Are we facing a new Cold War?

[bullets]

I don't think it will be long before Bush takes action against Russia . At least that is where i see this heading . I don't think we will stand by (even though we kinda want to).

 

[kainedamo]

No, I don't think its that bad yet. Russia probably just wants to show they're still a big player, show they got some bite. There is a lot of international pressure over their invasion of Georgia and they already signed a ceasefire agreement, so they may yet just chill the **** out.

 

[Hobgoblin]

One thing is for sure: Russia's been talking a lot of smack lately. First Georgia, then threatening Poland and the US? Maybe there wont be a new Cold War but Russia has got to be expecting some major backlash from all of this posturing. We'll see how they react to that.

 

[Alex The Great]

*hopes Canada doesn't get involved*

 

[Hobgoblin]

I think Canada is a little too stoned to get involved.

Hopefully, even W isnt stupid enough to escalate matters.

 

[The Chairman]

Can we afford to let an ally get slaughtered as we stand by and do nothing?

Wouldn't that pretty much destroy the bond of trust that any nation that faces the pressures of Russia, Iran or any problematic larger country? Letting Georgia be destroyed by Russia would do far more damage to American Diplomacy than every combined diplomatic mishap handled by Bush and Clinton.

It's none of our business to get involved. It's their conflict, not ours. Why haven't we declared war on the Darfur region, if that's the case? The Russia / Georgia does not concern us, nor did Iran or Iraq. We went into Iraq under false pretenses (the WMD nonsense) and look at what it cost us.

Let Russia and Georgia sit this one out. It's a purely political / regional situation that we have no business being involved in.

He'd be better equipped to handle this than black Jimmy Carter.

Wow, you're hilarious.

 

[The Senator]

Well you see, we can say "screw off" to the African nations because they are poor and will never have any sort of power in the world. Russia, though, is still a very powerful force in the world, and we must abide by the promises of the Great Reagan to keep it a Democracy, even though democracy has been all but obliterated there.

Or something like that

I personally think we need to keep our asses out of any more unnecessary wars. We're already deadlocked in the middle of one, possibly on the way to another (Iran), and we certainly don't need a third-- especially since the third nation has the ability to wipe us off the map with a push of a button.

 

[Hobgoblin]

Well you see, we can say "screw off" to the African nations because they are poor and will never have any sort of power in the world. Russia, though, is still a very powerful force in the world, and we must abide by the promises of the Great Reagan to keep it a Democracy, even though democracy has been all but obliterated there.

Or something like that

I personally think we need to keep our asses out of any more unnecessary wars. We're already deadlocked in the middle of one, possibly on the way to another (Iran), and we certainly don't need a third-- especially since the third nation has the ability to wipe us off the map with a push of a button.

BINGO. Give the man his prize.

 

[kytrigger]

Well you see, we can say "screw off" to the African nations because they are poor and will never have any sort of power in the world. Russia, though, is still a very powerful force in the world, and we must abide by the promises of the Great Reagan to keep it a Democracy, even though democracy has been all but obliterated there.

Or something like that

I personally think we need to keep our asses out of any more unnecessary wars. We're already deadlocked in the middle of one, possibly on the way to another (Iran), and we certainly don't need a third-- especially since the third nation has the ability to wipe us off the map with a push of a button.

While I'll in no way advocate going to war against Russia, the idea that we shouldn't go to war because of Iraq (and possibly Iran) is flawed IMO. While Iraq has lasted for years now and cost us trillions, it's a completely different type of war than what we would enter in with Russia, mainly because we would actually see Russia as a threat. Iraq was, for the most part, not a problem for us at all when it came to a traditional "tier 3" battle situation. This was when we basically destroyed them and their infrastructure. It's been the rebuilding and hunting of small enemy groups that's been a pain in our ass there.

With Russia, I highly doubt we would even wory about this, simply because we know if we were to **** around too much, we would suffer major losses. If we were to go to war against Russia, we would not hold back (save for nukes).

One thing that OIF/OEF has helped the US military with is advancement in war technology, something which right now, it looks as if Russia is defintely lagging behind in. There's been a few reports showing how while most are looking at the Georgia conflict as Russia showing off their might, it has actually showed off some major flaws in their military. Flaws that don't really hurt them against someone like Georgia, bu would definately be exposed in a major war against a superpower. (I don't have any of the articles on me right now, but I can look them up and post them if anyone is interested later on).

