Oct 29- What's a 'tankie'?

Threads by Joshua Collins (Oct 6, 2019) & Stas Olenchenko (Nov 2, 2022)

Why this post?

First of all, I hadn’t ever bothered to look up the etymology of the word, ‘tankie’. I naturally assumed it was a term used for anyone working for a ‘think tank’- conservative, liberal, left or right, whatever. Then I came across an explicative thread by Joshua Collins published in 2019 and it was illuminating. Worth a read.

I’ve posted a second thread here because it illustrates the essence of Collins’s thread. The second thread by Stas Olenchenko concerns the unconscionable attack on Joe Cirincione. Joe was broadsided in an interview with podcaster Briahna Joy Gray because he represents ‘American imperialist power’ and to increase her audience.

Across Europe, politicians and civic leaders prop their ‘peace plans’ and ‘peace movement’ rallies on anti-American imperialist sentiment- that’s for the unassuming and trusting participants. They won’t change their position no matter how many Ukrainians are killed by Russian forces or what Russia’s war means to European and global security.

I had the opportunity and pleasure to talk with Joe Cirincione on Kremlin File with Olga, and on EuroFile@6 with Scott, and on both occasions Joe was measured and rational. He was eager to share his 30-plus years of expertise on nuclear deterrence, how it works, and what options are available to our leaders and military if a foreign power decides to launch a tactical nuclear weapon. During our conversations, he never once lost sight of Ukraine’s agency and Russia’s cruelty- the same cannot be said for Gray.