Britons rate Russia more positively than EU, poll shows

[JohnR! 5,495]

When folks start breaking immigration laws to get into Russia in mass droves, then can they talk about how great Putin and Russia is.

Putin is destroying all the democratic institutions the Russians have built int he last 20+ years and I feel sorry for the people who will slip right back into the old Soviet regime, as he forces it to plunge back into its condition of third-world nation. In a roundabout way, his aspirations are that he become a new era Tzar. I suppose this is good news for his sycophants in this forum.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Ahh yes but when you went for the wimpy one you gave rise to the other.

Now you see why we can't leave national security in the hands of the Left?

This is what happens every time.

A president has to have a certain amount of Toughness.. you saw the way Bill clinton took on his Bimbos from AK?

Thats the type of toughness needed.... but he must be willing to be tough for the country not just to cover his own azz.

It's the oddest thing, Obama seems to get smaller by the day and our Allies can see it which is why Merkel is emerging as the leader the world looks to.

I never thought of him as a wimp but either way, I did not vote for W. You?

Flashback to August 2008: Georgia 'overrun' by Russian troops as full-scale ground invasion begins

Edited March 25, 2014 by Mr. Big Dog

[novedsac 355]

the old Soviet regime, as he forces it to plunge back into its condition of third-world nation.

Huh? The original concept, at least when I was being schooled, 'third world' referred to those countries which were not aligned to either the US or the USSR in the Cold War, countries like Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, most of South America, most of Africa, etc. USSR was always considered 'second world'.

[Pooky 3,840]

Huh? The original concept, at least when I was being schooled, 'third world' referred to those countries which were not aligned to either the US or the USSR in the Cold War, countries like Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, most of South America, most of Africa, etc. USSR was always considered 'second world'.

Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have never been considered Third World.

The term was unrelated to whether these nations were aligned with the West, or the Soviet Union, but referred, in large part, the industrial and financial strength of a nation's economy.

[Dakine10 5,452]

The original definition was underdeveloped countries, however after WWII, the definition was expanded to mean developing countries not aligned with NATO or the Warsaw Pact. It was more recently that the term third world reverted to being associated primarily with developing nations regardless of political sphere.

The original term is an analogy of the 3rd estate, the French legislative assembly during the old regime that represented the working class but had no real power.

So you're were both right. Now quit fighting!!

Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have never been considered Third World.

The term was unrelated to whether these nations were aligned with the West, or the Soviet Union, but referred, in large part, the industrial and financial strength of a nation's economy.

[Danno 1,228]

I never thought of him as a wimp but either way, I did not vote for W. You?

Flashback to August 2008: Georgia 'overrun' by Russian troops as full-scale ground invasion begins

Now see there you go showing that you too were duped.

Russia responded to a full military attack by Georgia,,,, Putin did not just dispatch troops on a lark.

You and John McCain I guess are the last two to admit you were snookered.

Between me and you ... Ya know what Obamers big problem is, he can't solve his Putin Problem with a drone....

Time to put on the big-boy pants and stand up.

[Danno 1,228]

What's odd is the same behavior the right claims Obama acts like, you seem to glorify in Putin. It's ok for Putin to change laws and rewrite the history books. It's ok for Putin to strong arm his country. It's ok for Putin to run for a third term.

Jon Stewart said it best. You look at the crazy dude and say" I'll have what they're having."

There is nothing Putin is doing that we have not done.... he has just been more gentle.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

There is nothing Putin is doing that we have not done.... he has just been more gentle.

And you say the left drinks the Kool Aid.

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

And you say the left drinks the Kool Aid.

There's nothing like the Russian Kool Aid, I tell you.

[We Keep Receipts 9,238]

There's nothing like the Russian Kool Aid, I tell you.

That place is pretty cool though. Been there for a port visit. If it wasn't so hard to go back, I'd do a vacation there.

[deleted-05292014 331]

Yes but Russian kool-aid has vodka in it, so you get the double wammy effect.... Blurred visions of grandeur

For all intents and purposes Russia has always been a poor country of uneducated people ruled by tyrants in some form or another. Russia has never been a great world power in terms of economy and their military while large has never been able to match the US. It was really after the fall of the Soviets that Russia started to emerge with the help of the West. It was not that long ago people stood in lines for hours for bread and meager government rations.

Their entire history from the first tsars has been to gain access to the sea and control that. Crimea gives them that route, now the question is will they push further to create a land bridge to Crimea?

[Mr. Big Dog 10,747]

Yes but Russian kool-aid has vodka in it, so you get the double wammy effect.... Blurred visions of grandeur

For all intents and purposes Russia has always been a poor country of uneducated people ruled by tyrants in some form or another. Russia has never been a great world power in terms of economy and their military while large has never been able to match the US. It was really after the fall of the Soviets that Russia started to emerge with the help of the West. It was not that long ago people stood in lines for hours for bread and meager government rations.

Their entire history from the first tsars has been to gain access to the sea and control that. Crimea gives them that route, now the question is will they push further to create a land bridge to Crimea?

I think you nailed it there!

[Danno 1,228]

Yes but Russian kool-aid has vodka in it, so you get the double wammy effect.... Blurred visions of grandeur

For all intents and purposes Russia has always been a poor country of uneducated people ruled by tyrants in some form or another. Russia has never been a great world power in terms of economy and their military while large has never been able to match the US. It was really after the fall of the Soviets that Russia started to emerge with the help of the West. It was not that long ago people stood in lines for hours for bread and meager government rations.

Their entire history from the first tsars has been to gain access to the sea and control that. Crimea gives them that route, now the question is will they push further to create a land bridge to Crimea?

You seem to lack confidence in the collectivist model, I join you in that.

But as to your question, the answer is almost certainly "yes" due to our insistence of being on their border.

Since so much industry is in the east this loss will be devastating for the Ukraine people who are bankrupt as it is.

As it is, they are trapped between being dependent on either a pawnshop of a pay-day-loan financier, what will it be like then.

I said it before and there is no one who can deny it now....

Putin is playing Chess to Obama's playing checkers.

[JohnR! 5,495]

Huh? The original concept, at least when I was being schooled, 'third world' referred to those countries which were not aligned to either the US or the USSR in the Cold War, countries like Finland, Sweden, Switzerland, most of South America, most of Africa, etc. USSR was always considered 'second world'.

Finland, Sweden and Switzerland have never been considered Third World.

The term was unrelated to whether these nations were aligned with the West, or the Soviet Union, but referred, in large part, the industrial and financial strength of a nation's economy.

Both are correct. The term 'third-world' originally meant the group of countries aligned neither with the west nor with the USSR. Most recently, the term has been also used to refer to countries of little economic or political relevance and/or those with shady governments; and banana republics in general.

When I refer to Russia as a third-world nation, I place it in both categories.

Edited March 25, 2014 by Gegel

[Dakine10 5,452]

Both are correct. The term 'third-world' originally meant the group of countries aligned neither with the west nor with the USSR. Most recently, the term has been also used to refer to countries of little economic or political relevance and/or those with shady governments; and banana republics in general.

When I refer to Russia as a third-world nation, I place it in both categories.

Nope, it originally meant what it means now, developing nations. It changed after WWII to include political spheres of influence and it changed back after the Soviet Union broke apart.