Posted on 10/17/2009 7:52:36 AM PDT by proxy_user
VIEWED from the outside, things have been going quite well for Russia recently. The United States has scrapped, at least for now, the plan to base missile defense sites in Poland and the Czech Republic. Germany and Russia seem to have overcome opposition in Europe to their Nord Stream pipeline, despite fears that it will solidify Russia’s dominance of the European natural gas supplies. Oil prices have recovered from the disastrously low — for Russia — levels of last winter. And, far from buckling under pressure from the United States over sanctions against Iran, Russian leaders felt confident enough to concede almost nothing to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton during her visit to Moscow this week.
Yet on the inside the country remains dangerously close to a serious breakdown of authority. In addition to the Muslim North Caucasus, which is already barely governable, the most vulnerable places are the company towns, which could catalyze a nationwide explosion of political turmoil.
Products of Stalinist industrialization, an estimated 460 company towns grew around a single plant or factory. Hence their Russian designation: “monotowns” (monogoroda). Most were erected, often by prison labor, in the middle of nowhere and in complete disregard for long-term urban viability, not to mention the needs and conveniences of the workers and their families. In addition to being the single employer, these “town-forming enterprises” are responsible for providing all social services and amenities, from clinics and schools to heat, water and electricity, for populations of 5,000 to 700,000. (There are also more than 1,000 similar but smaller “workers’ settlements.”)
(Excerpt) Read more at nytimes.com ...
If Russia were to collapse, I don't think anyone would be rushing to help them.
I used to think that British Columbia would be a great 51st state.
But, for the sake of shits and grins, just think of a Russia collapsing to the point where... essentially we annex the place and help to organize its vast natural resource wealth, transportation systems, power grid, etc., etc., etc., in return for elimination of their military threat and a steady supply of all that good oil. OK, I just woke up and I am shaking off the effects of temazepam, but...
Ha! The Chinese will snatch it up before we can move. They are right over the border, looking hungrily in.
The Chinese are also having major internal issues....
Without oil and the military, Russia would have NO economy. The BRICs should really be the BICs, as Brazil, India, and China, unlike Russia, have diversified economies.
Russia does have the heavy industries for Europe, as crazy regulations from the EU have all but driven out Euro industry. Most of it relocated to Russia. If Russia cut off Europe from the Russian industries, the EU zone would suffer.
Not quite. Alot of those heavy industries have gone to Ukraine and Central Asia as well. Many have gone to Russia, but not enough to prop up the economy to the extent oil has.
Wishful thinking.
There you go, I summarized the article for you.
Remember that much of Central Asia is under Putin’s thumb. Ukraine did pick up some of the heavy industry, but part of it wants into the EU, and the other part wants to rejoin with Russia.
The Constitution of the U.S.S.R. — (1918, 1936, 1977)
Newspeakdictionary | 10/18/2009 | Newspeakdictionary
Posted on 10/18/2009 8:37:56 AM PDT by Dallas59
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/chat/2365142/posts
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