Worried about Putin's Russia?: Read on

International Herald Tribune ^ | August 20, 2007 | Paul Kennedy

[neverdem]

For the past several years, the Russia of Vladimir Putin has been sending very clear signals that it is no longer the weakened, troubled and Western-dependent state that it was following the collapse of the Soviet Union.

Russia is once again a proud and assertive nation, increasingly recognizable by its actions to historians of its czarist and Communist predecessors. Many will say that its recovery is based on shallow foundations, in fact that it rests almost totally upon the high price of oil and gas - and Russia's fortunate possession of vast supplies of those vital commodities. That is true. But oil revenues, if invested wisely (as has been done by two countries as different as Norway and Dubai during the past decade), can enhance national infrastructure, industrial and technological developments, and military security.

Not only is Putin's regime making smart strategic investments - in infrastructure, laboratories, a modernized military - its flow of energy wealth is giving the Kremlin the confidence to pursue assertive foreign policies, secure for the moment in a set of global circumstances that has hobbled the United States, turned the attention of China and India elsewhere (toward growth and internal modernization), and given all the world's oil-producing states immense leverage.

Right now, the list of Moscow's unilateralist actions is probably only exceeded by those of the White House over the past six years. Take an obvious example: Russia uses its veto power on the UN Security Council to support Serbia and crush Kosovo's hopes of independence, just as the United States uses its privilege to protect Israel and block pro-Palestinian resolutions in the world organization. In a similar negative way, Russia controls what the Security Council may, or may not, do regarding actions against Iran and North Korea...

[neverdem]

Paul Kennedy is the director of International Security Studies at Yale University. This article was distributed by Tribune Media Services.

[EagleUSA]

And this administration and a frightening percentage of our Congress still act and think as Russia is OUR FRIEND....

Didn’t the buffoonery and flat-out stupidity of Carter, Albright and Clinton teach this country anything??

[elcid1970]

Russia...or the Arab Muslim world. The wealth, power, and influence of each is based solely upon the natural treasures of the earth upon which they happen to be sitting, and upon the weapons which they can procure or produce.

(And I happen to greatly admire Russian culture, art, and literature.)

But just where is the flood of consumer goods into the U.S. that are marked “Made in Russia” or “Made in the Middle East”?

[Hawk1976]

You gas tank?

[battlegearboat]

Everythings up to date in Putin's city.

They've gone about as fer as they can go...

They went and built a Kremlin about seven stories high...

That's about as far as a Kremlin should go.

[denydenydeny]

Not a word about Russia’s ongoing demographic collapse, which is far more determinative of the Russian future than anything referenced in this article.

[Hawk1976]

We need to open our eyes, Russia is not our friend.

Russia needs to open their eyes, we are not their enemy.

If the leadership in Russia took some time to think about it, they would be working to ally themselves as closely as possible with the United States.

Why?

Siberia, it is loaded with vast untouched natural resources, the Russians don’t quite have the technology to get at it.

We do have the technology.

They share a long Siberian border with a big red hungry dragon that is getting hungrier and more restless all the time. China will make a play for Siberia at the first opportunity that they will not suffer ill effects of the US trade sanctions. Russia would not be able to hold Siberia if China wants it currently.

If the Bear could guarantee the Eagle’s help however, the Dragon may decide to behave.

[SergeiRachmaninov]

They share a long Siberian border with a big red hungry dragon that is getting hungrier and more restless all the time.

I agree that the inevitable collision between the bear and the dragon is the bright spot for us in all of this.

They no longer have anything more than a laughable bond based on ideological past. Absent that, they are obviously natural enemies.

[Prophet in the wilderness]

The question may be asked ? were is our own capacity to explore, and refine our own natural resources on our own USA soil ?
As some estimates say, just in oil shale alone, we have more oil than all of the middle east combined, and ? is there some way that the US can rescind or overturn President Clinton's executive mistake by putting that coal reserve ( that we could have used, it was considered clean coal ) and designated it as a protected parkland ?
Why in the world are those other countries allowed to use their own natural resources, but, the USA can't ?
The more and more I look at it, it's a world wide conspiracy with the communist world wide and our very own MSM/DEMS planning and scheming to being the USA down economically and militarily.

[aegiscg47]

I would be wary of them economically and politically, but not militarily. While they are modernizing forces, including researching new aircraft and they recently launched some new missile corvettes which look good, their armed forces need a LOT of work. From spare parts shortages to pilot flying time, operational readiness, and the ability to project power, they are about fifteen years behind the West. I'm not saying that they can't make trouble, but it will be in the area of economics and geopolitics, not by force of arms.

