Back when President Reagan pressed ahead with development of Strategic Defense Initiative, all of the left, including the Soviets, insisted that this would provoke a preemptive strike by the USSR. It never even came close to happening. Instead, the USSR dissolved into nothing when they ran out of resources to keep up with our SDI development. Russia is now a second-rate power, as proven long ago by their utter defeat in mortal combat by the tribesmen of Afghanistan.+++
Sir you showed obvious misjudgements of Russia. It is very forgiven because you probably never was there and never know much about russian history.
1. Russia loves her weaponry. She was so much times the target of aggression. And in her turn russia did so much invations herself that there already common purception even adage.
"Truly allies of Russia are her armed forces".
Russians are eastern decendants of vikings. Even that name of nation russians created as derivative from viking word "Rus". The whole line of russian czars are decendant from viking duke Rurik.
2. Russia wars each 10-15 years. So each generation of russian men have thier war. Russian society always has war veterans of any ages.
For example. My grandfathers was war veteran, my dad was war veteran, my brothers are war veterans. Few of my nephues are war veterans too. Differents wars so.
It creates millions of men with real combat experiences.
3. Russia nuclier stategic forces are in good shape. Any russian easily agree to starve but those forces will get any fund which are nessesary.
There are tests conducted time to time. All works as normal.
Warhead hits bullyeys constatntly.
BTW if you held in your hand AK 47 once you may understand that this rifle is very reliable. If you pull the trigger it shoots always. Then I tell you ALL of russian military machinery are designed same way. So be sure if they press the start button missiles will start and they will explode right on target.
4. SDI things never destroyed USSR. Accually USA run herself in deep debts because of Cold War. You check US debts which near 6.5 trillons of dollar and Russia's debts now which is like 70 bln of dollars. You see my point?
5. USSR crumbled because russians decided that they had enough of it. Soviet Union wasn't russian state. So Gorby was first russian in complete charge of USSR. He destroyed it.
Same Gorby departed from Afganistan after 7 years of war which took 15000 soviets (9000 was russians) and 1.5 millions of afgans. It was senseless killing of afgans.
Accually if there wasn't Gorby then Soviets eventually would slaughter all afgans and depopulate the country.
Too much for Afgan victory?
These facts which never got publicity on west because it is not very propagandistic. But specialists know them very much.
Today Russia stands better then USSR. She inhereted all of USSR weaponry. So she safe.
She have all of USSR business. She sells same goods for hard currecies which she was compelled to give for free by USSR. All USSR clients now are on US payroll. But they still need russian oil and gas. So they pay Russia with real money instead of "thank you" like it was during soviet times.
I may talk lot more. But I silence now.
RusIvan:
"Sir you showed obvious misjudgements of Russia. It is very forgiven because you probably never was there and never know much about russian history. "I'm glad you are so forgiving. I'm forgiving too, RusIvan.
RusIvan: "The whole line of russian czars are decendant from viking duke Rurik."The House of Rurik lasted from 862 AD until about 1600. Then in 1613, the House of Romanov began with the coronation of Czar Mikail Romanov who was not descended from Rurik but from an entirely separate line that traced its ancestry back to only the late 13th century. So for 300 years, from 1613 until 1917, no Russian czar was descended from Rurik.
RusIvan: "Russians are eastern decendants of vikings."
It's always been my understanding that about 80% of Russians are eastern Slavs and are not descended from Vikings. Are you sure about this, IvanRus?
IvanRus: "Russia nuclier stategic forces are in good shape. Any russian easily agree to starve but those forces will get any fund which are nessesary."
Looking at the economic facts, about 35% of Russia's population is already going hungry. These people live in poverty, below the minimum subsistence level. Much of the funding for decommissioning many of your old missiles and safely disposing of your nuclear waste has been coming from the United States. We have given and loaned your country billions of dollars in the past decade so that Russia can accomplish this.
IvanRus, do you really think the size of your national debt is a reliable indicator or your prosperity? The US can afford to carry a large indebtedness. It doesn't mean that we aren't prosperous, just as a small national debt doesn't mean that a country is wealthy. We send foreign aid to Russia. Russia does not send foreign aid to us. Do you see my point?
Anyway, I appreciate your taking the time to discuss these things with me. And I respect that it is difficult for you to discuss these things in English. Thankyou for doing so (I don't speak a word of Russian). I look forward to talking with you more.
By the way, I have held a good many AK-47s in my hands and I have fired a couple of them. The best I've seen was manufactured in Yugoslavia some time ago. It had a beautifully machined receiver, very nice work. Most AKs are very reliable weapons, although I prefer my FAL .308 as a primary combat weapon. It's rugged, accurate over a decent range and can double as a hunting weapon.