Posted on 12/18/2014 7:43:46 AM PST by SeekAndFind
I do wonder, had Hitler not been in power in Germany, how different history would have treated Mussolini?
Would he have been much different than say, Franco in Spain?
He should have seen it coming. He squandered all his oil cash on military crap that he has to start a war to use. It should have been re-invested in industrial modernization and diversification.
A vibrant economy never grew under Putin because of his kleptocracy smothered it. No need to innovate in Russia, just pay a bribe to grow your company. There will be no Russian Google type success stories. Sad really. A country with that many smart people and natural resources should do better. But Russian chauvinism always bites them in ass in the end.
Crimea has the naval base at Sevastopol. Russia’s Black Sea Fleet is based there.
The Donbass on the other hand, hasn’t been annexed because its smokestack decrepit economy would cost a fortune to rebuild.
Putin is many things, but being an idiot ain’t one of them.
I think he would have been similar, domestically. However, Mussolini was also a expansionist who dreamed of becoming the man who restored the Roman Empire.
That kind of ambition led to him to unilaterally invade Ethiopia (gassing hundreds of thousands in the process), annex Albania and even invade Greece, all acts of unprovoked aggression that were made on his own initiative.
Well, in the end Mussolini may have been a blessing in disguise because the Italians were so incompetent, that the Germans had to bail them out in Greece.
The result being that Operation Barbarossa was delayed for a crucial six weeks, which meant the Germans would eventually get bogged down in the Russian winter.
The problem was Italy didn’t have the military power to restore the Roman Empire.
Mussolini should have been content with Libya but he bit off more than he could digest.
Yes, the Fleet is at Sevastopol,so it makes strategic sense. But it doesn’t change the fact that Crimea is a money pit.
He’s going to evacuate the 4th Armored Division, which is there right now for just such an emergency.
If you look at the map down there in terms of Sunni and Shiite, it is a VERY interesting map. A lot of the oil fields in the KSA are in Shiite areas of the country. Bahrain is Shiite, etc.
You forget the oil under its waters...
Right now, not worth developing but when the price of oil rebounds, Crimea could well turn into a money-maker for Moscow...
So where’s the money coming from for Putin to build his own space station?
Space program funding axed due to budget constraints.
Russians are chess players.
You think he hasn’t PLANNED all of this? The Soviets already tried taking Saudi Arabia once. They will succeed this time, and this time the US President could give a fig what happens down there.
There’s a reason he invaded Georgia first. How else are you going to move things from Russia into Iran?
We’re out of Iraq - and that was timed beautifully too. We’re out in time for Russia to be sure that when Iran moves tanks and troops down into Saudi Arabia, he won’t have to deal with Iraq. They will pass through Basra on the way to Riyadh. From Riyadh, they will move on to Mecca, regroup, resupply, and head north to Medina, and perhaps into Jordan.
Thanks for info. But I think we are both right. Short term Crimea is a big money drain while the Russian economy is crashing. Long term it may very well be a great strategic move.
That's true. It's Mexico with white people.
The money all goes to the top and then ends up in Swiss bank accounts.
Seen it first hand. It's like a mafia bustout: the connected oligarchs get control of a Russian company doing OK, squeeze the life out of it, let it fall apart when they think there's no more cash to be had.
Then they criticize the "management" for letting it happen.
Like Mexico's oil industry, it wouldn't take much to bring in real foreign investment and management to make things grow. To some extent this did happen under Putin in the last decade, but he and his buddies only let such things go so far: wouldn't want to let the furriners get too much control, cut the locals outta the gravy train.
So you're right, Russian chauvinism bites them in the end.
Most Russians that I know understand this. They have no real feedback mechanism such as the vote because of course that's corrupt. Putin's gang will have to be overthrown by another rival gang, and the cycle will repeat. Assuming he can't get Russia past the current crisis...
PS: they could take advantage of the Ruble devaluation to improve the indigenous businesses. That's what is supposed to happen when your currency devalues relative to the rest of the world. They now have a price advantage for exports and imports: Buy Russian, it's cheaper. But the products have to be competitive, Russians now know the difference - 25 years of European goods being available let them know.
If Putin's gang were to let such markets operate internally - and not try to kill off anyone doing a better job, simply because they are taking away Cousin Yuri's market share (which he paid the bribe for as you said) - then it would happen.
We'll see what he does. Can start a war to divert attention, or try to take care of business. When the world starts clamoring for Russian products beyond resources, then the currency will appreciate naturally.
The Sauds are producing less oil in 2014 than they did in 2013. Your comment doesn't make sense.
O’Stupid flashed his chest for the dummies, too. His whole campaign gave me the creeps with the main strategy of getting the groupthink dummies to worship him.
Pretty Putin is now a nightmare to the Russian people like O’Dictator wannabe is to us.
From inside of the KSA, the word is that the KSA is pumping non-stop. They are forcing oil down.
This has ZERO to do with our fracking.
This has to do with Russia/Iran vs KSA.
Big friggin nothing, except broadcosting quasi-patriotic propaganda for internal use and keep stealing public money.
You are assuming that Putin is a Russian patriot and he is honest when giving these funny speeches... If he was one, he would: 1. crack down on corruption and public sector mismanagement 2. Invest the oil & gas money in modernization/entrepreneurship development 3. Mentor a team of young political leaders - the first step to set up real democracy over there.
Now what he actually does: 1. He and his buddies steal countless billions annually. 2. Waste billions (on crappy military equipment, Crimea etc.) and ruin the economy 3. Destroy any opposition and is the guy number 1 since +15 years with no intentions to go away.
Dude triggered off all this “crisis” to transform his shitty “authoritarian” presidency into typical dictatorship and to keep his own people stupid, brainwashed and isolated - therefore easy to control. It's all about his personal agenda.
>If I were in the Saudi Royal Family, I’d be moving my caviar and my harem down into the underground palace at this time.<
.
If Putin has evil designs on the Saudis, ARAMCO personnel had better get the hell out of the country.
They’re the real target.
Someone please tell me that is a fake
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