There are a couple of separate issues here that interest me.
I am interested in Russia having a government strong enough to control their extensive nuclear, biological, and chemical weapon stockpiles. The previous post-gorbachev government has apparently not been successful in this. I think that in terms of the interests of the United States, it is paramount that no more of the former soviet NBC stockpiles disappear. If it takes an autocratic regime to see to this, then that is what it takes.
In human terms I assume it is unfortunate for russians in general in terms of political freedom. Unlike venezuela, where I have at least experience in other S/C American countries to let me compare what is going on there and have some basis for judgement, I really have no idea how much things have changed in russia. All I know is what our media tells me, which is undoubtably fed through some very thick colored glass. If soviet weapons sold on the black market are eventually used against russian cities, though, then the eventual price of a weak, non-centralized political system may be much higher than the media pundits appreciate. Insomuch as the US has vested interests in the outcome (and it certainly does,), I don't see how a strong Russian regime is not in our stragetic interests. It may very well be against american economic interests, however.
There are persistent rumors of russian weapons, plutonium, etc., being found in the black market. I want whatever kind of government in moscow it takes to stop that, once and for all. If it takes secret police to scare the devil out of the people in a position to sell those materials, then that is what it takes. Given the money that can (and presumably is) being offered to the caretakers of those facilities, that may be what it takes to dissuade them. If one of our cities is nuked, it is certainly possible that it will turn out to be russian-processed plutonium that was used in the bomb.
"If one of our cities is nuked, it is certainly possible that it will turn out to be russian-processed plutonium that was used in the bomb."
I would like to amend this statement. This is probably MUCH less true than it was even 2 years ago, though if one of the rumored 'suitcase' (crate-sized, I understand) nukes were involved it would be russian. In any event, apparently a LOT of uranium/plutonium from the former soviet union has found its way on the market.
To: Luis GonzalezWoofDog123, the Soviet Union was a strong autocratic regime.
"... I am interested in Russia having a government strong enough to control their extensive nuclear, biological, and chemical weapon stockpiles. The previous post-gorbachev government has apparently not been successful in this. I think that in terms of the interests of the United States, it is paramount that no more of the former soviet NBC stockpiles disappear. If it takes an autocratic regime to see to this, then that is what it takes ..."
# 29 by WoofDog123
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Do you think the United States would be safer if the Soviet Union hadn't fallen?