[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.

[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....

[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)

[StoneGiant]

Excellent post. Thanks!

[LoneRangerMassachusetts]

In fairness to Putin, he's in a wretched position. 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

This is an old story I read in the Atlantic Monthly years ago, I think by Robert Kaplan if I remember right.

Predicting the future that far out is plain silly. All it takes is one inspirational leader to turn a country on a dime.

The left over commies are a drag on Russia. I don't expect any of them acquired a work ethic since Glastnos and Perestroika. Once the commies die out, and that capitalism shows that it rewards those that work, I think the downward spiral in Russia sill stop. Given its natural resources and intellectual capital, it may even rise up as the strongman of Eurasia.

Steyn is also silly to think Islam is going to carve up Russia. The whole of Islam still can't rid itself of 6,000,000 or so Jews.

[LibWhacker]

We are witnessing a remarkable event: the death of a great nation not through war or devastation but through its inability to rouse itself from its own suicidal tendencies.

Socialism has to be outlawed. It leads to this suicidal tendency wherever it raises its ugly head. We see it right here in America. Democrats (our socialists) won't fight islamicists either.

[ABG(anybody but Gore)]

While I agree with Steyn that Russia is the modern day "Sick Man of Europe", I wouldn't write them off so quickly. Napoleon and Hitler found that out the hard way, and I think the Islamofascists in Iran will find out soon enough, that you can never conquer that much territory and hold it against a determined foe, and Russians are very determined when you mess with their turf.

Anybody who thinks they'll just up and give up their home turf(not counting the SSR's ending in "stan") need only look at how long they've been fighting the Chechnyans. It's not a great example of how to run a counter-insurgency campaign, but it demonstrates that they can, and will fight if aroused. And nobody will convince me that some of those SS-20's are whatever don't still work....

[Nebr FAL owner]

V.Putin was a full Colonel of the KGB he was stationed in East Germany running spies against the west. This man is no fool & those who think that he is looking out for anything but what he percieves to be in his own interests are fools of the earth shaking variety .

[uncbob]

The new US President had his first meeting with the Russian President. "I looked the man in the eye and found him very straightforward and trustworthy," George W. Bush said after two hours with Vladimir Putin. "I was able to get a sense of his soul." I'm all for speaking softly and carrying a big stick, but that's way too soft.

Who the hell does Bush mis-evaluate more our foreign enemies or the democrats

[nutmeg]

ping

[wardaddy]

Steyn is right

Christians and Jews...and maybe Sikhs too

need to get down baby and start getting some broods going

I'd hate to see the Moon Rockies whip us like this.

We can do better!

Come on people!

Big Families, Lotsa Children!

it's a tough job...we're counting on ya'll

[wardaddy]

70 per cent of pregnancies are aborted

that is abominable

[Ramcat]

...a riddle wrapped in a mystery inside an enigma. Today's has come unwrapped: it's a crisis in a disaster inside a catastrophe.

Would this be something similar to a turduckin?