Putin's Russia: From basket case to resurgent superpower

Source: AP
Published: Mar 12, 2018
Author: ANGELA CHARLTON and NAIRA DAVLASHYAN
Post Date: 2018-03-12 11:06:07 by VxH
Views: 3318

MOSCOW (AP) — Vladimir Putin and his Russia look more invincible today than at any other time in his 18 years in power.

Since Putin last faced an election in 2012, Russians have invaded Ukraine, annexed Crimea, blanket-bombed Syria, been accused of meddling in the U.S. presidential election and claimed to have a scary new nuclear arsenal.

"No one listened to us. You listen to us now," he said earlier this month, boasting about those weapons.

Putin will overwhelmingly win re-election as president on March 18, again. So why bother holding a vote at all?

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#1: VxH    To: All (#0)

Now would be a really good time for FLOTUS, or her husband, to articulate the differences between the (R) in the former U.S.A. and the (R) in the U.S.S.R. - where her father was a card carrying member of the Soviet Communist Party.

But...

{ crickets crickets crickets }

VxH posted on 2018-03-12 11:07:49   Reply   Private Reply


#2: Tooconservative    To: VxH (#1)

Now would be a really good time for FLOTUS, or her husband, to articulate the differences between the (R) in the former U.S.A. and the (R) in the U.S.S.R. - where her father was a card carrying member of the Soviet Communist Party.

I think Melania's parents are now residents here. So in not too many years, Melania's father can become an American communist. It's a much classier kind of communist than being some dusty old commie in a nowhere country like Slovenia that no one can even find on a map.

It would be even better if he registers Republican. We need more communist Republicans in this country.

Tooconservative posted on 2018-03-12 11:44:37   Reply   Private Reply


#3: Tooconservative    To: VxH (#0)

Russia went from being a basket case to a rather minor player in its near-abroad and in Syria.

Russia is still not much more than Peru with nukes.

Tooconservative posted on 2018-03-12 11:47:23   Reply   Private Reply


#4: Pinguinite    To: VxH (#0)

Putin will overwhelmingly win re-election as president on March 18, again. So why bother holding a vote at all?

Especially since the Russians will be accused of meddling in it.

Pinguinite posted on 2018-03-12 12:31:15   Reply   Private Reply


#5: VxH    To: Tooconservative (#2)

...in not too many years, Melania's father can become an American communist. It's a much classier kind of communist than being some dusty old commie in a nowhere country like Slovenia that no one can even find on a map.

It would be even better if he registers Republican. We need more communist Republicans in this country.

"I learned a long time ago that reality was much weirder than anyone's imagination. "
--Hunter S. Thompson

Going, Going, Gonzo!

VxH posted on 2018-03-12 12:38:15   Reply   Private Reply


#6: Justified    To: VxH (#0)

I think it’s propaganda.

Soro’s spent more on one Texas town AG race.

As for planes and military stuff it’s either old and wore out or 5 badass planes.

China could kick thier butt.

Justified posted on 2018-03-12 13:27:21   Reply   Private Reply


#7: paraclete    To: VxH (#0)

"No one listened to us. You listen to us now

This is just Russian paranoia talking. NATO is on their borders forcing them to upgrade their military but prototypes do not make tactical forces. No one wants a war with Russia, it is unwinnable as Hitler and Napoleon found out, you are not fighting people, you are fighting nature, and so you go nuclear and MAD takes over. It doesn't matter if the weapons are old, all they need to be is effective, bombing the crap out of Russia gets you in a nuclear winter scenario and nobody wins.

Also Europe gets a fuel shortage and with winter comes death.

So Putin talks tough on the eve of an election and it is gobbled up by Russians looking for some good news, even if it is bad

paraclete posted on 2018-03-13 22:11:40   Reply   Private Reply


#8: Hank Rearden    To: VxH (#0)

Russia is barely a second-world country, with a GDP worse than Brazil and just slightly ahead of Italy:

GDP comparison

Hank Rearden posted on 2018-03-15 09:58:09   Reply   Private Reply


#9: VxH    To: paraclete (#7)

No one wants a war with Russia

Juan McCain the his Military Industrial kleptocrat cronies do.

VxH posted on 2018-03-16 15:14:34   Reply   Private Reply


#10: VxH    To: Hank Rearden (#8)

Russia is barely a second-world country, with a GDP worse than Brazil and just slightly ahead of Italy:

Yeah but just think about how much $$ can be made from rebuilding the village after making a bunch more $$ burning it down... again.

Dick Cheney and his Halliburton cronies should be forced to teach a graduate course on that subject at the University of Baghdad.

VxH posted on 2018-03-16 15:21:55   Reply   Private Reply


#11: paraclete    To: Hank Rearden (#8)

Russia is barely a second-world country, with a GDP worse than Brazil and just slightly ahead of Italy:

So you think it is income that makes a country first world, second world used to refer to the Communist bloc and third world to the less developed countries. So Russia is a second world country, so is China.

paraclete posted on 2018-03-16 18:57:28   Reply   Private Reply