Article

2008-10-05 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

Behind the Bluster, Russia Is Collapsing

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Posted by Steve White 2008-10-05 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 It seems to be a race between the US Congress and Russia as to who will get to the bottom first.

Posted by Alaska Paul 2008-10-05 02:04|| 2008-10-05 02:04|| Front Page Top

#2 If my experience is anything to go by, there are still LOTS of Russian women willing to do just about ANYTHING to get out of Russia. That seems to include an extremely high percentage of the young and attractive ones.

Posted by Jolutch Mussolini7800 2008-10-05 03:10|| 2008-10-05 03:10|| Front Page Top

#3 And yet, the french wingnuts in their vast majority, starting with the now officially red-brown front national, bask in their loving adoration of putin, and their awe of slavs, russians and serbs... with a lot of wishful thinking and fantasies ("russia the upcoming wolrd power, whereas the USA are in a downward spiral", "russian birthrates soaring thanks to the natalist policiy of their blue-eyed, blond manly leader who wrestled power away from the jooooooooish oligarchs",...) about the Resistance to the Empire...

Posted by anonymous5089 2008-10-05 04:58|| 2008-10-05 04:58|| Front Page Top

#4 Never underestimate your enemy.

Posted by Kojo Sleling8667 2008-10-05 06:38|| 2008-10-05 06:38|| Front Page Top

#5 Russia really is dying off - the lack of longevity, the shortage of live births, and the numbers of those emigrating make Russia a rapidly depopulating zone. Plus, China has been making noise about "historically inhabited/ruled areas" regarding the Russian Far East - just like they did just before they invaded and took Tibet, the border area along India, and the mountains along northern Vietnam.
Also, lots of the women who could be giving birth no longer can in Russia due to the sloppy abortions and/or lack of sanitation during same : very large numbers of women in Russia use abortion as their contraceptive of choice, and the Russian medical standards are disturbingly low regarding the prevention of infections and other reproductive damage.

Posted by Shieldwolf 2008-10-05 07:37|| 2008-10-05 07:37|| Front Page Top

#6 Interesting they never mention rheumatic fever. Yet I would bet that is a major cause of their cardiovascular problems, just as its elimination is the primary factor in the reduction of ours. This is a hangover from their wonderful socialized medical system that we are about to adopt under The One.

We're going to change things and rearrange things.
We're going to change the world.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-10-05 08:30|| 2008-10-05 08:30|| Front Page Top

#7 Never underestimate your enemy.

Agreed. However, neither do I attribute superhuman capabilities to my opponent either. The fundamentals are still in America favor far more than elsewhere because unlike most of the rest of the world which relies upon centralization, the Americans still have an individual spirit. When the center collapses, the Americans are among the few still have the initiative to organize and move forward instead of waiting around for some authority figure to tell them what to do. The falsehood of socialism is that you can control the future when in fact you can only introduce entropy and its subsequent phase decay. Dynamic human activity is froth with chaos. Too much control and you kill it. Too little influence creates anarchy. The key is to be able to ride it and give it direction. The Russians have chosen routine, even of the Putin kind, because it gives them a false sense of control over the chaos and their lives. It is a dead end. The question for everyone else is how many will the bear take with it in its decent.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-10-05 08:31|| 2008-10-05 08:31|| Front Page Top

#8 The Russians have chosen routine because it gives them a false sense of control over the chaos and their lives.

No, the Russians choose it because they have always chosen it for they know nothing different. People don't really understand how exceptional Americans and America really are, even many Americans. As Alan Macfarlane has shown, the individualism we inherited from Britain is not a recent development. It can be traced back to time before memory and to causes long forgotten. It is unique in the world.

It has been very difficult for other cultures to adopt it. Many have the veneer of democratic institutions, largely adopted or imposed as a result of defeat at the hands of the Americans. But none have really understood and adopted individualism and the pioneer spirit. Perhaps the Indians may make it, but there is much reason to doubt they can overcome the inertia of centuries of conflict, prejudice and caste.

For Britain to have been so close to a newly discovered continent that was ripe for the picking was truly miraculous. We should never doubt our good fortune and the bounty of Providence. Or the strength we gain from the immigration of like minded souls.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-10-05 08:41|| 2008-10-05 08:41|| Front Page Top

#9 If my experience is anything to go by, there are still LOTS of Russian women willing to do just about ANYTHING to get out of Russia.

