Putin warning...

[Taf]

I think ordinary Russians don't care about the slide in the rouble, as long as they have bread, vodka and heat in winter. Putin's propaganda machine has kept him in power for so many years, he thinks he's invincible.

And that makes him very dangerous.

[richard s]

Another worrying thing for the future is the Chinese and Americans having a possible conflict in the South China seas.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-installations.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013.../phil-j29.html

May be old news!

[Uncle Peter]

Originally Posted by richard s

Another worrying thing for the future is the Chinese and Americans having a possible conflict in the South China seas.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/201...-installations.

http://www.wsws.org/en/articles/2013.../phil-j29.html

May be old news!

China won't bully the big boys though. Look at the Paracel Island conflict in the 70's: Were the Americans not otherwise bogged down and pre-occupied fighting the VC I very much doubt that little episode would have happened.

[Osem]

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has accused Russia of interfering in the affairs of Eastern European countries seeking closer ties with the EU.

In an interview in Die Welt am Sonntag newspaper (in German), Mrs Merkel said Russia was "creating problems" for Moldova, Georgia and Ukraine.

Russia's violation of "the territorial integrity... of Ukraine must not be allowed to stand", she added.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-30366947

Tough talking. Putin's response would be interesting if it weren't bound to be more of the same denial and rhetoric...

[Osem]

Russia's central bank made a drastic interest rate move overnight, raising its key rate from 10.5% to 17%.

The bank said the move was to try to ease the rouble's recent fall in value.

The rouble has lost almost 50% against the US dollar this year as falling oil prices and Western sanctions continue to weigh on the country's economy.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30490082

Reminds me of the sort of rates we were paying on our first mortgage.

Anyway, no doubt Putin will be making it quite clear to his people that this has nothing to do with his actions and is solely the result of an unwarranted attack by the west on the proud people of Russia...

Originally Posted by Osem

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-30490082

Reminds me of the sort of rates we were paying on our first mortgage.

Anyway, no doubt Putin will be making it quite clear to his people that this has nothing to do with his actions and is solely the result of an unwarranted attack by the west on the proud people of Russia...

His rhetoric will only go so far..

[Sirius]

Originally Posted by Maggy J

His rhetoric will only go so far..

Then the cold war will start again. Nato better wake up and smell the coffee before its to late. To many libs demanding cut backs in the armed forces have made us weak and unable to defend ourselves if the needed.

[Osem]

Yes and its Putin's perception of the west's capabilities and intentions which matters because that's what will determine his actions. He's a very dangerous individual and who knows to what extent his ego will rule his head.

[Ignitionnet]

I don't think anyone wants a full-on conflict between Russia and NATO. There is absolutely no way it would stay conventional.

Putin will push as hard as he can without crossing the red lines of the NATO treaties.

[Kursk]

A sobering fact often not mentioned is that over 20m soviets died in WW2. Over twenty million. US and UK combined losses were under 1m. It is not only Russia's President that binds the Russian people.

[Gavin78]

I don't think it's Russia we need to worry about if a war did break out, It's all the other crazy leaders out there that would take advantage of this by either joining putin or starting their own wars knowing resources would be going to battling Russia.

[Gary L]

Originally Posted by Sirius

Then the cold war will start again. Nato better wake up and smell the coffee before its to late. To many libs demanding cut backs in the armed forces have made us weak and unable to defend ourselves if the needed.

Give all benefit scroungers a gun and we'll be ok.

just hope they don't shoot the workers though.

[Ignitionnet]

Originally Posted by Kursk

A sobering fact often not mentioned is that over 20m soviets died in WW2. Over twenty million. US and UK combined losses were under 1m. It is not only Russia's President that binds the Russian people.

Twenty million deaths. So about the expected immediate result of 2/3rds of the firepower a single Vanguard class submarine carries in peace time, this including effects of decoys and any anti-missile system the Russians have.

Hang that idea in front of anyone you'd hope things calm down before they get too extreme.

Putin is somewhat mad but not completely nuts. He knows that either side going too far results in a no-win for everyone.

Which is a comforting thought.

[Kursk]

Originally Posted by Ignitionnet

Putin is somewhat mad....

And m.a.d. is what has kept us all alive thus far...

Perhaps one day Russia will become a member of NATO.

Imagine all the people, living life in peace. You may say I'm a dreamer.

[Osem]

Wars don't have to be planned, they just require the right conditions and right now there's enough strife around the globe to set one off. Look back to WWI to see how things can escalate. Yes we now have nukes but it only requires one side or other to 'believe' they're under immediate threat to set off a chain reaction which is hard to stop. Unlikely it may be, but anyone who thinks we're too clever to blow ourselves up is overestimating our collective intelligence I feel.