This incident underlines a post I made a few weeks back on the panic over the Russian threat to rearm. Most argued against me. I stand by it.
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1883364/posts
Vladimir Putin Rearms his Cold War Military.
$100 billion spread over how many years? The story doesn’t specify but suggests at least a decade. Perhaps equal to one or two years of Pentagon procurement. Absent some sort of quantum-leap breakthrough this only means Russia falls behind the west at a slower rate.
Then there is the issue of Russian quality control and expertise. The old USSR navy was pretty but in hindsight a failure in nearly every significant category other then raw numbers. The Typhoons, the carriers, the battle-cruisers could rarely leave port. The tanks and aircraft were bested on every battlefield when opposed by modern western equipment if unencumbered by suicidal rules of engagement.
It’s not clear the Russian military-industrial complex has improved any. The indications are the opposite. The inability to put the carrier sold to India back in working order as an example.
I think it’s mostly bluff, played against nations the Russians have been successfully bluffing for the last century.
18 posted on 08/19/2007 7:34:17 AM PDT by tlb
Zactly!
And every other nitwit think that Russia is some sort of rekindled threat...or they are clamorning about China...all while the real threat: islam gets a passing glance and dismissive wave.