Putin to Boost Russian Military, Economy

Los Angeles Times ^ | May 10, 2006 | David Holley

[Aussie Dasher]

MOSCOW -- President Vladimir V. Putin, in a blunt response to U.S. criticism of his domestic and foreign policies, declared today that Russia will boost its military strength to ensure the ability to resist foreign pressure.

In an annual address to parliament, Putin said new weapons will enable his country to maintain a strategic balance with the United States, which he compared to a wolf — the arch-villain in Russian fairy tales — doing as it pleases in the world.

Despite the strong language on international and military issues, the bulk of the speech focused on domestic policies. Putin called today for wide-ranging measures to reverse Russia's sharp population decline by providing financial incentives to women to have more babies.

He also stressed a need to place greater emphasis on developing the economy's technological foundations, while admitting that Russia has not solved the growth-inhibiting problem of corruption in business and the government bureaucracy.

Putin's comments did not seem to signal a return to Cold War hostility so much as a bid by an increasingly self-confident Russia to engage in tough bargaining on international issues, and to reject outside interference in its domestic politics.

Moscow's fresh assertiveness comes, in part, from rising oil prices, which have fueled strong economic growth in this energy-rich nation for the past seven years.

[Aussie Dasher]

Beware the Bear!

[Paleo Conservative]

It's pretty hard to be a world class military power when your fertility rate is 50% of replacement level. Perhaps China could do it in the next quarter century, because it already is the world's most populous country. Russia will lose 50 million people by 2050.

[Dog Gone]

Talk is cheap. Real reform is not.

[edpc]

Everytime I read quotes like this from Vlad, I hear music like this:

Foreboding Russian Music

Follow link and choose Viking Song by Mark Reizen from the musical samples.

[CBart95]

The Bear is a little thug, living in the past.

His betrayl will bear bitter fruit. His fate is sealed.

Don't miss the "unexpected consequences" as IRAN goes down.

[snoringbear]

Yep, Russia's ability to "project power" is a Putin wet dream. The Russian military can't even transport troops on rail cars from point A to point B within their own country efficiently. There is only one country at this time that has the ability to apply military power anywhere, anytime in the world and that would be us as in U.S. China has so far to go to be in the same league with the U.S. that when it will happen is not even on this side of the foreseeable horizon. About the Africans and/or the Euro's putting a force on the ground to clean up the Sudan/Darfur situation; these people can't even orchestrate loading troops on a boat without half of them falling overboard and drowning much less apply force in any organized, efficient manner. After all the talk, talk, talk is done and over with, it will come down to the good ole U.S. to do the job, as usual.

[Romanov]

I read the speech in Russian (and it's a LOOOONG one). The articles being published about the speech are a bit inaccurate. However, I do think his speech wasn't for us, but for his generals and the hardliners who see the US as a threat and have been grumbling about Russia's lack of "prestige" in the world of late. This speech only signifies to me that Putin is in trouble at home.

[Tarpon]

I assume he is going to get more troops to pick potatoes this time around -- an easy twofer

[nosofar]

I guess Putin plans to utilize Russia's new technology in magic wands.

[JasonC]

Oh, he is going to "boost" the economy. Uh huh. By what, waving a magic wand at it? Silly people. Governments can't make economies grow by wishing it were so.

[samtheman]

So they're going to draft their population of drunks and turn them into an army of drunks? Now there's a threat...

[inf0infinity]

Pure alcohol consumption, liters per capita
Country____________Year___Total___Beer___Wine___Spirits
USA_______________2001___8,51___4,76___1,15___2,44
Russian Federation____2001___10,58___1,82___1,12___7,64
United Kingdom______2001___10,39___5,97___2,58___1,84
Ireland_____________2001___14,45___9,24___2,05___3,07
Germany___________2001___12,89___7,26___3,38___2,24
Spain______________2001___12,25___4,38___5,07___2,8
France_____________2001___13,54___2,2___8,38___2,96

from World Health Organization http://www.who.int/

[samtheman]

Have you been to Russia? It's not a matter of comparing statistics. Do you know any Russians?

[inf0infinity]

Have you been to Russia? It's not a matter of comparing statistics. Do you know any Russians?
Does it make any difference? Entire i-net in front of you. Find - read - analyze - make YOUR own conclusion.

[samtheman]

It makes a difference. Statistics are statistics. People are people. Get out from behind your computer screen and go meet some people.

[inf0infinity]

What country are you from?
To me, I am from Russia, ok? :)
Most of people I meet every day dont drink, neither alco or drugs.
And situation doesnt seem to get worse.

[samtheman]

Glad to meet you. I enjoyed my visits to Russia very much. I do think that alcohol is a problem there, as did Gorby, as does Putin and as do many of my Russian friends. There is a health crisis in Russia that has many causes but one of which is alcohol. And of course alcohol is a problem in the US and many other places. But it's a problem of a different scope in Russia.

[Centurion2000]

So they're going to draft their population of drunks and turn them into an army of drunks? Now there's a threat...

Not all of them are drunks.

[inf0infinity]

There is a health crisis in Russia that has many causes but one of which is alcohol. And of course alcohol is a problem in the US and many other places.
Of course, and does in USA more problem is heavy drug concumption? In Russia it became a serious problem now, more dangerous then alco.