Posted on 03/12/2022 8:27:46 AM PST by Rummyfan
Nearly two decades ago, Vladimir Putin made his intentions plain when he mused that “the demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the 20th century. In the years since, a staggering number of Russians have come to agree with him, particularly those who are too young to have any real living memory of life in the USSR. They should have been more careful about what they wished for. Moscow’s campaign to reconstitute the Soviet empire in Europe has delivered Russia into a state of repression and economic malaise unseen since the hammer and sickle flew over the Kremlin.
Amid its quest to reclaim “great power” status, Russia has been disconnected from the global economy. Moscow is now staring down the barrel of imminent default on its debts, but that is an academic concern compared with the hardships imposed on average Russians. The regime has responded to the freezing of its assets in Western banks by limiting access to hard foreign currency. Because it has become so difficult to process a transaction inside Russia, analysts estimate that barter will soon make a comeback as the preferred means of transacting for goods and services. In the old days, a box of lightbulbs could secure your child a placement at the Academy of Sciences. Today, Russians will have to be satisfied exchanging Chinese knockoff Gucci handbags for the basics.
The flight of Western businesses and finance from Russia has thrust the nation into a time before perestroika. The West is moving to cut Russia off from the World Bank and International Monetary Fund, a move that would make securing loans for capital investments in private ventures nigh impossible. Even the iconic American brands that opened the Soviet Union to Western commerce—Levi’s jeans, Pepsi Cola, and McDonald’s—are all gone.
(Excerpt) Read more at commentary.org ...
Russians need to get rid of that SOB.
Welcome to cold cabbage soup for the next 30 years, comrades
Unfortunately, so did we. At least they got the version where you can be a Christian. We got the “state atheism included” variety. And our women are uglier.
We got screwed.
“Russians Wanted the Soviet Union Back. They Got It.”
““the demise of the Soviet Union was the greatest geopolitical catastrophe””
The top quote is a conclusion derived from the bottom quote, but it is A STRETCH, at a minimum, as the breakup of the Soviet Union was also the breakup of Imperial Russia...and Putin does want the borders of Imperial Russia back, as he’s stated that (although probably, now, without the ethnic Ukrainian parts).
People who don’t know Putin’s history regarding what he thought of the Soviet Union won’t understand that he does not want it back, particularly the Communist part of it.
“Russians need to get rid of that SOB.”
And replace him with who?
Do you really think they’ll be able to replace him with a puppet of Soros? And if not, he’ll be replaced with a clone of himself.
I'm not so sure they wanted it. Russians have gone from the csar to Lenin and Stalin and Company and then quickly to Putin and his court of oligarchs. Perhaps Russia is fundamentally ungovernable.
“And replace him with who?“
How about Sergei from accounting ?
Anyone has to better than Pooti.
The thesis about resurrecting USSR is totally wrong; Putin will be creating something new, and it would be more similar to Russian Empire (minus monarchy, of course) than USSR.
USSR had two big problems that Putin would not replicate : communist ideology and national policy (”republics” that became states during the USSR breakup).
Objectively we should welcome this development — because the only alternative is the world totally dominated by China.
People are going to believe what they want to believe. It’s covid all over again. The clueless are so emboldened by all the equally clueless mouthpieces in media/politics that they become belligerent in their cluelessness.
My Walmart looked like that yesterday evening. What’s your point?
I feel sorry for the Russian people, but not those in charge.
The USSR comes complete with isolationism, war and poverty. Enjoy the new country fellas, you’ve earned it. I’m sure Putin will still get his caviar delivered.
Classic!
They almost had a taste of freedom. Now they’re back to cold, thin gruel.
“How about Sergei from accounting ?”
But keep in mind that Sergei likely supports the policy goals of Putin, which is quite limited when sober people actually look at them (keeping Russians safe in Ukraine, autonomy for ethnic Russian areas, and keeping Ukraine militarily neutral).
Now if Putin went on a mad dash to Europe...then I’d agree that Sergei would likely be better.
You recognize the women?
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