[neverdem]

Not a word about Russia’s ongoing demographic collapse, which is far more determinative of the Russian future than anything referenced in this article.

Russian Governor Sponsors Conception Day

[Mumbles]

I recall reading over 10 years ago an article warning of the current turn of events. The article indicated that Russia did a “capitalist” turn around in the 1920s as it was going belly up. We all know what happened after the Russians stabilized their country. Seems to me it is the same old Soviet Union sans the extensive military used to occupy most of Eastern Europe.

Some things are sure, it will cost us a fortune and Bush is cross eyed - but better than the Dems who would have surrendered on meeting and looking into Putin's eyes. If the SOCIALIST principals of the NAZIs, Fascists and Communists could wreak so much havoc, God help the world if Hillary Socializes the US.

[DB]

One nuke can wreck your whole day.

[Hawk1976]

I wonder where they are regarding training of their land forces. Naval and aircraft development are behind the west, but how do the troops on the ground look. I seem to remember quite a few instances of them abusing their troops.

[Danae]

Good point, their population is in rather sharp decline is it not?

Be that as it may, china worries me more, but the Russian Chinese cooperative is.... disturbing... at best.

[gcruse]

” Russia uses its veto power on the UN Security Council to support Serbia and crush Kosovo’s hopes of independence’

Good. The US is on the wrong side of this issue.

[John Valentine]

That the Russians have not understood the immense benefits that would flow from such a set of policies has long baffled me.

I think that Russain pride has blinding force.

[Salem]

Russia is back, and Putin is just the "hard guy" with the Nashi supporting him to take the Russians in some, uh, interesting directions....

Also see Vlad The Impaler

---

AMERICA AT WAR
At Salem the Soldier's Homepage ~
Islam, a Religion of Peace®? Some links...  by backhoe
Translated Pre-War IRAQ Documents  by jveritas
Mohammed, The Mad Poet Quoted....  by PsyOp
"PLAES DO NOT TOCH THE WAR"  by AnnaZ
The Clash of Ideologies - A Review

"...It's time we recognized the nature of the conflict. It's total war and we are all involved. Nobody on our side is exempted because of age, gender, or handicap. The Islamofacists have stolen childhood from the world." [FReeper Retief]

"...That the totalitarian force pitted against freedom wears a religious makes this civil war among mankind all the more difficult to engage. Loving freedom as we do, it seems reprehensible to deliberate against a religion. But this is no ordinary religion as it demands absolute obedience of all to their religion at the cost of freedom itself." [FReeper Backtothestreets]

[AirBorn]

"..One of dem buildings are sharp & shinny and Purdy!..

About as purdy as a Picture show!

In there they can Re-write history!

'bout everything they want!

In the very next room ,

go hang some Ex-Comrades up!

They can hide all the loot they don't want , to be in public go a-poping Up!

Yet! They haven't gone as far as they can go..

Yet! They can still ask the Clintons how far ,If Them, They'd Go!

I think that Putin -using all his KGB Training & Skills he learned while in many of the KGB positions he had, and is also using all he learned about ;Maneuvering, Power-Building,Grabbing, blackmailing and leveraging from Reading/Watching the Clintons as they Operate! ( They ARE "Poetry in Motion" for Crooks, Thieves and Villains Local 13! and always were very much admired by their brothers & sisters in Thievery!) to build the kind of scarier nation he thinks RUSSIA should be!

Just like Schrillary would build AMERICA into the kind of Socialistic Nation-State (like Russia's Dictatorship with a pinch of China's Right's violation campaigns against Press & Expression and of Controlling the Media( Fairness Doctrine)and election commercials 30 days before a national election! (McShame/Feingold)

And PUTIN & SCHRILLARY have both had the best Teachers to look up to for guidance too!

; Stalin, Marx, Lenin, Castro, Moa CC (and those fun loving Chinese Commies who brought you Tienanmen Square!) and THESE Fine Folks Schrillary & bill both studied and tried to be like from when Bill & Schrill were only in College!

We MUST DEFEAT SCHRILLARY When / IF she get the Nomination or Putins actions will look tame in comparison.

[knyteflyte3]

Hopefully, we'll never have to get to this point.........

I would love to see both of them meet the same fate as the 2 back-stabs did in Romania, many years back……