S-2

Not surprising you're "interested".

Bear (pardon the pun ) in mind that Firral is a captain of Russian naval infantry. He possesses a very natural pride in his nation and undoubtedly regrets it's demise since 1991. As such, he is heartened to see his nation begin emerging from it's morass.

The sad fact of the matter is, like China and India, growth can be illusory. All three nations would be better served developing their internal infrastructure and social support networks instead of viewing global bogeymen. We'll see who first appreciates these benefits instead of better missiles and refurbished aircraft carriers.

Dog chases tail. So it goes.

__________________
"This aggression will not stand, man!" Jeff Lebowski

Feanor

I like being right. It makes me proud of myself so please tell what I'm right about so I can be proud for a reason

Shamus

All these rights Feanor.....careful......you're starting to sound like a conservative .

__________________
A positive attitude may not solve all your problems, but
it will annoy enough people to make it worth the effort.

Feanor

Oh no. Thanks for the warning. I'll be more careful. *cough cough* Ahem. There will be a few changes. From now on I will be addressed as comrade Feanor to reflect my natural inclinations. Now lets all sing together.

Soyuz nerushimuiy
Respublik svobodnuih


.... it's ok that you don't understand. You don't need to.


*psst Shamus how about now?*

Shamus

Much better,you've quieted my fears about you losing your good ol' boy communist outlook on life.Balance has returned to world politics.....I will sleep soundly tonight .

S-2

"I can tell you one thing. If I was the U.S., it would be."

Refresh your memory?

Feanor

Ahhh yes. Thank you. No sarcasm. Well look at it this way, if it was the Soviet Union building a missile shield, would the shield be aimed at British and French nukes? Hell no. It would be aimed at American ones. Why? Because there's more of them, and they're far more capable of doing the damage. So why is the American one aimed at Iran?

Firral

" The sphere of influence " is not the direct control, and not to something that belongs to us.
But this that on what we can influence. You can be quiet, very small but very proud Baltic countries are not necessary to us. But we can influence you as your economy strongly depends on us. Recollect this spring, and the slogan of two journalists " Has bought the Latvian sprats - has helped veterans SS! ". And in fact it was simple national movement, instead of political measures. However it has forced to become thoughtfull, as Latvia has started to lose its money.

__________________

S-2

"So why is the American one aimed at Iran?"

MAD, Feanor. Key word is "assured". Ten missiles are indicated for the current projected shield. Hardly enough to stop a Russian first or retaliatory strike. MAD thus remains unaffected and fully applicable.

The shield could, however, severely limit or eliminate the threat of a lessor adversary. The only obvious place to defend would be Europe. I'd suggest S. Korea and Japan but don't know enough except to speculate that sea-based platforms (AEGIS-equipped frigates/cruisers) might already be proven.

Again, there's no threat from this system to Russia. They fully appreciate that as evidenced by the comments from Mikhailov. Clearly, then, Putin has grasped onto this as a strawman to inflate the ire of the average Russian citizen against the west, namely America, for his domestic political benefit.

OTOH, knowledge derived from the operation of this system may eventually lead to something larger protecting N. America. Were that so, MAD could become skewed out of relevance. Russia could then 1.) build it's own system at a great cost and without the benefit of research and operational procedures derived from the Euro-shield, of which it was invited to participate, 2.) launch pre-emptively rather than absorb a U.S. first-strike before launching into a proven defense system with it's remaining nuclear force or, 3.) rely upon it's SLBMs to conduct second-strike/retaliatory strikes.

To me, what's interesting is that choosing not to participate pushes our two nations further apart and creates a greater liklihood of the aforementioned possibilities-none of which are good. Reading Putin and Firral leads me to believe that Russia thinks it's best interests depend upon a re-newed arms race and global proxy-based competition.

The latest- watch for Russian meddling with former Northern Alliance warlords in Afghanistan. A schism is developing between Karzai's Pashtun-based political machine and the N.A. It's been brewing since November, 2001 and is now sowing discord.

braindead

But this is a good example ! Latvia had the most Russian-friendly goverment of the last 16 years , they were extremely cautious not to anger Russia one bit , were actually bowing backwards to all rus. demands , just to get the border treaty . And got another ´fig vam´ from Russia .
And how does Russia influence countries if there will be no more gas ? I could be wrong but isn´t Russia already facing sort of a fuel crisis . Couple of months ago there were lots of reports about fuel shortages in Russia .
And if the oil transit will end (and it will end ) , then what ? IF (and thats a big if) there will be new nuclear power plant(s) and we finally get our biggest weakness , the shared power grid hooked off from you , then what ?
What other economical moves can you do ? Trade with Russia - 8% of export goes to you , 13% of our import comes from you . Currently it´s probably even less .
So now what ? Not much of a carrot to offer , what´s next , the stick ?

