1986: KGB kidnaps, castrates, and kills extremist's relative

[Tranquilis]

@TriPolar

I doubt the tough talk from Reagan made any difference. Releasing the hostages after is election was their way of taking a shot at Jimmy Carter and pointing out their success in denying him re-election. And then tough talking Reagan decided to send them a massive amount of weapons in exchange for nothing. There others that see a deeper conspiracy behind all that but to me the incompetence of American political leaders is sufficient to explain it all.

The release negotiations were already well-advanced by the time of the election. Carter had already essentially closed the deal.

Note: I don’t care much for Carter, and generally approved of Reagan, but creidit where it is due.

[md2000]

@TriPolar

I doubt the tough talk from Reagan made any difference. Releasing the hostages after is election was their way of taking a shot at Jimmy Carter and pointing out their success in denying him re-election. And then tough talking Reagan decided to send them a massive amount of weapons in exchange for nothing. There others that see a deeper conspiracy behind all that but to me the incompetence of American political leaders is sufficient to explain it all.

@Tranquilis

The release negotiations were already well-advanced by the time of the election. Carter had already essentially closed the deal.

Note: I don’t care much for Carter, and generally approved of Reagan, but creidit where it is due.

Regardless of when or why… I could not imagine the Soviets sitting back for over a year in that situation. They would happily obliterate Qom or whatever message was necessary to say “stop now”. (Not that I’d advocate that course of action, but I could see where it would sometimes be effective.)

[Tamerlane]

@Quartz

Turkmenistan was then part of the Soviet Union so there was a long border to the east of the Caspian and Azerbaijan was also part of the Soviet Union to the west of the Caspian. So there were indeed long land borders.

They fought quite a bit over borders actually. The Soviet Caucuaus was at one time largely Persian. The relationship between the two countries is actually quite old.

[buddha_david]

@md2000

I could not imagine the Soviets sitting back for over a year in [the Iran hostage] situation. They would happily obliterate Qom or whatever message was necessary to say “stop now”. (Not that I’d advocate that course of action, but I could see where it would sometimes be effective.)

To be fair, the Americans did try, but failed miserably.

[AK84]

@md2000

Regardless of when or why… I could not imagine the Soviets sitting back for over a year in that situation. They would happily obliterate Qom or whatever message was necessary to say “stop now”. (Not that I’d advocate that course of action, but I could see where it would sometimes be effective.)

And that is base upon…what? A desire to start a major rebellion in their country? Whch had large Muslim areas?

[md2000]

@AK84

And that is base upon…what? A desire to start a major rebellion in their country? Whch had large Muslim areas?

Probably on a desire not to appear weak. Not to lose face. They didn’t really have the “nice guy” image to sell abroad, the only strong point was their strong man image.

I’m trying to imagine the guys that invaded Afghanistan and fought a decades-long war against Muslims, or fought a decade-long civil war against local rebellious Muslim ethnics - I’m trying to imagine these guys actually gave a shit about whether local Muslims would rise up en masse.

(Which brings up the question - were the central Asian and Caucus regions Shiite and sympathetic to Iran, or Sunni and considered the Ayatollah and his minions heretical? )