[ETL]

Yep. And up until last week we were still sending tourists over to North Korea

That is a far cry from this...

Russia and North Korea declare 2015 a ‘year of friendship’

“The biggest cause for concern is the growing military alliance between Russia and North Korea, with the two regimes recently announcing plans to conduct a series of joint army, navy and air force exercises this year.”

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/asia/northkorea/11463265/Russia-and-North-Korea-declare-2015-a-year-of-friendship.html

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Russia steps up North Korea support to constrain US

May 17, 2017

“Despite efforts by the United Nations to impose isolating sanctions on North Korea in response to the country’s continued development of nuclear weapons and intercontinental ballistic missiles, trade between Russia and North Korea soared more than 85 percent in the first four months of the year.”

http://www.dw.com/en/russia-steps-up-north-korea-support-to-constrain-us/a-38867861

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From the Sino-Russian Joint Statement of April 23, 1997:
"The two sides [China and Russia] shall, in the spirit of partnership, strive to promote the multipolarization of the world and the establishment of a new international order."

http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Central_Asia/HI29Ag01.html
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"Joint war games are a logical outcome of the Sino-Russian Friendship and Cooperation Treaty signed in 2001, and reflect the shared worldview and growing economic ties between the two Eastern Hemisphere giants."

http://www.heritage.org/research/commentary/2005/09/war-games-russia-china-grow-alliance

[Garth Tater]

My point was that talk of war is frequently just a tool used to keep people distracted and to keep military budgets up. Russia is pissed because we put some heavy sanctions on them for interfering with our business plans in Syria and now they are getting the fat boy to talk some shit and get our Pacific fleet moving around the ocean at high speed. Those carriers ain't cheap to move around like that, you know.

Russia isn't planning on nuking us or trying to take over the world. They don't have the rubles and their people still remember how that foolishness worked out for them from their Soviet Union days. Nothing breeds a healthy distaste for Communism more than living under it for a generation or two. One of the reasons I believe the Venezuelans will be back in our camp soon. Chavez and Maduro are giving them a real hands-on lesson on what not to let your leaders do.

It has been good talking to you but I have to call it a night. See you on another thread sometime soon.