 

[Kelly]

I feel like the US has come to this party extremely late. The fact that France voted strongly against Georgia being accepted into NATO, tells me they knew that Russia was planning an invasion, and if Georgia was a part of NATO, they would have to automatically become involved. I think its just another example of France and others, saying...."oh yeah.....yeah......that was wrong, bad Russia, BAD Russia......" yet standing WAY BEHIND the US, saying "we got your back, US......" waaaaaaaaaaaay back here. The US cannot stand up to this without the rest of Europe standing next to them, not behind them. Sorry, but I don't see that happening, not because they don't believe that Russia was wrong in doing this, but because they get a hell of alot of oil from Russia and it runs right through that pipeline that goes through Georgia.....


And I'm sorry, but Russian troops in Georgia......ARE NOT PEACEKEEPING TROOPS......send UN peacekeeping troops, and the Georgian governement needs to get their armies in this area under ****ing control.....the fact that they are shooting damn news reporters is ridiculous.......they want help from the West? then stop pointing the damn guns at us.....

 

[Darthphere]

They use the Johnny Rico mentality over there "Kill them! Kill them all!"

 

[Kelly]

They use the Johnny Rico mentality over there "Kill them! Kill them all!"

It sure as hell looks that way....lol

 

[Kelly]

I think what really needs to be watched, is the future of NATO......




And I don't see that this is actually a Cold War foreign policy from Russia......this is actually a Czarist form of foreign policy, and it needs to be seen as that, and dealt with in that manner.


This is Catherine The Great mentality, wanting to gain territory, yet still be a part of the European style of living.

Russia is an extraction country.......and it needs to be dealt with that way.

 

[StorminNorman]

It's none of our business to get involved. It's their conflict, not ours. Why haven't we declared war on the Darfur region, if that's the case? The Russia / Georgia does not concern us, nor did Iran or Iraq. We went into Iraq under false pretenses (the WMD nonsense) and look at what it cost us.

This is such a naive perspective. Of course its our business - you have a nuclear armed power that has begun an aggressive and brutal policy of attacking its democratic neighbors - that has America painted all over it. Look at Kuwait.

We don't declare war on Darfur because Darfur is a situation that caused no threat to global security - to try to compare a poor African country to Russia is insane.

Again, even if Russia wasn't the global threat it is, we can not allow a close, honored American ally be destroyed by doing nothing. That would risk all of our alliances with former soviet countires and any country that has a hostile neighbor.

 

[Cosmic]

Re: Are we facing a new Cold War?

It's not a new war. The world powers are competing for resources and political and economic power. The old Soviet Union collapsed almost 20 years ago, but the ideology didn't just disappear. They didn't simply stop competing as a result of losing their standing in the world. This was like a bold move in a long chess match that caught the spectators by surprise. But in reality, there were signs of something like this happening all along.

 

[jaguarr]

I'd call it more of a Big Chill at this point. I don't think we're headed towards the levels things were at in the 80's.

jag

 

[Fading]

Glad they signed a cease fire, but the threat of attack on Poland is a move right back in the wrong direction. I can understand not wanting missles near their country, but that's why you go to the negotiating tables and let them know you will attack if they keep going thru with it, you don't threaten them in the where the whole world can hear.

Obviously I hope this settles down. ATM we're stretched very thin, if Russia brought about a conflict that needed military intervention then we'd have to take time to withdraw our troops. In fact I think that'd be a key telling point, since Bush has been against pulling troops out, if he started to before he left office I'd say he knows something we don't.

 

[Kelly]

Glad they signed a cease fire, but the threat of attack on Poland is a move right back in the wrong direction. I can understand not wanting missles near their country, but that's why you go to the negotiating tables and let them know you will attack if they keep going thru with it, you don't threaten them in the where the whole world can hear.

Obviously I hope this settles down. ATM we're stretched very thin, if Russia brought about a conflict that needed military intervention then we'd have to take time to withdraw our troops. In fact I think that'd be a key telling point, since Bush has been against pulling troops out, if he started to before he left office I'd say he knows something we don't.

