Russia plays at being a great power. Lately it has been rattling its saber—with more swagger than

Russia plays at being a great power. Lately it has been rattling its saber—with more swagger than actual bite.

Source Link: www.msnbc.msn.com

By Owen Matthews
Newsweek International
March 12, 2007 issue - Stolid, ramrod-stiff Sergei Ivanov is generally not one to inspire rapturous applause. Yet that's just what Russia's former Defense minister did last month when he appeared before Parliament to announce a $189 billion program to rebuild Russian military might. There would be "revolutionary" new intercontinental ballistic missiles, submarines and aircraft carriers, an early-warning radar system and a mysterious "fifth generation" fighter plane. Was it any coincidence that, days later, the commander of Russia's Strategic Missile Forces, Gen. Nikolai Solovtsov, threatened that some of those new missiles could be "retargeted" at Poland and the Czech Republic? That would be the payback if they agree to host an antiballistic-missile system that the United States aims to deploy in Europe.

(visit the link for the full news article)

This is a fantastic article. I knew the Russian military was in a severe state of disarray but I had no idea things are as bad as this article indicates. It's kind of scary considering they are in possession of nuclear weapons.

Another article nobody is interested in?

I thought this was really good.

probably because we have discussed russia being built back up again many times over the last few years.

interesting read, but its not surprising to see them getting built up again, the same leaders run russia today than ran old soviet union.

Originally posted by andy1033
probably because we have discussed russia being built back up again many times over the last few years.

interesting read, but its not surprising to see them getting built up again, the same leaders run russia today than ran old soviet union.

If you would have read the entire article you would know that it is not about the Russian militray being built up. The article is about the serious state of decay that the Russian armed Forces are in.

If you want to know why some might say they are tired of this subject, then search the threads and posts of stellarx and you'll understand that this subject has been beaten to death.

Sample thread

That doesn't mean that it isn't an important subject, because I believe it is important to keep a wary eye on the rusting remains of the old soviet union.

Anyway, just be patient. When the "russia is still a super power" crowd finds this thread, you should see plenty of posts.



[edit on 3/5/2007 by centurion1211]