That explains some of my recent spam e-mails...

Posted by Raj 2008-10-05 08:54|| 2008-10-05 08:54|| Front Page Top

#10 People don't really understand how exceptional Americans and America really are, even many Americans.

I look around and just do not see only those of Anglo or Euro decent who are American. I see people whose ancestry comes from all parts the world. I also see the blooming of that 'unique' American perspective among the communities regardless of heritage. It varies in degree but its still there none the less. Its less in those communities that are encouraged to keep to their old ways [re: multiculturalism] and consequently their success in the culture is proportional. So exceptional nature of American is adaptable regardless of origin. I observe the relationship between those who were thrown out or who left upon their own energies and those who remained behind show a differentiation in the degree of risk taking and acceptance of the requirements associated with adaptation to uncertainty/change/chaos.

Posted by Procopius2k 2008-10-05 09:55|| 2008-10-05 09:55|| Front Page Top

#11 Perhaps the Indians may make it, but there is much reason to doubt they can overcome the inertia of centuries of conflict, prejudice and caste.

As an American married to an Indian, I can tell you they won't make it. Three of the most common laments you will hear in India are: "What can I do?", "Doesn't matter!" and "What to do?".

Indians trend towards a very fatalistic, what will be, will be...mind set. 2nd and 3rd generation NRI's born in this country seem to be overcoming this, but Native born Indians have this mindset ingrained into them from birth.

I have found Indian society to be very dysfunctional, men are babied from birth and are almost incapable of looking after themselves on the domestic front. Also, middle/upper class Indians have an unlimited supply of cheap uneducated labor that is used for all their domestic tasks.

The middle/upper class's despise these uneducated people (and don't hide it) while in turn the laboring classes hate their betters. Of course these people also refuse to go to school and learn anything.

India is a powder keg waiting for the fuse to be lit.

Posted by Grineque Mussolini8403 2008-10-05 09:59|| 2008-10-05 09:59|| Front Page Top

#12 Sounds to me that most of the Russian people have little to live for, much to die for. That would make their behavior in the old empire and the new pandemonium rational. Party as best you can until the inevitible end. More vodka, please.

Posted by Richard of Oregon 2008-10-05 10:26|| 2008-10-05 10:26|| Front Page Top

#13 They are coming here in flocks. Much pressure washing will eventually be needed.

Posted by Besoeker 2008-10-05 10:32|| 2008-10-05 10:32|| Front Page Top

#14 Besoeker, you'd best be careful just who you wish to screen out quickly.

My father was one of 9 sons and 1 son-in-law of Russian/Ukrainian immigrants. All but the youngest of them served in WWII by choice (my father was 16 when he lied about his age to enlist), 8 of them in active combat. 5 were wounded, 4 decorated including my godfather uncle who, as a very young Sgt. earned a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars and several Purple Hearts in approx. 4 weeks fending off the elite German Nordwind attack in the freezing winter at Bastogne. In two cases he crawled up hill while wounded to destroy German machine gun emplacements. The third time he crawled a quarter of a mile while wounded to warn his unit of an ambush ahead.

Until this year he served as commander of the Order of the Purple Heart in his region. And despite his advanced age and the recurring pain that never quite went away over the decades, he gathered a group of vets and drove a couple hours each way to meet flights with wounded troops returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. And spent hours visiting them bedside.

My father was a Navy tailgunner, came home in a body cast after the 3rd plane and 2nd ship was shot out from underneath him.

The son-in-law (a Pole) was in one of the first waves of paratroopers at Normandy and again at the Bulge, where he was shot up badly. To his dying day he set off security scanners due to all the metal holding him together.

And that was only that generation. We've contributed uniformed military to many of the combat operations the US has been involved in since. One cousin lost his marriage over the long stints as missile launch officer in the tubes during the cold war. Another flew prop planes at treetop level over Cambodia knowing that if he crashed the US would disavow him.

My family has damned well earned the right to be respected as Americans. Has yours? And more to the point, will some of these new potential Americans?

Posted by lotp 2008-10-05 17:43|| 2008-10-05 17:43|| Front Page Top

#15 My father was one of 9 sons and 1 son-in-law of Russian/Ukrainian immigrants.

