A Few Thoughts about Russia... from an email sent to me

[FarLeftRage]

I recently received this mail from a History Professor friend of mine.
He has his degree in European History and his words gave me a lot to think about...

"Yes, they are quite a problem but the big issue here is that we really cannot change their system because we did not do anything to improve the democracy there. We just prefer that Russia is being kept "backward" and weak. This is what created a very person: Putin to take over Russia from Yeltsin."

"He is quite an actor---a brilliant strategist, I must say so. He does know how to bid his time. Now he is showing Russia's true colours. He decided to wait it out and it's perfect time to do it because of the Olympics and the soon-to-be finished Boosh Administration. Booosh does not have much power right now because he is a lame duck right now. (Very different from the prime ministers---they still have powers up to the day they lose the office.)"

"It is only the matter of time before we know what would be happening next. Mark my word: the war will involve us with Russia, indirectly or directly, but very likely over the Arab world."

"We are paying the price for it because we (not only the US but western Europe) did not help Czarist Russia during the First World War but they pulled out before we could do anything about it. Being isolationist was not exactly good for us back then. We still did not learn our lessons until the Second World War striked."

"Russia is stupid because they still think they should keep the former republics yet Russia itself is very wealthy and have everything that one would love to have: oil, gas, wood, gold, silver even platinum and all other raw materials. They also have a good agricultural lands. The problem is always that they are under invested. Yet they still feel they need more and more."

"If they work hard to invest in their resources, they would be much happier with themselves. They did not---no wonder many people are still poor and not looked after well. They do not bother to revitalise the farmlands or farming villages. They can develop the economic model to emulate similar to Scandinavia---but no, they do not. The Government there always ignore the average Russians ever since the earliest foundation of Russia."

"They still have not really gotten it right as they still do not really learn from the history--many mistakes that the predecessors before them had made and failed to bring Russia on equal footing with the rest of world."

"I always tell ex-Soviet friends that Russia will never be European or Asian in its outlook---simply Russian because of their position due to the historical events that they were stuck with. That is why they cannot succeed with many reforms. Russian people are hardy and they are used to this. They know that the State will never deliver their promises. General outlook is that they have it much better ever than before which is true. Somewhat better than when they were under the communism with an exception for the pensions and free medical care."

"Imperialistic tendency is something that Russia always has ever since they became an Empire about 300 years ago. They simply cannot let it go because they are very stubborn about one thing: the Russian people in other states. They are clever not to publicise that the Russians in other countries can return to Russia...they do not have the funds to help them. They feel that the Russians in these former republics are there to prove that Russia still have their people in them--this very pretext they will use again and again."

"This makes Baltic states and Poland very nervous because they do not want Russian rule again ever again. It would be very interesting to see what moves Russia will make on these nations along with the Central Asian republics."

"Russians in general are easily bruised or wounded if it comes to their pride. That is why Putin thinks it is the greatest tragedy that the Soviet Union was extinct because he was and still is proud of the fact that Russia's greatness in ruling over other peoples. He failed to see the big picture where many ethnic groups resent Russians for taking their languages away and destroying their way of life in many places. No one likes to speak Russian but one has to in order to function or to be accepted in the Soviet Union. In the Russian Empire, it was somewhat same but not that "harsh." Baltic states were generally left alone as long as they accept the Russian rule which is good enough for them same with Finland but not so fortunate for Poland because Russia treated them so harshly--strangely, they did not treat other Slavic peoples that well: Polish, Ukrainians, Belorussians and other small Slavic groups."

"I think it is something Russia has forgotten: their being under the Mongol yoke---same idea for other ethnic groups in the Russian Empire/the Soviet Union. In other words, if they are sensitive to the ethnic groups---surely, they would be able to accept the facts that the peoples in its land is varied with different languages, customs, religions and ways of life markedly different from the dominant ruling people. But no, they had to subject them and forced them."

