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Originally Posted by freddie
Sounds like a nice imperialist plan indeed.
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Welcome to planet Earth, stranger! Of course it's imperialism! Politics of regional or global superpowers were always like this and will always be. Well, the rusty weapons can be replaced and they are constantly modernizing. What experts did surprise that their military structures and strategies have extremely improved since their last enterprises in the Caucasus. That will make thing definitely harder for the NATO. I don't really believe that Russia wants back the former time of glory (which by the way never really existed), they want to gain control back in their immediate surroundings, which has been almost completely occupied by the NATO.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freddie
Time will tell. I still consider Medvedev a man of reason and sound legal mind. For now he goes the Putin way, but maybe he just needs time to adjust himself in the new role and reaffirm his reign, before oppossing his master. The change in foreign policy in mid 00s has a lot to do with other reasons (more on that bellow) than Medvedov's vice presidency.
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I never saw Putin as the sole architect of the developments of the second half of this decade. From the moment the three guys from St. Peterburg shared the top positions in the Kremlin I did see them as one body. Putin just used the blade more elegantly than Medvedev does. In the internal politics, here I agree with you, Medvedev's way will be more constitutional, more in accordance with the rule of law, even with more liberty for the media, but in foreign politics I don't see a turning point, not now and not in the nearer future.
Quote:
Originally Posted by freddie
...
2) Pure economy: ...
...Every global cent gained from oil that doesn't get filtered through Moscow is a cent lost.
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Economy is of course important, but the money itself isn't the big problem for Russia, it's the loss of control. The total dependence of Europe on Russia providing the vast majority of energy ressources brought them always in a good position for negotiations on any topic, the emanzipation of Europe will make it far more difficult to pull partners on their side, when it comes to questions important for Russia.
And global strategy should not be underestimated. The economic success and power of the USA is based on their global (military!) strategies. Russia's economical success, that is, a positive development of their economy with reduction of the huge dependence on their wealth of natural ressources and overcoming poverty, this can only be obtained with a higher influence on their neighbours. The question here is just, how much success brings a forced partnership (bullying and blackmailing) economically, and how much a partnership of trust and friendship.