[nathanbedford]

If Putin is personally capable of a grand strategy it would be to add Germany to a Russo/Sino alliance which would break up NATO, break up the European Union, draw many Western European countries into his orbit through intimidation, and effectively isolate Great Britain and the United States.

I am astonished at the number of my neighbors here in Germany who find tortured ways of defending Putin. The damage to American influence in Europe caused by the Iraq war seems to never end. That damage is compounded daily by the pathetic image of an ineffectual president bungling every international question to which his country is exposed. Obama has become a laughingstock in Germany, at least at the man on the street level.

The Germans much like the Hungarians are severely constrained from breaking away from the American nuclear umbrella by the fact that they have no bomb of their own. The more Putin reveals himself to be a KGB thug, the less Germans will be likely to submit themselves to his tender mercies. This is not necessarily true of France which historically seeks ways to piss allies off and Great Britain which is always understandably sought to play a collection of states against the European superpower because both of these nations have the bomb.

But make no mistake, Europe is full of leftists and there is always the Islam card, indeed a wildcard, which might make common cause with Putin and seek to deliver Europe to him.

It is unlikely, but an alliance of Germany, Russia, China would be catastrophic.

[reed13k]

Your comments are a reasonable concern - I think it could be offset by a US-UK-Japan-Australia-India grouping...the Indian inability to commit being the most unlikely piece, but not a balance killer.

[Mark17]

I was in Germany from 1980 to 1984. I was also amazed at the number of leftists there too. I am not sure how much of it was due to Soviet propaganda, and how much of it was just their own brand of left wing politics, but it was there. Maybe not much has changed since the 80s.

[driftless2]

"Europe is full of leftists"

That says it all.

[mac_truck]

The Eurasian land route envisioned by the Russians and Chinese has a terminus in Germany. This would shorten the transportation time for goods and materials between Asia and Europe considerably while eliminating the need for Western 'security' along the way.

Its not hard to see how this type of arrangement might become attractive to Germany, or how it might negatively effect Anglo-American global influence.

[OldNewYork]

Putin already speaks German fluently. And, if I recall correctly, so do his daughters, as they all spoke it at home while he was stationed in former East Germany.

[Thunder90]

Germany will, in the end, betray NATO by being neutral in any US-Russia conflict. The French would also likely sit that out.