World War III. Cheif Threat... Russia?

Could there be a World War III any day now?

In history class, we were talking about Russia today and then we got into world wars, and our teacher was talking about how Prime Minister Vladamir Putin said he wanted to regain all of Russia's former territories... That would include Alaska. Look at how close they are to us. Mr. Putin's book First Person, published in 2000, in which he talks about establishing a new Russian empire, rather than resurrecting the Soviet Union. If you ask me this is pretty scary. Russia, next to America and Germany, seems to me like one of the most nationalist countries on Earth. Russia isn't the safest place to live. Ever since Russia was established, there has been a secret police. The KGB is most certainly not gone, even though technically it was dissolved in 1991 and what happens if Russia does want their land back... Post your comments please. This is seriously making me think...

Also, I'm sorry if this doesn't make any sense, but I don't know how to word it well enough.

God Bless

 

Also, I apologize for putting this in the History section, but I think World War related materials would fit better here than in conspiracy theories.

 

Russia isn't causing WW3, Russia doesn't have the means. Putin wants Russia's influence back historically where it has been. Russia's economy collapsed following the fall of the Soviet Union, and for much of the 90's Russia lost both it's economy, pride and influence, it's people were poor, it's military falling apart, it's international influence gone, its leader a raging alcoholic. NATO and western nations crept into it's former sphere of influence(which had been there for hundreds of years) in both military alliances and economic deals.

Then Putin came along. The western media says Putin has made Russia much more authoritarian, and it's true, Russians don't even really deny it. But Putin is extremely popular in Russia. Though hit bad in the recent recession, Putin rebuilt Russia's economy which now has a huge emerging middle class. Putin pumped new found money back into the military, and a rearmament program meant to modernize the military and make it a professional force. Aside from it's growing internal economy, Russia's position as an energy superpower has made it incredibly important to international trade now, especially to gas supplies in Europe, and it is willing to flex it's muscles now. Gas price disputes, especially with Ukraine, both even it's close friends like Belarus yearly threaten to cut off supplies to Europe in winter.

Russia is making friends though, it's former enemy Germany is one of its best friends now, the Nord strum pipeline in the North Sea is a direct from Russia to Germany to bypass the other countries that would normally get transit fees from it. Italy is also a major supporter of Russia in EU voices. Russia's ties with America have also warmed since the election of Obama, though Putin and Bush were on a pretty decent relationship too. Russia has also once again started dominating influence in central Asia.

Where Russia is going is interesting though. Dmitry Medvedev was basically Putin's handpicked candidate for president in the last election, and no surprise he picked Putin as prime minister. Who was really in charge was always a great question, even most Russians assumed Putin, I mean they publicly proclaimed they were working together. In the past year or so though it seems like a power struggle has begun to take place. Medvedev has tried to make the point that despite being great friends and working together he does have seperate opinions from Putin, and many things he's said recently makes many people think Medvedev is a closet liberal at heart.

Russia has another presidential election coming in 2012 along with us, Putin is elligible to run again, wonder what will happen.

 

Russia doesn't seem to be in American or Canadian news lately, except for the Georgia/Ossetia conflict a year or two ago. I suppose that's a good thing: Russia in the news would be synonymous with the country being in conflict with the West. In an effort to find out what Russian citizens have been thinking, I took a look at the Pravda English language forum website, which is powered by software similar to Hipforums. It quickly became obvious that most of the posters there were disaffected Westerners -- actual Russians weren't using it all that much.

Currently the politicians on both sides seem to have their military on a tight leash. It would be nice if safeguards are in place to prevent Dr. Strangelove scenarios from happening. So, I don't see WWIII happening anytime soon.

 

Speaking of Russia in the media, now when the Georgian war began both Georgia and Russia went on a media blitz. Russia constantly accused the western media of making them look bad as if they started the war. Well it worked, everyone in the west assumed Russia started the war, I mean big Russia against little Georgia, Russia just being an asshole trying to reclaim lost influence in the region right? Well that's how the media portrayed it.

Until, an independent body by the EU(which is much friendlier with Georgia then Russia) investigating the war, while declaring both sides were at fault did in fact declare Georgia had in fact started the war.

