Dear Robini,

The United States and the Soviet Union were always
constrained in the knowledge that if one side
pushes the other too far, nuclear war could result.

Consequently both countries test one another -
but only within the perceived limits of their mutual
tolerance. The Soviet Union and the US are generally careful
to avoid direct confrontation, and instead participate
openly or covertly in wars in other countries, often
through the use of foreign "proxy" forces, such as
the Cubans in Angola, or the Contras in Nicaragua.

Both countries , it seems, share an unwritten
understanding - essentially, that if a country is
already communist ruled, the Soviet Union will be
permitted to intervene to keep it that way. And if it is
non-communist, the US will be permitted to intervene
to maintain the status quo.

I won't discuss the subject of Vietnam, Afghanistan,
and others. I hope that this answers your question
regarding Saddam Hussein, Fidel Castro, et cetera.