As if Things Weren't Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S.

WSJ ^ | DECEMBER 29, 2008 | By ANDREW OSBORN

[balls]

MOSCOW -- For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument -- that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S. -- very seriously. Now he's found an eager audience: Russian state media.

Igor Panarin In recent weeks, he's been interviewed as much as twice a day about his predictions. "It's a record," says Prof. Panarin. "But I think the attention is going to grow even stronger."

Prof. Panarin, 50 years old, is not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry's academy for future diplomats. He is invited to Kremlin receptions, lectures students, publishes books, and appears in the media as an expert on U.S.-Russia relations.

[Revolting cat!]

Me, I'll move to the country that has the real futbol, the kind that's played with foots not with armpits, as the national sport (that and baseball, of course), since NFL is about as corrupt as the U.S. Congress.

Other than that, once we split up what will happen to Route 66?

[Jack Black]

Yep, a very good book. I read it in the 1980s when it was first published. It was a bit of a bible among demographers at the time. I worked at a polling firm and it was widely read.

[Chickensoup]

Read it years ago and it has always been in the back of my mind as I watch politics play.

Good book

[Arkinsaw]

His predicted split looks reasonable, except I don't think Sarah will cede to Russia!

Doesn't make much sense. For instance, I do not see Utah going off with California at all. Utah? I would predict that Idaho, Utah, Arizona goes with the western states all the way back to the Minnesota, Iowa border.

I can't see South Carolina going with Connecticut instead of Georgia.

I think you are likely to see Civil War Yankee territory, Civil War Confederate territory, Mountain West, West Coast. Texas could go its own way or join Confederate territory/Mountain West territory.

[NeoCaveman]

Fine, lop off the blue parts and let them join ... Canada or Mexico.

Ahh the Goldwater plan is back, good.

I say first we figure out who we owe California to, and then give it to them.

[1rudeboy]

In other words, you were fooled by a politician . . . everyone comes to that point, eventually.

And if you're the sort of person that believes Border Patrol agents should be allowed to shoot at people and then lie about it, then there isn't a viable political party for you anyway.

[Lorianne]

The late science fiction writer, Robert Heinlein predicted that the US would break the same way (and right about now) in his 1982 novel, “Friday”.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Friday_(novel)

[nina0113]

If he thinks Virginia, Tennessee, Kentucky and the Carolinas are going to join Massachusetts let alone the EU, he’s nuts.

[Travis McGee]

Our current state of decadent decline reminds me in many ways of Weimar Germany. All we need is hyperinflation and street demos. (Next year.)

[Travis McGee]

“Nine Nations” is very worth rereading today. It gives it a whole new dimension, 27 years later.

[Colonel Kangaroo]

We are part of the SEC (football), along with S.C. and KY. The map would make more sense if it divided the states up by the major college football conferences. That would just extend something already being fought about! And worth fighting over!

SEC is too much of a football-only league. Tennessee is more basketball than the Deep South. If this national disintegration stuff can get us in a better hoops conference like the ACC I might be all for it. :)

[nina0113]

Yeah. Like they would never vote gor a socialist, anti military Democrat over a pro America military vet.

Ole Virginnie is dead.(so I have heard)

It's the carpetbaggers in NoVA, not the patriots in RoVA, who keep foisting the Democrats on the rest of the state. Once the crappy economy forces the illegals out of Arlington, we should be okay for 2010.

[PGalt]

propaganda in support of a very long and ambitious strategy.

BUMP!

I could name HUNDREDS of individuals who would have been arrested or shot in the streets just a hundred or so years ago, had they behaved in the traitorous and treacherous manner they behave today..

BUMP!

[MSF BU]

My guess is that they would not be the types of places you’d want to settle. American Indian demographics are scary when you look at alcoholism, child illegitimacy, etc.

[MSF BU]

Looks like their prediction threads are lacking in predictive value.

[redk]

I’ve seen the idea that they should or will take Alaska back put forth several times. It’s actually pretty scary.

We know Putin thinks Obama is a wimp.

[redgolum]

Despite what many believe, this is possible. Heck, it might even be more probable than the US staying together.

When you think about it, we have it now. Culturally, we are very regional, so much so that if you talk to someone in Chicago they might not even know that Iowa is on the border of Illinois. Or for that matter, that there is a part of Illinois that isn't Chicago (both statements I heard from a gentleman with an MBA).

I could very see the break up of the US very easily. And with the new marxist president, it might even be better if it happens.

[redgolum]

Self ping for an old book I need to dig up.

[Thunder90]

Obviously the Russians and Chinese would love to see the US and the west collapse. That means that they can walk in here and take over the US without firing a shot.