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Sorry, Putin. Russia’s economy is doomed
Washington Post ^ | 15 Dec 14 | Matt O'Brien

Posted on 12/15/2014 10:12:57 PM PST by elhombrelibre

A funny thing happened on the way to Vladimir Putin running strategic laps around the West. Russia's economy imploded.

The latest news is that Russia's central bank raised interest rates from 10.5 to 17 percent at an emergency 1 a.m. meeting in an attempt to stop the ruble, which is down 50 percent on the year against the dollar, from falling any further. It's a desperate move to save Russia's currency that comes at the cost of sacrificing Russia's economy. So even if it "works," things are about to get a lot worse.

It's a classic kind of emerging markets crisis. It's only a small simplification, you see, to say that Russia doesn't so much have an economy as it has an oil exporting business that subsidizes everything else. That's why the combination of more supply from the United States, and less demand from Europe, China, and Japan has hit them particularly hard. Cheaper oil means Russian companies have fewer dollars to turn into rubles, which is just another way of saying that there's less demand for rubles—so its price is falling. It hasn't helped, of course, that sanctions over Russia's incursion into Ukraine have already left Russia short on dollars.

(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...


TOPICS: Business/Economy; Crime/Corruption; Extended News; Foreign Affairs; Russia
KEYWORDS: crimea; crimedoesntpay; donetsk; ruble; russia; ukraine; vladtheimploder
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To: wetphoenix
"near abroad" is not a question. It is a statement made by the highest levels of your Russian Government.

And E. Europe is a border between nuclear powers. Please don't start playing stupid, again.

121 posted on 12/17/2014 3:12:44 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

~And E. Europe is a border between nuclear powers.~

If you want to look at it this way and move this ‘border’ as close to Russia you shouldn’t blame Russian government for starting to think along your lines and reacting accordingly.


122 posted on 12/17/2014 4:00:28 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: 1rudeboy

BTW. I am not a hypocrite and I don’t blame US government for Bay of Pig, Cuban Missile Crisis and similar reactions in Central and South America in 1970-1980s.

USSR had no business to bring ‘border’ you are talking about to Americas as well.


123 posted on 12/17/2014 4:07:50 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix
Did we annex Cuba? How many of your Central and South American countries are "colonies" of the United States?

Tu Quoque logical fallacy. You Russians are masters at it.

124 posted on 12/17/2014 4:21:31 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: wetphoenix

Wait a minute, you are contradicting yourself. Didn’t you just say that there are no nuclear powers on Russia’s edge? God, I love it when I make you guys cast-about. It’s like going to a rifle range with someone who brings a shotgun.


125 posted on 12/17/2014 4:28:26 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

~Tu Quoque logical fallacy.~

It is you who are engaging in it right now.

Which East European countries are Russian colonies?


126 posted on 12/17/2014 4:29:41 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix

Crimea, for starters. Then Ossetia, Abkhazia, off the top of my head. Dude, you need to step up, or call your supervisor.


127 posted on 12/17/2014 4:31:57 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

~Wait a minute, you are contradicting yourself. Didn’t you just say that there are no nuclear powers on Russia’s edge?~

Don’t play stupid, rude. There are at least two nuclear powers bordering Russia.

We weren’t talking about it but actually about countries trapped between said powers and Russia. That’s why I legitimately brought Mongolia into discussion and your referring to Baltic states is quite a miss unless you are counting Poland, Finland and Belarus as nuclear powers.


128 posted on 12/17/2014 4:38:32 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix

In other words, you were full of crap, and now your squirming like a pig stuck in it.


129 posted on 12/17/2014 4:39:42 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

~Crimea, for starters. Then Ossetia, Abkhazia, off the top of my head. Dude, you need to step up, or call your supervisor.~

None of the above are nations to start with. Not to mention Ossetia and Abkhazia are as European as Colombia is North American.


130 posted on 12/17/2014 4:41:11 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix
Whoo hoo! Here comes the spin!

A sovereign nation on the border of Russia is not really a sovereign nation . . . but a part of the "near abroad." But don't dare mention that term. "Monroe Doctrine."


131 posted on 12/17/2014 4:44:28 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

~In other words, you were full of crap, and now your squirming like a pig stuck in it.~

LOL. Can I bring some smart latin word to call this reply and count it as you have lost argument?:)

Go back to your posts # 114, 117.

US and Russia are bordering between Arctic and Pacific. There are no ‘buffer’ nations between us.


132 posted on 12/17/2014 4:47:28 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix

No you earned your rubles today. Don’t forget to exchange them for dollars at the kiosk on the way home, if they have any. You’ll need them.


133 posted on 12/17/2014 4:48:59 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

~A sovereign nation on the border of Russia is not really a sovereign nation . . .~

Are you arguing for sovereignity of Abkhazia and Ossetia right now?:)

I thought these are disputed parts of Georgia due to both RINO and Democrat Party line.

You are a dissident, rude. Off to gu..FEMA camp!:))

Joking aside, how do you have a nerve to bring these latin terms when you are clearly using all these leftist ways to dominate discussion every time you lack any logic arguments or simply because you are wrong?

And you guys believe you are conservatives. Maybe you do deserve Obama for president, rude?


134 posted on 12/17/2014 4:55:19 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix
I think your comments on this thread demonstrate that you know little of geography, and specifically, what territory belongs to whom. But you're Russian, so I completely understand that you're not very clear on the concept. Russian media, and all . . . .
135 posted on 12/17/2014 4:59:16 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

Sorry, rude. I had a higher opinion on your intelligence just a couple hours ago.


136 posted on 12/17/2014 5:03:27 AM PST by wetphoenix
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To: wetphoenix
I prefer your condemnation
To your suckin' sympathy,
Baby good for nuthin'
Is good enough for me.
--Bobby Bare

Stuff it, Ivan.
137 posted on 12/17/2014 5:05:54 AM PST by 1rudeboy
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To: 1rudeboy

that would account for the increased frequency of his postings


138 posted on 12/17/2014 5:17:11 AM PST by Apparatchik (If you find yourself in a confusing situation, simply laugh knowingly and walk away - Jim Ignatowski)
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To: elhombrelibre
"You don’t think Putin is in any way to blame?"

To paraphrase Rep. Jim Bridenstine, "Weakness Is Provocation." Obama and the Left deliberately weaken the US and therefore incite actors like Putin.

139 posted on 12/17/2014 5:51:52 AM PST by UnwashedPeasant (A slave is one who waits for someone to come and free him.)
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To: Berlin_Freeper

Not enough. The US should declare Russia a terrorist state and implement sanctions that are reflective of that status. The US and NATO should also give Russia an ultimatum to leave Eastern Ukraine or their forces would face bombing and a ground invasion there by US and NATO forces.


140 posted on 12/17/2014 7:05:41 AM PST by Thunder90 (All posts soley represent my own opinion.)
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