Stephen Cohen : The last time such hostile military power amassed on Russia’s fronti

They should send NATO to the Mexican/American border. Maybe then the invasion of the USA by Mexico and South America would be damned. Mexico is not part of NATO.

 

The U. S. is tearing itself to pieces right now in a kind of psychological 'civil war' that won't end well for anyone here.

The Russian Federation, however, in spite of Western central banks' efforts to destroy its economy by manipulating the worldwide energy markets, is emerging yet again more powerful and robust than ever.

I argue all the time with people in this forum about what Russia can, and cannot do. One point on which all my opposition 'folds its tent and slinks away into silence' is on the matter of Kaliningrad! Probably not one American in 500 even knows what the Kaliningrad Oblast of the Russian Federation is, but the dense, powerful Russian military presence there was what the U. S. Navy ship, USS Donald Cook was reconnoitering when Russian warplanes intercepted it and flew 30 feet off of its deck in a plain warning!

Obama can send a few hundred American military and some equipment to Eastern Europe to try to support the fiction that Russia is going to be 'deterred' in some way -- but -- if things were to turn completely to (*)(*)(*)(*), there is Kaliningrad. The Russians are reputed (I love that word) to have many different kinds of tactical and strategic weapons in deep bunkers in Kaliningrad, along with ballistic missiles, launchers, and all the support infrastructure to insure complete deterrence OR aggression success.

Hint: from Kaliningrad, the Russians can put "payloads" on Warsaw or Berlin in less than five minutes. They could hit London in little more than ten minutes. And the United States? Well, in December 2014, the Russian military stood up the Arctic Joint Strategic Command, complete with "Borei"-class submarines, and with "Yasen"-class boats coming soon. At any time Russia wants, it can run picket anywhere off the American coastline and launch from submerged positions. This is the reality of the situation.

So, if Obama wants to send some troops over to Eastern Europe to have a little adventure running around in the mud, sleeping in tents, drinking a little Tokaji, and enjoying the novelty of girls who don't shave their legs, that's fine. But if the idea is to intimidate Russia, he's better think again.

. "...I'm scared (*)(*)(*)(*)less of your President Red Line...OK? Now, I'm late for my soccer game."

 

Nice post. We tend to forget our purpose, and fall to the slander of both the sophisticated and the ignorant.

 

Russia isn't strong. Their economy is dying, and soon they will have to make cuts somewhere, either in military or benefits. Or raise taxes. Russia can only sustain military at the expense of russian people. question is how much the people will put up with. Of course, russia is currently militarily strong, but they can't sustain this very long, as explained. How can you claim russia is strong? That's ridiculous.

 

So Clinton wants the nation (US) which is in Syria illegitimately, to shoot down the jet of the plane of the nation (Russia) that is in Syria legitimately. How typical of Washington and its cohorts. But then again there are psychopaths everywhere, only they do not control an empire.

In my dictionary what the US does is known as aggression, but not in Washington's New Orwellian Dictionary. There it is known as self defense.


Die you fools!

 

Read it before. Read more then that. Speculation and allegations. Nothing concrete. Did the US ignore the KR and block some things in the UN? Yes. But to (*)(*)(*)(*) with Vietnam. Not support the KR. Not the same thing.

The Chinese however (and in the beginning the North Vietnamese) DID give them huge amounts of support. Thousands of military "advisers" and millions worth of weapons and aid.

 

You would have us believe that Russians are being crushed, that they are suffering, and that they are going to be taxed heavily to support their military. Sounds terrible doesn't it? Then please tell me why the Levada Analytical Center, famous throughout the world for independence and integrity in its research and reporting, shows that Vladimir Putin's approval rating among Russians is currently at 82%?

It had actually been a little higher, hitting 89% at one time not too long ago, but Vladsky let the Turks get away with shooting down a Russian warplane on a mission of bombing Islamo-Nazis in Northern Syria. You may remember this incident. The Russian plane was in Turkish airspace for all of 17 seconds, and a Russian pilot was killed. Russians didn't like that at all, so you see, Putin is popular, but he's not "magic".

But if you think Russia cannot sustain the further development and projection of military might throughout the world (particularly the Eastern Hemisphere) because they can't afford it, keep watching. Next comes even better Russian submarines, better aircraft, better anti-aircraft missile systems. Oh, and where you are located, you should know very well about what the Russians have in their Kaliningrad Oblast.

 

The Russians certainly appreciate your support and praise of their military abilities but you must realize that they are not the only ones working to better their submarines, better their aircraft and their anti-aircraft missile systems. It's not like everyone is simply standing still and watching Putin re-arm for future conquests.

 

Well.. That's very easy to answer. The Russian people like Putin because he makes Russia seem strong and independent. After decades of Russia being weak and irrelevant, the people are happy that Russia matters again. Wars always make the current leader popular.. There's no better way to increase popularity than starting a war.. War unifies a nation... I'm sure you already know this, no need for further explaination of that.

But... The cost associated with this hasn't yet been fully felt. I am saying that Russia will have to make cuts sometime, or raise taxes, or borrow. Russia will run out of steam some day. BUT I haven't said that has happened yet. I'm only saying that it will. So yes, Putin might be popular for the time being.. But we must wait until the full cost of this has been felt by the russian people. When they will have to pay higher taxes, get fewer benefits, see less economic growth, inflation, etc..

I think that Russians are prepared to make some modest sacrifices for national prestige.. But there is a point when ordinary russians will feel it's not worth it. After all, the first concern of most people is to just get on with live, have a good job, save money, buy stuff, safe retirement.. When Putin has to touch those things in order to pay for military, I think the people will say NO.

So.. Indeed, let's keep watching. This is an arms race, you agree? And Russia has fewer resource than the west, agree? So how could Russia possibly win an arms race against the west? To me, it's very simple. They can't. They will run out of money eventually.