__________________
....

Firral

To be pleased to revival, there is no necessity to be the captain of naval infantry, it is enough to be Russian.
At present. But who will forbid to you to put there hundred rockets in the future?
If to recollect as the USA masterly broke own promises in 90th years (for example about expansion of NATO), we cannot be assured of it that it will not occur in the future. In fact the base will be already constructed.
I do not think that the board causes "ire" Ire have caused bombardments of Serbia, an attack to Iraq (under a mythical pretext), and also that lie that you show in the mass-media. As one of my Russian the Internet - interlocutors has told: the best propagation of a party of Putin, before elections in a thought, translation of the western press about Russia is. For example reading IT (especially the first comments), I understand that in America absolutely know nothing about Russia. Besides you concern to Russia extremely aggressively.
One of conditions which have put forward the USA in the offer on a board, were previous conclusions of the Russian peace-making armies from Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) and Moldova. Probably you understand, that such conditions are unacceptable.
There is no race of arms, our economy now is not capable of it. There is systematic a replacement of systems of arms and their development.

S-2

"To be pleased to revival, there is no necessity to be the captain of naval infantry, it is enough to be Russian."

Fair enough, I suppose, excepting those voices who've been silenced by the regime behind this "revival".

"At present. But who will forbid to you to put there hundred rockets in the future?"

Certainly Russia's refusal to participate means that it won't be you. Participation accords immense leverage. That's now lost.

"I do not think that the board causes "ire" Ire have caused bombardments of Serbia, an attack to Iraq (under a mythical pretext), and also that lie that you show in the mass-media."

That's your view. I rather like Milosovic gone. I rather like Hussein gone, WMD relegated to a non-issue, invasion of neighbors eliminated, and a baath party dismantled. It cheers my heart immensely.

As for TIME magazine- my high school classmate was Steve Koepp. He was deputy managing editor of TIME until recently accepting a position with FORTUNE. He knows my anger at a decision with which he had much to do- putting Putin on his cover. Had he not done so, you wouldn't have to read such comments about your leader from irate American citizens disgusted with TIME's selection.

"One of conditions which have put forward the USA in the offer on a board, were previous conclusions of the Russian peace-making armies from Georgia (South Ossetia and Abkhazia) and Moldova. Probably you understand, that such conditions are unacceptable."

Firral, no fault of yours, but I don't understand this and my Russian is FAR worse than your english. Perhaps you could P.M. Alex Ivanov or Feanor in Russian and ask that they translate your thoughts. They could either P.M. me or post your thoughts here. Sorry.

"There is no race of arms, our economy now is not capable of it. There is systematic a replacement of systems of arms and their development."

That's good for your military. Someday you need to share with us a bit about commanding a maintenence company in a Russian naval infantry regiment. I know that I'd be absolutely fascinated to learn more about the lives of your marines and yourself. I know far too little about how your day-to-day activities are spent. Naturally, having served in an army allows me to speculate, but you remain one of WAB's best assets. Your insights are incredibly valuable to me and I appreciate the candor and perspectives that you offer.

Feanor

He means that America made the condition that Russian peacekeepers be withdrawn from the breakaway republics of Transnestria, Abkhazia, and S. Ossetia. Only under this condition would Russia be allowed to participate.

That's actually very interesting. I've never heard of that condition.

S-2

Feanor,

Thanks for your help.

Firral

Oh, I likely shall answer this message separately.
Whom do you mean? Probably Litvinenko and Politkovskuyu, so? You know someone more?
Now look at it unbiassedly. Who these people? What for to Putin their death?
Politkovskaya, it is the oppositional journalist. To her death, I heard about her only once, having read through its article about war in the Chechen Republic. (I shall tell fairly, article very much has not liked me, because of criticism of actions of army). The majority of citizens at all did not hear about her.
Her have killed in birthday to Putin (it ridiculously), and in mass-media of the West there and then appointed its murderer Putin!
Tell what for to destroy one not so known journalist if in Russia there are oppositional newspapers, radio stations? What sense in it?
Litvinenko, the former officer of FSB. He some years of veins to the Great Britain, wrote fantastic books about FSB (for money " the big democrat " Berezovskogo). To whom he suddenly could prevent? Again a question what for to Putin its death?
From these two murders Putin receives:
Benefit: there was less on one person a quantity of oppositional journalists (which thousand); there was less on one person a quantity of former officers of FSB (which thousand).
Not benefit: falling of the international image of Russia, Putin name the dictator. In hands the opposition has trump cards.
Look at Putin, he/she is clever enough politician. You are assured that he has made it? At least it was very silly.
When have killed Benazir Bhutto the mass-media have told, that the president of Pakistan was the loser, as suspicions fall on him. Why you do not see analogies in Russia?
For you in the West (especially in the USA), Russia it is always equal to dictatorship. You represent Russian weak-willed herd of cows. Look at the link from "Time". You think that we starve, what we are afraid Putin and so on? My God, it is simply ridiculous. You read comments of Russian there in the end? You have not reflected, what that your knowledge of modern Russia mismatch true?
Yours opinion it is supervised by your mass-media. To you will tell " this person the dictator ", and you trust it. At us in Russia, people trust mass-media as they lived in the USSR, and then and in 90th years less. We have "immunity" to it, and we are not so credulous.
I already spoke on WAB, that I am not admirer Putin. However it was possible manage much, he clever enough politician, and I respect with him for it.
Choice TIME's, this private affair of edition. As a matter of fact, me all the same. To me are not pleasant, aggressive comments of people, their errors concerning all Russia. It very much is not pleasant when you consider as the silly cowardly ram whom the dictator corrects.

PS. Excuse for my English here, I know it hard to read.
PPS. Thanks Feanor.