Paul

[Michael Hogan]

This article focuses on a long excerpt from a 1953 speech by Eisenhower. I found it most surprising, given the conservative tilt of his administration (Guatemala, Iran, McCarthyism, etc.). Also of note: not only is JFK given a favorable mention (unique in Counterpunch; recall Cockburn and Chomsky's bitter attacks on JFK), but the conspiracy to assassinate him and its political basis is acknowledged. This is also unique for Counterpunch. Along with several other assassination conspiracies, although Dag Hammarskjold is not mentioned, regrettably.

http://www.counterpu...eace-revisited/

The author of that article, N D Jayayprakash, has been writing for Counterpunch for a long time.

COUNTERPUNCH WEEKEND EDITION JULY 9-11, 2005

50 Years After the Bandung Conference

Why the CIA Tried to Killed Chou En Lai

by N.D. JAYAYPRAKASH

http://www.unz.org/P...b-2005jul-00073

More by the same author: http://www.unz.org/A...r/JayaprakashND