Meanwhile .. in Red Square

michaelmaltby · Feb 26, 2019

.... do you have any pictures of your years working in the far east, west coast, of Russia that you could share ...?

GrauGeist · Feb 27, 2019

Interesting to see how people seem to have forgotten about NORAD's capabilities including the modern low orbit system that can alert NORAD of a launch anywhere in the world within seconds.

That's how they know about North Korea's shenanigans the moment Kim Ding-Dong launches anything.

Dimlee · Feb 28, 2019

michaelmaltby said:
.... do you have any pictures of your years working in the far east, west coast, of Russia that you could share ...?

It was in 1980s/early 1990s... I still have some black and white and slide film rolls somewhere in boxes. Not scanned yet, unfortunately.

michaelmaltby · Feb 28, 2019

... I know the situation, Dimlee. ... I have tons of material that I will never, ever scan.
But, not to be denied, , may I suggest you see what photos you like on the Internet that are 'familiar' (representative) and simply forward some of those.
I listen to books on Audible, Soviet-German events are of great interest to me .... when I hear of place names or features e.g. Taganrod or Taman Peninsula, I google the name and get an impression of the terrain and development.
I know it's doing two things at once ... listening and googling ... but that seems to be today's world, doesn't it?

Dimlee · Mar 1, 2019

Michael, please see PM.

michaelmaltby · Mar 8, 2019

Interesting footage

GrauGeist · Mar 8, 2019

Fascinating...

Dimlee · Mar 11, 2019

Valery Gerasimov, Chief of the General Staff of the Armed Forces of Russian Federation.

In January 2013, Mr.Gerasimov has accused "The West" in developing the doctrine of hybrid war: the use of nonmilitary means to achieve strategic aims. (his report at the meeting of the Academy of Military Science).

One month later in February 2013, Mr.Gerasimov has published the article "The Value of Science is in the Foresight" in the weekly Russian trade paper Military-Industrial Kurier. He wrote: "The very 'rules of war' have changed. The role of nonmilitary means of achieving political and strategic goals has grown, and, in many cases, they have exceeded the power of force of weapons in their effectiveness … All this is supplemented by military means of a concealed character."

One year later, in February-March 2014, nonmilitary means (supplemented by military means of a concealed character) were used to achieve strategic aims, yet not by "West" but by Russian Federation.

Now comes March 2019...
"The Pentagon has started developing a completely new strategy of military action, which has already been christened the 'Trojan Horse,'" said Valery Gerasimov, the chief of the Armed Forces General Staff at the meeting in the Academy of Military Sciences on 02 March, 2019 (the same Academy, again). "Its essence lies in the active use of the 'fifth column protest potential' to destabilize the situation along with simultaneous precision strikes on the most important targets."
The Week In Russia: Gerasimov's Trojan Horse And A Tabloid's Tip For Putin

Let's see what and where happens in one year.

GrauGeist · Mar 11, 2019

Yeah, the Crimea and Ukraine were thinly disguised invasions.

In the past few years, Estonia has had escalating tensions with Russia where there's been several demonstrations break out (hauntingly similar to the Ukraine demonstrations) and several of the demonstrators arrested are Russian FSO.
Other incidents include Estonian border guards who are kidnapped on Estonian soil by Russian FSB and held for mock trials as "spies".
Putin is playing a very dangerous game...

Dimlee · Mar 12, 2019

GrauGeist said:
Putin is playing a very dangerous game...

There is opinion that there is "collective Putin". Well, a single individual or some group, but rising of stakes is obvious.

Professor Valery Solovei, historian and political analyst, recently elaborated on current mind set of the Kremlin "elites".
Link to the interview is below, there are English subtitles but of low quality.
My own translation of some important statements of the professor.
"Unfortunately, I'll say that we are preparing for a large-scale conflict... We would like it to be short, but we are preparing, apparently, for large-scale one. In my opinion, this is obvious.
...
The strategic course that is chosen is the subject of personal conviction of a group of people who determine Russian policies, and not only of just Vladimir Vladimirovich {Putin}. This is the subject of their personal convictions, even of their faith, if you like. They are certain that following this course will lead Russia and them personally to success, they have no doubt about it.
...
Within their picture of the world, this is a global game, a global bet.
...
Russia has now received a unique chance to take revanche for the demise of the Soviet Union. That is, you can replay the history, with just a single throw of a dice, do you see? This is a huge temptation. The group of elites that makes decisions has a common inner conviction that they are entrusted with the highest mission, moreover, the mission of a mystical religious nature, yes, to replay world history, and this group follows this mission.
In this sense, this group is moving towards its goal very logically, very consistently and purposefully, - until it bumps into insurmountable obstacles."