Notice how this story never aired in the west.

http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2009/0930/georgia-started-war-with-russia-says-eu

 

Well I don't know about in the US, but that story was reported over here. Our media seemed to take a generally neutral approach (As neutral as the media get anyway). Most people I spoke too blamed Georgia for the war as opposed to Russia, but I think everyone agreed Russia over reacted. Georgia's just as bad as Russia if you ask me- its corrupt, they had no right indiscriminatly bombarding S.Ossetian towns and all the rest of it. Still, I am going besides the point




I can't see WW3 anytime soon. I think if it does kick off its more likely to happen in Asia. Russia is still big and does have some influence- but its not what it used to be. Its in a bit of a state and is in no position to go launching full scale wars. Why would it want to anyway?

 

What was the purpose of only passing on part of that?

And this isn't a new thing that just came out, the article was published in september by that news agency.

Oh and look, CNN published it too, AND on the exact same day.

http://www.cnn.com/2009/WORLD/europe/09/30/russia.georgia.eu/index.html?iref=storysearch


Nope, the western world will never know of it....

 

No, the western world didn't know about it, it made the backlog that day of both CNN and MSNBC, while the war was happening Russia was constantly made out to look like it w as trying to invade every country around it to recreate the Soviet Union on a 24/7 constant coverage basis.

 

That is what you said. It is wrong.

Gerogia pushed russia and russia did invade their country in return, that is what was said. Yes there were thoughts that it may be the start of a campaign, and that didn't happen.

But it doesn't change the fact that what you are doing with this thread, is the exact same thing that you are always accusing the news agencies and politicians of doing.

Report on the aspects of the situation that support whatever story you happen to be pushing at the moment and ignoring the rest.

 

Do we really need to be exactly specific with our grammar now? Is this English class?

The point is the media in the west did nothing but play constant live stream of the conflict 24/7 while making Georgia look like a poor defense country who was invaded by a monster who wants it influence back. For weeks on end. When a report comes out declaring Georgia as the started of the war it gets a passing statement in the news. The point remains.

 

It isn't a difference in grammer. What you said is wrong period.

But that's okay, the news outlets and politicians also deny doing it.

 

It's not wrong, for all intensive purposes they didn't report it. They bombarded people with the idea it was totally Russia's fault for weeks on end, then when it's declared it wasn't it's a passing news story. It's basically the same as the New York Times writing a giant front page headline saying "TURKEY KILLS THOUSANDS OF KURDS" to be proven wrong a week later and only having that tiny retraction/mistake paragraph buried on the 2nd page in little print.

 

Whatever you wish to tell yourself.


Your claim was not, "They barely talked about it", it wasn't "They buried the story", it was quite clearly stated;

It aired in the west... to try to say you weren't wrong because it wasn't aired in the manner you think it should have been, in no way changes that you were wrong about that statement.

In fact, it just supports my statement that you are doing exactly what you are accusing them of doing.

 

Jesus with the grammar lessons, it never aired in the west, I don't care whether they technically aired it, you can't spend 2 weeks with non stop coverage blaming one country for starting a war then a year later make a side article on your website retracting the claims and claim it was airing.

 

This turned from WWIII to a grammar lesson. How?

 

'Cheif' should be spelled 'Chief'. Especially when it's in a thread title.

 

Exactly! And this hasn't really changed since the collapse. US vs Russia? It's like an unemployed junkee versus karate world champion. I think it's funny to worry about that - they're way too weak. Yeah, they had the power, the influence, but they've lost it all - now they can only keep crying about the Great Russia. How do you think they can conquer the world when they can't even deal with their own, inside troubles (North Caucasus Republics).
And as for Alaska - they didn't lose in war or something they just sold it, so they can only blame themselves for that.
I used to live in Russia for several years, and I've seen their numerous, endless internal problems with my own eyes. It will take hundreds of years probable to solve them probably.

 

even though its not Russia i have heard of China as being the giant that is, sleeping at the moment

 

China has been undergoing massive economic growth for the past couple of decades. You call that sleeping?

 

WWWIII

What if the majority of what we call third world countries formed an alliance (with possible backing from one of the superpowers like China or Russia) and declared war upon the superpowers who held them down for all these years?