Mark Steyn: The death of Mother Russia

The Spectator (U.K.) ^ | 10/22/05 | Mark Steyn

[chilepepper]

lucid but depressing...

[Tax-chick]

We have several Russian families in my subdivision ... 3-5 children each, some with grandparents at home, and the parents have tech-industry jobs. Aside from one old guy who doesn't speak English and gets drunk in his garage, they're good neighbors.

[Gritty]

BTTT

[Tax-chick]

It was a poultry complaint but indicative of a retreat into old-school Kremlin paranoia.

BWAHAHAHAHAHA!

[COUNTrecount]

Many thanks.

[bassmaner]

It's pathetic that a country with such vast natural wealth and such an enormous reserve of brainpower is a complete and total basketcase.

All due to that left turn that Russia took in November 1917.

[NCSteve]

Yes, I noticed that. It was positively Shakespearean.

[Tennessean4Bush]

I have been depressed at his forecasts for old European nations (e.g. France, Germany, Spain, Italy). Now I am doubly depressed.

[kalee]

ping

[Tax-chick]

I wonder how many of our NC public school students would even realize that was a pun? Did you see the article on the latest reading test results?

Imagine not being able to understand Mark Steyn ... what a BORE life would be!

[Diana in Wisconsin]

"That’s the danger for America — that most of what Russia has to trade is likely to be damaging to US interests. In its death throes, it could bequeath the world several new Muslim nations, a nuclear Middle East and a stronger China."

Thanks for the ping, Pokey...that got my day off to a lovely start...NOT! ;)

Cripes. One MORE thing to keep me up nights thinking about, LOL!

[aculeus]

Even the otherwise perplexing enthusiasm of the western Left for the jihad’s misogynist homophobe theocrats is best understood as a latterday variation on the Hitler/Stalin pact.

[Eagle of Liberty]

Russia is mearly leading the charge off the cliff. The EU, and then the rest of the West, will be following along shortly.

And when they all go off the cliff, who will be there to fill the vacuum? Islamo-fascists. Damn, they're worse than cockroaches.

[SquirrelKing]

Nothing new under the sun, bro.

[thoughtomator]

*Groan*... could that joke have been any more fowl?

[tom paine 2]

And we never learn from history.

[Tax-chick]

:-).

[A. Pole]

From the Treaty of Vienna until today Russia has had every opportunity imaginable to become a fabulously wealthy, vibrantly successful nation.

Russia is a strange and complex culture which is not much focused on material success as the Western countries are. It is a synthesis of disparate elements - remote Slavic, Germanic and Siberian tribes, Greek Byzantine spirituality, Mongol/Chinese statecraft, the science and technology of Protestant Enlightenment, the extreme radicalism of Western Europe and Orthodox Christian revival. The synthesis was and is being done in the center of Eurasian chaotic landmass.

Von Metternich said: "Russia is never as strong as she appears, and never as weak as she appears."

That is why the great conquerors like Napoleon and Hitler lost their lost everything in attempt to conquer weak Russia, at the same small and weak nations nations like Finland managed to defeat the overwhelming Russian power.

[proud American in Canada]

Thanks for the ping.

This is a disturbing article.

[A. Pole]

From the Treaty of Vienna until today Russia has had every opportunity imaginable to become a fabulously wealthy, vibrantly successful nation.

Russia is a strange and complex culture which is not much focused on material success as the Western countries are. It is a synthesis of disparate elements - remote Slavic, Germanic and Siberian tribes, Greek Byzantine spirituality, Mongol/Chinese statecraft, the science and technology of Protestant Enlightenment, the extreme radicalism of Western Europe and Orthodox Christian revival. The synthesis was and is being done in the center of Eurasian chaotic landmass. This being done with centralized government and wild anarchy and freedom outside of the center. Russia absorbed countless tribes and nationalities while preserving their languages and virtual autonomy.

Von Metternich said: "Russia is never as strong as she appears, and never as weak as she appears."

That is why the great conquerors like Napoleon and Hitler lost their lost everything in attempt to conquer weak Russia, at the same small and weak nations nations like Finland managed to defeat the overwhelming Russian power.