http://www.military-quotes.com/forum/russia-resumes-nuke-bomber-sorties-page2-t42046.html <-- From this thread.Quote:
Originally Posted by 5.56X45mm
The Soviets were never really gone. The threat of communism was never really gone. Russia learned that she was just too big for her breeches . But now that she's learned and healed herself, she wants back in the game.
We have yet to see a Russia that has "healed herself". She's still a pretty big mess. Russia's running with the same strategy that has revived far too many nations in the past -- militarism.
But lets remember what's missing. Reaquiring control of all former Soviet States will be difficult. Without them, Russia is missing a huge portion of it's overall former population:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of..._by_population
9 Russia142,499,000
27 Ukraine46,205,000
43 Uzbekistan27,372,000
62 Kazakhstan15,422,000
84 Belarus9,689,000
92 Azerbaijan8,467,000
99 Tajikistan6,736,000
110 Kyrgyzstan5,317,000
112 Turkmenistan4,965,000
118 Georgia4,395,000[10]
127 Moldova3,794,000[11
130 Lithuania3,390,000
135 Armenia3,002,000
140 Latvia2,277,000
148 Estonia1,342,409
Total Population in former USSR that are now independent nations: 98,899,909.
These nations also account for a substantial portion of the former USSR's oil production as other natural resources.
The Ukraine in particular, has been less than pleased with some recent meddling by Russia in their politics. No doubt, this has made them very wary of Russia.
Reaquiring Eastern Europe will likely prove impossible.
I doubt if even Putin strongly believes in Communism anymore. So in order to have a unifying cause or ideology, Russia will have to come up with something else.
One of the biggest reason for the collapse of the Communist Block was the free flow of information internationally -- something that will take some time and much effort to completely stop. Let's face it, there's just way too many means through which to communicate.
A very large number of the Russian and former Soviet citizens are none too enthusiastic about returning to the same sort of totalitarianistic state that existed throughout the Cold War.
Personally, I'm one for never underestimating a potential enemy. Russia is a potential enemy that the USA especially will be likely to underestimate unless and until it blows up in their face.
Not exactly military allies. Some like the Baltic States are eager to become such of course. Would the USA aid them if they asked for help? It's certainly possible, but difficult to say for certain.Half of the former Soviet republics are now US allies and won't abandon the US for even one second because they (US and ex-Soviet republics) mutually need each other.
Sukio, big countries that fall have a habit of not wanting to stay down.
You think the Chinese are a rising power? They're a power coming back. The Russians are the same too. The desire to be a world super power is there.
You hardly have to worry about the USA maintaining a "monopoly" on the role of Superpower.Super power, sometimes, it sucks having the monopoly on it. You can see what I mean, when you look at all the U.S. military personnel scattered around the world for various reasons.
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