"Quite problematic. Now, it will be a time-bomb if Russia attempt to re-take the former republics. I guarantee you that there will be a world war over it. People will never forget nor forgive Russia for what they had done. We will definitely be involved. It is most unfortunate that we have Russia departing on rattling cages to whomever hear them and they are sword-rattling now because they are itchy as they are at the peace too long for their liking."

[nadinbrzezinski]

1. Listen to your friend

I thank the gods I took those courses in Russian History, and political systems, and Eastern European History in graduate school

THis is not about today... but about Russia, mother russia and her history

[FarLeftRage]

2. I am paying very close attention...

Apparently, there are others here who choose not to...

[nadinbrzezinski]

4. Well usually those go it is about the oil, wrong... there would still be conflict

oil or no oil

Putin has not made this a secret, he wants to bring back the golden age of Mother Russia

HIs alliance with the far right nationalist parties has always been worrisome. They are the ones you never bring out in polite company, but he essentially agrees with them

[Hugabear]

10. What's the latest on Vladimir Zhirivnosky?

I probably spelled his last name wrong, but he's the ultra-nationalist who ran for President of Russia a few times. That guy always scared the hell out of me, he advocated using force to reclaim the Soviet Empire, using nuclear blackmail to take back Alaska (which he feels that we "stole" from Russia in the 1800s), etc. Last I heard, his political party wasn't really doing too well - maybe a few seats in Parliament, if that.

[Duppers]

3. interesting

the reich wing is still selling Russia as being god-less and therefore, a worth foe.

However, it's almost impossible to agree that a war with them is inevitable.

"they are at the peace too long for their liking." Sounds like the rethugs.

[FarLeftRage]

5. ?????

Not sure what you mean by "Sounds like the rethugs"...

My friend is only offering insights based on history, not on possible political motives here.

[Duppers]

7. I was not talking about your friend, but

about the statement: the Russians being "at peace too long for their liking."

The rethugs must be engaged in some kind of war all the time.

No offense intended. :hi:

[moondust]

6. Paranoid.

Russia is currently the largest country in the world, almost twice the size of the second largest country. They have a lot of oil and are developing their resources. I understand their economy is on the rise. 60 Minutes even did a segment not long ago on their burgeoning oil wealth. Why would they want those old republics back that do not want to be part of Russia? To share the oil wealth with them? Ha! To maintain vast numbers of troops there to keep them under their thumb? Why? What do they stand to get out of it?

If Russia really did want Georgia why aren't they in Tbilisi right now parading through the streets keeping order? They knew the west would object and they also knew the west is currently weaker militarily than at any time in recent memory because of Iraq and Afghanistan. They knew there would be no military resistance to them taking all of Georgia. But they didn't.

I think your friend is stuck in the past and can't imagine anything else.

[Ex Lurker]

8. Russia is not developing its resources

oil production has peaked and will decline sharply in the next several years. Almost all the oil comes from old fields, and they're choosing not to develop new ones, instead taking short term profits. At the same time, the Russian birthrate has fallen precipitously, far below replacement rate. There are areas of the far east and Siberia that have become virtually uninhabited, leaving the door wide open for Chinese expansionism. Russia's current bluster is largely to cover up fundamental weakness. It's a country in decline.

[tuckessee]

9. I found this line interesting.......

"Imperialistic tendency is something that Russia always has ever since they became an Empire about 300 years ago. They simply cannot let it go because they are very stubborn about one thing: the Russian people in other states.......

Sounds eerily reminescent of the issues concerning the German ethnic enclaves in the Sudeten, Silesia, East Prussia, Hungary, Pomerania, etc. that contributed greatly to the outbreak World War 2.

As we all know, the solution that was implemented for the German problem in those contested Eastern areas was the partial extermination and complete ethnic cleansing of their German populations from 1944 to 1946.

It became the greatest mass migration, forced or otherwise, in modern history.

I wonder what fate awaits the Russians living in the former Soviet Republics...........

[Ex Lurker]

11. I wouldn't put it past them if they were capable

but I don't think they are. Russia is a brittle power, with a lot of systemic problems that will be difficult to impossible to fix. China is the one to watch over the next century.