Changes

:::The Soviet Union didn't sell much oil abroad until the 1990s, for a variety of factors. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]^{[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]} 07:04, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

:::The Soviet Union didn't sell much oil abroad until the 1990s, for a variety of factors. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]^{[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]} 07:04, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

::::In the early 1980s, oil was one-third of Soviet exports. That's lower than I thought, but certainly quite significant. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 09:52, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

::::In the early 1980s, oil was one-third of Soviet exports. That's lower than I thought, but certainly quite significant. [[User:PeterKa|PeterKa]] ([[User talk:PeterKa|talk]]) 09:52, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

:::::That was to Comecon states (Eastern bloc or 'iron curtain' countries). The [https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/russia_and_the_imf_thoughts_prompted_by_an_important_anniversary_dbf/ USSR was never a member] of the [[WTO]] of [[IMF]]. The one-third figure is suspect, given Soviet official records were all faked.

:::::That was to Comecon states (Eastern bloc or 'iron curtain' countries). The [https://valdaiclub.com/a/highlights/russia_and_the_imf_thoughts_prompted_by_an_important_anniversary_dbf/ USSR was never a member] or the [[WTO]] of [[IMF]]. The one-third figure is suspect, given Soviet official records were all faked.

:::::The principal recipients of Russian oil were East Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Cuba, mostly sold at a loss. There wasn't widespread vehicle ownership in these countries.

:::::The principal recipients of Russian oil were East Germany, Poland, Hungary, and Cuba, mostly sold at a loss. There wasn't widespread vehicle ownership in these countries.

:::::One needs to look at the volume of oil production, not just export. The Soviet oil industry was drilling with 1930s technology, and lacked modern technological upgrades. The Soviets didn't even know the size of its reserves; it wasn't until after the collapse of the USSR that oil prospectors could enter Russia and assess. With the discovery of North Slope oil in Alaska in the 1970s it was speculated that the USSR might have vast reserves on its Arctic shoreline, and was only confirmed decades later. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]^{[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]} 13:06, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

:::::One needs to look at the volume of oil production, not just export. The Soviet oil industry was drilling with 1930s technology, and lacked modern technological upgrades. The Soviets didn't even know the size of its reserves; it wasn't until after the collapse of the USSR that oil prospectors could enter Russia and assess. With the discovery of North Slope oil in Alaska in the 1970s it was speculated that the USSR might have vast reserves on its Arctic shoreline, and was only confirmed decades later. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]^{[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]} 13:06, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

:::::The Wikipedia article on the 1986 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk_Summit Reykjavik Summit] says this: Reagan "also promised to share SDI technology, a promise which [[Gorbachev]] said he doubted would be fulfilled, as the Americans would not even share oil-drilling technology." Had the US shared oil drilling technology prior to the end of the Cold War, and the USSR allowed to sell oil to IMF member states, the USSR might possibly been able to compete with the Reagan defense buildup. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]^{[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]} 13:34, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

:::::The Wikipedia article on the 1986 [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reykjav%C3%ADk_Summit Reykjavik Summit] says this: Reagan "also promised to share SDI technology, a promise which [[Gorbachev]] said he doubted would be fulfilled, as the Americans would not even share oil-drilling technology." Had the US shared oil drilling technology prior to the end of the Cold War, and the USSR allowed to sell oil to IMF member states, the USSR might possibly been able to compete with the Reagan defense buildup. [[User:RobSmith|RobS]]^{[[User talk:RobSmith|''Give Peace a chance'']]} 13:34, July 11, 2023 (EDT)

==Protesters shut down LGBTQ festival in Republic of Georgia (VIDEOS)==

==Protesters shut down LGBTQ festival in Republic of Georgia (VIDEOS)==