Article

2008-02-02 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Resurgent Russia? A Still-Faltering Military

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Posted by Steve White 2008-02-02 00:37|| || Front Page|| [1 views ] Top

#1 Historian Col. Albert Seaton:

The farther one is away from the Russians, the greater the tendency to underestimate them.

Just sayin...

Posted by badanov 2008-02-02 08:18|| http://www.freefirezone.org]">[http://www.freefirezone.org] 2008-02-02 08:18|| Front Page Top

#2 Right. I'd rather be pleasantly surprised than bitterly disappointed if we ever have to contend militarily with the bear...

Posted by M. Murcek">M. Murcek 2008-02-02 08:38|| 2008-02-02 08:38|| Front Page Top

#3 The key to an effective military is a damn good NCO corps. The social and political culture of Russia et al [read China] do not lend themselves to producing that particular key item. They can buy all the toys they want. They can mass all the fanciest techno bobbles they can steal. That's good for a one shot then negotiate strategy. If the other guy is going to stay in the fight, they're screwed. Other than that, they make good Palace Guards and look mighty pruty on parade. Oh, and it does impress chairborne CIA analysts a lot.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-02-02 08:47|| 2008-02-02 08:47|| Front Page Top

#4 Unless they're fighting for Rodina in which case they tend to win, piss poor NCOz not withstanding.

Posted by Chang Smith8113 2008-02-02 11:26|| 2008-02-02 11:26|| Front Page Top

#5 Good point, though in the 'Great Patriotic War' the Russians managed to develop good officers and NCOs, and Stalin learned to trust them.

Posted by Steve White">Steve White 2008-02-02 12:39|| 2008-02-02 12:39|| Front Page Top

#6 ...Stalin learned to trust them.

Trust? Stalin? I'd say Uncle Joe tolerated them with pure self-preservation in mind. Recall that he was planning another big purge when he croaked...

Posted by PBMcL 2008-02-02 13:04|| 2008-02-02 13:04|| Front Page Top

#7 If you get into the guts of operations in WWII you'll find that Russia overwhelmed the Germans not by particular skill. The body count shows that as does their operations in Afghanistan and Chechnya. The junior officers and NCOs at the end of the war were the typical Darwin adapters and survivors. They weren't motivated by their fear of Stalin as the blood hatred they had for the Germans and what they did in their homeland. Motivation is a great focus to one's work. The German's were originally welcomed as liberators in many parts of the country, but their own bigotry and behavior undermined that myth quickly. The shoulda, coulda, woulda times of history.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-02-02 13:27|| 2008-02-02 13:27|| Front Page Top

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