Posted on 07/14/2007 1:16:31 AM PDT by HAL9000
MOSCOW—Russian President Vladimir Putin has signed a decree suspending Russia's participation in a key European arms control treaty, the Kremlin said Saturday.The Kremlin said in a statement the need to pull out of Conventional Forces in Europe Treaty was linked to "extraordinary circumstances ... which affect the security of the Russian Federation and require immediate measures."
The treaty is seen as a key element in maintaining stability in Europe. It establishes limitations on countries' deployment of tanks, armored combat vehicles, artillery, attack helicopters and combat aircraft.
Err... They say big things begin with little things. Why does this really strike me as one of those little things?
Time for a new arms race. The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to invest more into defense again.
” The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to invest more into defense again. “
The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to blame the US and do nothing - again.
There — fixed it.....
He needs to gather his forces to go help his Iranian pals create the new Persian Empire and take over the ME oil patch (which he will get a very healthy share of) perhaps? Something seems to have been wrong with him during his last visit with Bush. Putin couldn't look anyone in the eye, He always seemed to be looking at his shoe laces.
No Blood for spoiled socialist intellectual inbreeds!
Troops home now.
Lord I do hope we dont end up spilling our blood for those parasites, again.
"The good thing is that this situation will stimulate nations like Germany and France to blamebeg the US for more US bases and equipment and do nothing - spend nothing, and commit nothing for their own defense- again.
There... fixed it better
Unfortunately, sometimes they make boo-boo’s in this regard...
” to blamebeg the US for more US bases “
Not mutually exclusive....
Old Europe has had decades to finely develop the art of blaming the US for all their troubles while, at the same time, demanding that the US dedicate blood and treasure for their defense.....
It really threw them into a state of confusion when they switched from alcohol in the radiators to kerosene at the beginning of ww2, but didn't post the service bulletin update until after the cold war ended.
I dont think so.
France and Gasprom signed a deal about natural gas exploatation.
France and Germany became new Russian best buddies...
So, Russian arms race wont be targeted against them, but against Poland and Czechia, and Russians can easily win that one.
Ehat Putin did is that he knocked out France and Germany from Cold War pt. II
Therefore the blame on the US for doing nothing will be restricted. It is rather that the US are blamed for provoking Putin with their new missle defence in Poland and the Czech republic among Europeans. Our benefit from those ABM measures is not that big and we have to pay for new arms that become nessecary. Although everybody knows that Putin just uses those ABMs as a excuse to act against US-interests the European political establishment will be not amused.
Nevertheless this will be irrelevant for the US since the Poles and Czechs will do whatever they want although the "old Europeans" will make them pay their political (and practical) price then. It is a give and take. Personally I believe that there will be much more giving than taking in this case on all sides. Instead of revoking old treaties or provoking each other we should concentrate on something more productive. With help from Russia it would be much easier to deal with Iran.
Does that mean we can finally list both france and germany as the enemy they are and have been?
That would be a nice development. Pretending they are our allies is a constant source of indigestion and headache.
Somehow it is funny. On one hand the Poles and Czechs are hiding behind the EU (aka Germany and France) against Russia on the other hand they try to torpedo Germany and France as often as they could.
The thing is that Russia is indispensable for the European future. No matter if we like it or not. If the Russian resources are combined with European know-how lots of money can be earned. Therefore Poland and the small “new” Europeans are well advised to think about compromises. On one hand Russia has to be changed into a western civilized society, on the other the Poles have to reduce their national anger about Russians in general.
BuHuHaHa! In Germany we have a bonmot: The more enemies the more honour you have.
Bloody typos. It must read:
The more enemies you have, the more honour you will get.
(Viel Feind viel Ehr!)
You’re assuming that Russia has any interest in behaving rationally. They do not have a track record that would suggest such as a possibility, let alone a potential.
The resurgent Russia sees itself, very much, in the same old role as hostile to the US. The EU has been angling that way itself by slow degrees over the last decade.
I agree with you that the EU and Russia will join forces. But where we probably differ is in the motivation for that joining.
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