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2005-04-05 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by tipper 2005-04-05 00:05|| || Front Page|| [3 views since 2007-05-07] Top

#1 2 points strike me:

1) Is this a shakedown?

2) Almost all "countries" today are absurd confabulations - mashed together by force - with only a thin public shell of the fabled "legitimacy". The only confederations that stand the reality test are those born of common cause, entered into voluntarily - by consent of the majority, and defended by the free choice of their citizens. They remain intact and are governed only with the consent of their citizens. All others are the tragic folly of power and empire - and will eventually dissolve... some peacefully, some in chaos.

Posted by .com 2005-04-05 12:46:52 AM|| 2005-04-05 12:46:52 AM|| Front Page Top

#2 I'd like to add that the odds the US will remain united in its current form are rather a tossup, IMHO. There is a deep divide. A "Blue" or "Red" state is merely 50% of those who vote - plus one... And the margins were extremely thin in enough states that it should cause even the most jaded to think twice.

We've had one civil war to maintain the Union. We may have another. The majority speak clearly in the elections, whether people choose to be rational and accept them - or choose to reject reality and accept delusion as their norm.

What is the reasonable "granularity" of dissent deserving of "freedom" from the majority? It has been argued here, though it was tainted and disjointed by an individual who could not accept it wasn't really about him and his views. I don't pretend to know the answer, but the question looms ahead, methinks, and deserves some airtime.

Posted by .com 2005-04-05 1:09:28 AM|| 2005-04-05 1:09:28 AM|| Front Page Top

#3 If it does (and this sounds like a call to rally round the Kremlin rather than a prediction) China will take the opportunity to grab Siberia and probably Mongolia as well.

Posted by phil_b 2005-04-05 1:14:32 AM|| 2005-04-05 1:14:32 AM|| Front Page Top

#4 Does China really want Mongolia? I mean...it's full of Mongols.

There's a nifty story about the foreign forces that tried to aid the loyalists in Siberia the last time Russia collapsed. However, China wasn't in a position to do anything then.

Posted by gromky 2005-04-05 4:41:37 AM|| 2005-04-05 4:41:37 AM|| Front Page Top

#5 Damn Mongorians always try to tear down my sh*tty wall.

Posted by Homer 2005-04-05 11:28:36 AM|| 2005-04-05 11:28:36 AM|| Front Page Top

#6 .Com, I think you look at the numbers and get the opposite conclusion I do. If the divide is 50% plus one why split when you can hang around for the next election and take control again. It's when one side has zero chance of ever graining power that a divide becomes more likely.

Also the divide isn't as neat as it looks on some maps, even hard core blue states like California have an awful lot of red in them and the urban centers of red states tend towards blue. I just don't see a split happening at all.

Posted by rjschwarz 2005-04-05 11:30:16 AM|| [http://rjschwarz.com] 2005-04-05 11:30:16 AM|| Front Page Top

Official Warns Russia May Collapse

What, again?

How many do-overs do they get, anyway?

Posted by Barbara Skolaut 2005-04-05 1:21:59 PM|| 2005-04-05 1:21:59 PM|| Front Page Top

#8 Russia has almost always been on the brink of collapse. It is a hobby over there to see how far they can stretch things.

As for the "red-blue" divide, I only see it coming to blows if the judges continue to make law from the bench (especially using international law) and overriding the majority of voters along with the degration of the 1st amendment and 2nd amendment. As soon as someone comes knocking on my door and demanding I give up books that are wrong and some sites I view are bad and can't look at anymore and want my guns, they will catch a bullet in the forhead and I'll break out the declaration of independance.

Posted by mmurray821 2005-04-05 1:27:25 PM|| 2005-04-05 1:27:25 PM|| Front Page Top

#9 phil b-

We don't want any Chinese grabbing anything... They might get away with Mongolia, but if they go stornming into Siberia, brace for World War III...

Being married to a Russian, I hear what she says, and believe me, no fool Chinese wants to see Beijing glow in the dark...

The "dinintegration" to pull a Chineser takeover of Siberia is going to have to be so total that ALL the 89 provinces and two independent cities will declare themselves nations...

Posted by BigEd 2005-04-05 1:39:26 PM|| 2005-04-05 1:39:26 PM|| Front Page Top

#10 "The People's Republic of Ivan's House Welcomes You! "

Posted by mojo 2005-04-05 2:54:27 PM|| 2005-04-05 2:54:27 PM|| Front Page Top

#11 The Chinese don't have to take over Siberia militarily and they're not foolish enough to try.

Their economic control will do the trick. Have you traveled on the Transsib lately or checked out what goes on on the banks of the river Amur? Trade, trade, trade.

The Chinese will not conquer Siberia, they will buy it.

Posted by True German Ally 2005-04-05 2:58:52 PM|| 2005-04-05 2:58:52 PM|| Front Page Top

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