Professor himself is cautiously optimistic. He thinks that those "global" plans will be undermined by internal problems and by silent sabotage of government servants at lower levels - who value their families and well being more than "The Mission". After all, it happened before in the USSR history...

michaelmaltby · Mar 13, 2019

Great post D. Thank you. I am currently reading a biography of Peter the Great ... in Russia ... history tells that nothing is beyond possibility ... and there are patterns.

michaelmaltby · Mar 13, 2019

Every democracy contains four boxes:

The Soap Box
The Ballot Box
The Jury Box
The Cartridge Box

To remain healthy, all four must be well maintained and protected from the rust of corruption.

Torch · Mar 13, 2019

michaelmaltby said:
Every democracy contains four boxes:

The Soap Box
The Ballot Box
The Jury Box
The Cartridge Box

To remain healthy, all four must be well maintained and protected from the rust of corruption.

Do you know who made that quote?

michaelmaltby · Mar 13, 2019

Do not know where it originated, T, but I saw it first here:
Deal. – Day By Day

wlewisiii · Mar 13, 2019

In the modern world, it is nothing but a fantasy. Even with outside support (weapons, ammunitions, explosives, etc) the usual end result of an insurgency against a government is dead insurgents. The less support, the faster they die.

The only time this changes is when the insurgents are a proxy arm of a superpower that is willing to sink in unlimited support: The VC or the anti-Ukraine forces are examples.

But in the end, civilian small arms are meaningless in a world of MQ-1 Predator drones and AGM-114 Hellfire missiles.

michaelmaltby · Mar 13, 2019

... nothing is 'certain' ...

GrauGeist · Mar 13, 2019

Civilian small arms are meaningless unless you're dealing with the U.S., which has more privately held arms (of various types) than several of the world's militaries combined (last estimated to be nearly 400 million)

michaelmaltby · Jul 16, 2019

The US Air Force's top general gets a taste of Finnish fighter tactics

Sid327 · Sep 8, 2019

GregP said:
Let's not forget all the Russian aviation firsts including the surprise landing of the ANT-25 in the USA, Korea, Sputnik, or Afganistan. The Russians/Soviets have been innovators for many decades in aviation and weapons.

Nationalism is fine until it dulls your sense of wariness to the continuing threat. I'd MUCH rather make them friends than continuing to see them as enemies. That assumes they can follow their agreements ... and so can WE. I'm not all that sure why we are "us" and they are "them" at this time other than by tradition. What I need is real statement of what our two purposes and ideologies are rather than propaganda.

I wish myself good luck with that ...

I also remember that Russia has been invaded and we haven't. This MAY have something to do with their position. We might recall the USA suffered 418,500 war deaths in WWII and the Soviet Union suffered 24 million. That's about 57 times more and that ends to color your national sense of self protection, even decades on from the event. Had WE been invaded, we might STILL have those feelings. The Russians have long memories that are very different from ours in terms of impact on the coutry.

When Serbia and Croatia came out from under Soviet rule, they promptly resumed WWI. We didn't seem to act surprised at that during the event. Why are we surprised about the Russian opinions?

This is the most sensible and un-biased post that I have read in this (mostly) blatantly biased thread...
Which is surprising as most of this thread could be seen as pushing western propaganda and politics.
......Not nice considering the varied nationalities on this forum.

Rather than throwing accusations and getting on the Russophobia band-wagon wouldn't it show better integrity to accept different cultures and look for ways of acting in a more friendly and helpful way with other countries rather than being opinionated and outspoken about why they don't do things the way the USA/Europe does?

Sid327 · Sep 8, 2019

michaelmaltby said:
The Baltic States in a Post-NATO Environment: An Interview with Edward Lucas

There is concern .... but this is not September, 1939. Unless there is a Molotov-Ribentrop Pact lurking unseen in the depths. But, lessons have been learned.

"... If America treated Canada the way that Russia has treated Ukraine, relations would be very different. America is strong because it has more allies than any other country has ever had in the history of the world. Russia doesn't have any allies because it treats other countries very badly."

This report is from Canada.

What America Should Know about "Annexed Crimea": "We the People of Crimea…" - Global Research

Meanwhile .. in Red Square

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