Mark Steyn: Russia is dying and Islamists will grab parts of the carcass

The Australian ^ | October 31, 2005 | Mark Steyn

[Pittsburg Phil]

Deny God and that's what happens.

[mmercier]

Russia's nuclears are chit, most will crash land on the launch pad.

Let them die, they are of little use to the civilized world.

Maybe some day a viable government will arise out of the ashes; trying to deal with their government today is useless as they have no control over all their myriad appendages and out of control apparatus's.

[GarySpFc]

Ping. Mark Steyn article.

[uscabjd]

Is this the same Russia that has a gdp growth of 10% and endless oil wealth? And why are they loosing population?

[cynicom]

Wonder why China is not seen as a threat to Russia??

[Mr. Mojo]

"Russia is literally dying. From a population peak in 1992 of 148 million, it will be down to below 130 million by 2015 and thereafter dropping to perhaps 50 or 60 million by the end of the century."

".... most Russian women are voting with their foetus: 70 per cent of pregnancies are aborted."

"Russia is the sick man of Europe, and would still look pretty sick if you moved him to Africa. It has the fastest-growing rate of HIV infection in the world. By 2010, AIDS will be killing between 250,000 and 750,000 Russians every year."

"Russia's got the lot: an African-level AIDS crisis and an Islamist separatist movement sitting on top of the biggest pile of nukes on the planet."

"Russia's calculation is that sooner or later we'll be back in a bipolar world and that, in almost any scenario, there's more advantage in being part of the non-American pole."

Steyn appears to have a good grasp of the situation.

[MikefromOhio]

I am not willing to count the Russians out quite yet.

Hitler made the same mistake in the late 30's....


It's going to take a couple generations for the Russians to grow out of the filth that was Communism....

[Mount Athos]

I have long recognized that Russia's negative growth rate is a certain future crisis that could doom the country.

The government needs to do much more to encourage more births.

[Do not dub me shapka broham]

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/09/09/kasparov.shtml

[MikefromOhio]

In a column for The Wall Street Journal Kasparov wrote that “Putin must go,” and said that the president showed his “true colors” as a typical Soviet-style leader in his speech after the hostage-taking in Beslan.

From the Article. Exactly what I said. Putin was a crony back in the 80's. I doubt he is a believing communist, but I DO think that the brainwashing that IS communism and certain aspects (authoritarianism) still color his thinking today.

[GSlob]

"Putin's tirade to Bush that the US was flooding Russia with substandard chicken drumsticks and keeping the best ones for itself."
But it is the old Russian practice: in his "Domostroi" manual on household management (written around 1550s) arch-priest Sylvester, confessor to Ivan the Terrible, recommended that the food which started spoiling was to be given as alms to the poor and the needy, for it would be good for the food owner's soul and good enough for the recipients. So what's wrong with it ????

[lawgirl]

That's the danger for America: that most of what Russia has to trade is likely to be damaging to US interests. In its death throes, it could bequeath the world several new Muslim nations, a nuclear Middle East and a stronger China.

Thoughts?

[My2Cents]

thereafter dropping to perhaps 50 or 60 million by the end of the century.

It's turning into one giant Canada.

[starfish923]

I disagree with the bottom line: Russia is not dying.
Of all the former Communist pitholes in the world, Russia suffered, perhaps, the most, only because it had the most to lose.
Their culture (history, tradition, religion) that is, the soul of Russia, was STRIPPED, FLAYED, CRUCIFIED, GULAGED, DEBASED and all but obliterated with the greatest genocidal effort this planet has ever seen.

The attempt at communist-self-genocide was an 80-year, 80 L-O-N-G years year tale of abyssmal tragedy and misery to the millions and millions of Russians (and an enormous expense [trillion$] to us).

The Russians are back BECAUSE Communism failed (with the relentless "help" of the U.S./Reagan, the Catholic Church/Poland/Solidarity, Soviet bloc countries, East Germany, ETC.). Their culture (history, religion, tradition, that is, their soul) did survive because it was a very strong one and the Russian people were determined that it do so.

It will take the Russians at least three generations to recover. But, that is only my humble little guessimate. Who knows.

Putin is for Russia. No one gave a damn about Russia other than to defeat the Evil Empire. Putin will serve Russia and he will continue to go a good job. (My opinion)

He will continued to be villified by us and by all other countries to whom he doesn't kneel or bend over for. He will never do enough. What he does will never be good enough. No matter what he says or does, he WILL be considered wrong.

That he refrains from obvious comments like, "The hell with you," "Where were you when....," "Yeah, like this is going to be good for us......" "What's in it for us? Nothing? Oh, surprise, surprise," "Who are you to tell us how we MUST deal with Iran or any other country," is amazing.

I don't want to go to Russia; I'm not enamored with the Russians we have here; I'm not in love with their culture, religion or language; I don't like poetry or their icons and their operas are long, boring and tedious (zzzz too many verbose, weeping sopranos--no comments here on verbosity, please). However, their contributions of music, ballet, literature (thick books, depressing books, plays, characters), science, etc., are fantastic. I admire and respect their culture, that is, their soul.
I can't say the same for other countires, non-communist, communist and/or post communist countries. No names, please. :o)

[Ghost of Philip Marlowe]

An unloaded gun is as much of a threat to someone as a loaded one, if they don't know it's unloaded.

An Islamofascist with a nuke -- any nuke -- suddenly becomes a key player to be negotiated with.

[starfish923]

1. I am not willing to count the Russians out quite yet.
2. Hitler made the same mistake in the late 30's....
3. It's going to take a couple generations for the Russians to grow out of the filth that was Communism....

1. Me neither.

2. So did Napoleon 100 years earlier.

3. I'd say AT LEAST three generations.

[starfish923]

From the Article. Exactly what I said. Putin was a crony back in the 80's. I doubt he is a believing communist, but I DO think that the brainwashing that IS communism and certain aspects (authoritarianism) still color his thinking today.

Agreed.

So does his black-belt training in martial arts.
As does his upbringing in the Russian Orthodoxy. His mother was a devout Christain. Putin attends Mass regularly as well.

He is an interesting hybrid.

[FormerLib]

Why does this come as a surprise? Heck, the West already has shown itself willing to slice off parts of the former Yugoslavia and hand them to the Muhammedans in a modern-day Munich Agreement.

I've no doubt the Muhammedans hope they'll be as stupid when it comes to former Soviet areas.