CIA sabotaged Soviet Union in 1982

[Shogun Gunner]

See MSNBC article

It always takes 20-25 years to pass before the real stories come out. This article details a covert mission, approved by Reagan, for the CIA to covertly sell technology to the Soviet Union that would malfunction.

One of the more speculator developments was a Soviet gas pipeline explosion due to faulty software. An "information age" battle that was more prevalant in the Cold War.

One of the key motives was Washington's desire to stop Europe from buying Soviet natural gas. I remember the news stories at the time where Reagan was pleading, pressuring, etc Europe to not buy Soviet energy. There was a pipeline technology transfer by an Italian company (IIRC) that the US threatened sanctions over.

[laurentius]

I've heard about this story too. Some years ago....

[SpencerH]

Brilliant counter espionage.

[Shogun Gunner]

Yes, that is brillant. I know we aren't supposed to talk about Civ3 down in the depths of the Off-Topic forum, but its this kind of realism and functionality that would be appreciated in the game.

[FS*]

That's pretty wild. Whatever the feeling toward Reagan and the admin at the time...

One might speculate- as the article mentioned- that without this initiative, the geography and events in eastern Europe and Asia might still look much the same as they did in the 80's.

Cool article.

[chequita guevara]

The US has been doing stuff like this ever since the end of the 2nd World War. I don't know how extensive it was, but the USSR and Eastern Europe suffered some serious problems due to Western terrorism. This in turn fueled Eastern paranoia and made the security state necessary. The East ended up devouring itself trying to defend itself.

[JohnT]

A capitalist will sell you the rope to hang him with? But what if the rope is purposely defective in the first place?

[Sava]

Originally posted by chegitz guevara
The US has been doing stuff like this ever since the end of the 2nd World War. I don't know how extensive it was, but the USSR and Eastern Europe suffered some serious problems due to Western terrorism. This in turn fueled Eastern paranoia and made the security state necessary. The East ended up devouring itself trying to defend itself.

I agree with this...

[Patroklos]

Good.

We also had the Polish telephoe service on the pay role. in the case of war it would have bbe lights out for communications through poland. Not a devestating blow but certaintly annoying if you are participating in a European war.

[pchang]

Originally posted by Patroklos
Good.

We also had the Polish telephoe service on the pay role. in the case of war it would have bbe lights out for communications through poland. Not a devestating blow but certaintly annoying if you are participating in a European war.

Part of why every Warsaw Pact division was "backed up" by a Soviet division. "Fight or we shoot you in the back."

[Patroklos]

Very true.

[Tripledoc]

I read today that an Arianne rocket carrying a satelitte to explore a comet had to be delayed because the technicians found that some insulation on it's fuel tanks had fallen off.

[pchang]

Originally posted by Tripledoc
I read today that an Arianne rocket carrying a satelitte to explore a comet had to be delayed because the technicians found that some insulation on it's fuel tanks had fallen off.

Are you implying the US sold the ESA the fule tanks or its insulation?

[Tripledoc]

Originally posted by pchang


Part of why every Warsaw Pact division was "backed up" by a Soviet division. "Fight or we shoot you in the back."

I think the Polish peasantry was pro-communist. So there was a large recruitment base. In the cities it was another matter.

[Tripledoc]

Originally posted by pchang


Are you implying the US sold the ESA the fule tanks or its insulation?

No.