Your father and your grandfather thought american.

Posted by JFM">JFM 2008-10-05 18:30|| 2008-10-05 18:30|| Front Page Top

#16 JFM as you know there are Americans everywhere. You should come visit your home.

Posted by .5MT 2008-10-05 18:43|| www.cybernations.net]">[www.cybernations.net] 2008-10-05 18:43|| Front Page Top

#17 We are all Americans. Even Obama supporters. Never forget. When we do then we are not a country we are nothing. Now that does not mean I have high hopes for the continuance of this great country as we know it if he wins.

Posted by Jack is Back!">Jack is Back! 2008-10-05 19:49|| 2008-10-05 19:49|| Front Page Top

#18 you're talking to the wrong people, Jack. Our side has tolerated the worst slander and lies against us and George Bush. When their side has a chance at power, will you be willing to kneel because "we're all Americans"? I expect bad things to come here at home. I'm not nearly close to the point of "stocking up on ammo, survival gear", but the signs are worrisome. Stolen elections, efforts to shut down contrary opinions, vandalized homes/offices/vehicles? these things have meaning, and they have consequences. I worry for our nation, and this is apart from the "The One" phenomenon, which has only provided a banner for these new-age brownshirts to cluster under. Perhaps I should stock up.....

Posted by Frank G">Frank G 2008-10-05 19:57|| 2008-10-05 19:57|| Front Page Top

#19 Many Americans are born in the wrong place. Some wrong people are born in America.

Posted by Nimble Spemble 2008-10-05 21:23|| 2008-10-05 21:23|| Front Page Top

#20 ""The Nation is not kust sick it is dying".

I was just telling/reminding some Guam restaurant patrons again last nite that INDIA's HINDUS ala ORISSA, etc. likely well-recognize that the US = US-Allies are now engaged agz Radical Islamism in a WAR FOR CONTROL OF ASIA, and that INDIA's ANTI-CHRISTIAN VIOLENCE IS SYMPTIOMATIC OF HINDU'S = INDIANS' FEAR THAT INDIA WILL ONCE AGAIN COME UNDER NEW EUROPEAN OR WESTERN ANTI-SOVEREIGN CONTROL-DOMIN IFF RADICAL ISLAMISM LOSES THE GWOT. At the same time that India is fearing new Euro/Western influence in Indian affairs, India's HINDUS, etc. do not wish to convert to ISLAM = BECOM MUSLIMS.

In sum, as per its ASIAN STRATEGIC FRONT [Priority] Radical Islam is trying to detabilize and knock out MOST OF THE COLD WAR "NUCLEAR CLUB", i.e. RUSSIA, CHINA, INDIA, etc. Once achieved, the next Front should be GREAT BRITAIN + FRANCE [read, EU = FUTURE EURABIA, LONDONISTAN, etc.].

ONLY THE USA WILL BE LEFT.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-10-05 21:39|| 2008-10-05 21:39|| Front Page Top

#21 Joe - you've omitted central Africa - a few astute experts think Islam's greatest threat will be Christian armies from central Africa. This throws interesting light on the Darfur conflict as a possible prelude to such efforts, as well as Ethiopia's role in the region.

For that matter, the world's deadliest conflict since WWII has been the Congolese civil wars of the past 20 years, and if they settle or move, the likely direction is to the northeast. Add to all this the question of how Nigeria holds itself together.

Makes the new Africa Command a long overdue move by our high command.

Posted by Don Vito Omeling5062 2008-10-05 23:23|| 2008-10-05 23:23|| Front Page Top

23:30 Lionel Jiger8451
23:23 Don Vito Omeling5062
23:14 JosephMendiola
23:13 Cherelet and Tenille1095
23:04 JosephMendiola
23:01 Cornsilk Blondie
22:39 Goober Wholurt4452
22:26 Barbara Skolaut
22:03 Besoeker
21:59 Frank G
21:47 Zhang Fei
21:41 GK
21:39 JosephMendiola
21:33 Besoeker
21:32 Besoeker
21:26 GORT
21:26 Scooter McGruder
21:25 DarthVader
21:23 Nimble Spemble
21:20 Nimble Spemble
21:12 Betty
21:10 Betty
21:03 Classical_Liberal
20:49 Frank G