Dreadnought

Learn to read between the lines Feanor the writing is on the wall.

__________________
Fortitude.....The strength to persist...The courage to endure.

foxhound_nn

Somebody translate it please!
I didn't understand anything too

Dreadnought

If your an American its very clear and no translation needed.

foxhound_nn

only half of writers on this thread are americans. So explain you ideas more or less clear. Moreover i don't think that even americans understand your post

Dreadnought

Foxhound that I strongly doubt. The Americans that vote and will vote for a president very soon know exactly what that means for U.S. canidates.

Briefly: Putin is suceeded by someone he chooses not by free election. Which means a few things for America. 1) His successor is probably from the very same background as Putin himself is. He is propbably being elected due to Putins own vision and a hard stand against the West and fits in well with the present.

2) It gives the American people insight as to what kind of canidate will best suite the interests of the people of the U.S and gives them somewhat a criteria to measure the canidates by. Basically a rooting out process. The American people know out of both parties what suites us best and this will certainly "thin the herd" if you would. If Russia will elect someone with a strong stand against the West then it is only in our interests to elect someone simular to our opposition two fold.

I can say this my money says that you will be looking at a Republican president very shortly. And IMHO It narrows it down to one of three.

foxhound_nn

Dreadnought, i can assure you, mr Medvedev is the most liberal candidate of all possible. The alternative was only mr Ivanov - much stronger and harsh politic. Moreover despite the fact that Putin and Medvedev have known each other more than 17 years ago, their backgrounds are absolutely different.
But at the same time mr Medvedev most probably will be under the strongest Putin's control

Dreadnought

Agreed and thats exactly why I forecast the above statement. America wont choose a woman nor what I term "a used car salemen" to stand up to Putins strong arm man. My prediction a Republican president and down to three already. What will finally decide it will be the answers they give as time draws near on the elections. One of three. I wont name the three but my gut tells me I'm well within the ballpark.

Ray

I believe that Putin is to be Russia's Prime Minister.

A neat way to have his hand on the steering wheel!

__________________


"Some have learnt many Tricks of sly Evasion, Instead of Truth they use Equivocation, And eke it out with mental Reservation, Which is to good Men an Abomination."

I don't have to attend every argument I'm invited to.

HAKUNA MATATA

Feanor

Read the union with belarus response I wrote. Becoming head of the new union is the perfect way out for Putin. And there doesn't have to be a term limit on that post, since it technically isn't a national leader position.

foxhound_nn

Good idea!
But really i still don't beleive that the union with Belarus will ever exist. Russia just don't need it

Feanor

The question is how far do Putin's ambitions about rebuilding the USSR stretch? First off we can consider the fact that Belarus has a decent manufacturing industry that would probably benefit the Russia economy, especially in terms of diversification, while Russia has oil and gas that, if sold to Belarussians at internal prices, would give a significant boost to their economy. Second off we can continue the integration of the military to an even greater degree. This would probably be beneficial to both sides. Russia would gain access to a lot of the installations in Belarus, and a combined ORB military would be at the same time more capable and less expensive. Geopolitically this would protect Lukashenko from Western pressure and Putin from potential EU and NATO expansion into Belarus. Seems like a more or less mutually beneficial merger. However the question is whether Lukashenko trusts Putin in particular, and the Russian government in general, enough to essentially let down his only defense against them, i.e. being able to negotiate with the EU independently.

foxhound_nn

ussr? by Putin? it's just a western myth

The only benefit for Russia from this unuion is Belarusian territory (ie just as an additional land)

texacali

Foxhound, isn't influence or control of territory what the great game is all about?

foxhound_nn

It's a strategy of XVIII century. And now this territory is only a burden for Moscow.
The best way to use that territory now is to leave their economic independence, but still use their territory to deploy weapon by political means

Feanor

Already being done. The Belarussian military is integrated with the Russian one to such an extent that Putin had no problems threatening to use Belarussian territory to deploy Iskander complexes to target the new ABM systems in Eastern Europe, and the Belarussian PVO is far larger then Belarus needs or can afford.......