Actually Bush is not against pulling troops out, and has been talking about a slow pull out for a couple of months now. We would work with a coalition (much like that for Kosovo, with much fewer US troops) if something like that was needed. Europe would have to pony up most of the troops.

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

There is nothing to worry about. Russia and America are not heading into another Cold War.

 

[Ocramed]

The "Russia Today" media is calling this "new era" a "Cold Peace".

And Russia is not going to attack Poland. Unlike Georgia, Poland IS a member of NATO. Most likely, they will exert economic pressure on Poland. But the irony of the invasion is that Poland would not have signed the missile deal, if the Russians had not made its move.

The good thing about all this that NATO states will push ahead towards energy independence. And when THAT happens, Russia will revert to its previous status as a poor nation.

D. Wynne

 

[kainedamo]

This is such a naive perspective. Of course its our business - you have a nuclear armed power that has begun an aggressive and brutal policy of attacking its democratic neighbors - that has America painted all over it. Look at Kuwait.

We don't declare war on Darfur because Darfur is a situation that caused no threat to global security - to try to compare a poor African country to Russia is insane.

Again, even if Russia wasn't the global threat it is, we can not allow a close, honored American ally be destroyed by doing nothing. That would risk all of our alliances with former soviet countires and any country that has a hostile neighbor.

Well Norman, looking at your posts on the topic, it seems to me if it were up to you there would already be a coalition of troops over there.

There isn't any need to be so gung-ho about it.

The President of France has been in contact with the Prez of Russia, the international community has applied pressure, and Russia and Georgia have signed a ceasefire agreement.

Yesterday, I read that the Russian troops were supposed to pull out today. Haven't watched the news yet today, so I'll see what's going on.

You're calling some guy naive, which I think is ironic. How do you suggest exactly that the international community goes about starting a war with Russia? Especially America, considering how spread thin the American military is already. And financially, can America afford a long and bloody war with Russia? There are always options before going to war.

 

[StorminNorman]

Well Norman, looking at your posts on the topic, it seems to me if it were up to you there would already be a coalition of troops over there.

There isn't any need to be so gung-ho about it.

If you looked at my first post on the subject - you would see that I advocated the EU, NATO and the UN to be the leaders in handling this conflict. The UN has, as it always does, to prove inept, insufficient and simply silly.

I am not advocating American troop presence in Georgia at the present. We must allow Russia the ability to honor the various agreements made - we cannot, however, rule out American military presence in the area should Russia not live up to its promises. It should not be simply American military presence either, but a fully equipped international force similar to the one that came to the aid of Kuwait and South Korea.

The President of France has been in contact with the Prez of Russia, the international community has applied pressure, and Russia and Georgia have signed a ceasefire agreement.

Again - I have never said that nothing is being done. My stance has simply been that America cannot sit on its hands should the conflict be escalated. America cannot let the Georgian government fall.

Yesterday, I read that the Russian troops were supposed to pull out today. Haven't watched the news yet today, so I'll see what's going on.

You're calling some guy naive, which I think is ironic. How do you suggest exactly that the international community goes about starting a war with Russia? Especially America, considering how spread thin the American military is already. And financially, can America afford a long and bloody war with Russia? There are always options before going to war.

The idea that Russia invading Georgia is not an American issue is naive - its simple as that.

The international community is greater than Russia. Again - I have never advocated America to go in and invade Russia. There must be an international force coming to Russia's aid. America's greatest asset in this conflict would be its Air Force, a military branch that is not spread too thin and who has vast superiority over every country in the world. It should be up to Europe, who has Democratic, free countries should feel obligated to help Georgia, to provide on the ground troops.

Plus you ignore the obvious way to deal with Russia that does not involve a single military officer: economic sanctions. Should Russia continue its act of brutal aggression, Russia should face major consequences in the areas of trade and diplomacy.

 

[jaguarr]

The "Russia Today" media is calling this "new era" a "Cold Peace".

And Russia is not going to attack Poland. Unlike Georgia, Poland IS a member of NATO. Most likely, they will exert economic pressure on Poland. But the irony of the invasion is that Poland would not have signed the missile deal, if the Russians had not made its move.

The good thing about all this that NATO states will push ahead towards energy independence. And when THAT happens, Russia will revert to its previous status as a poor nation.

D. Wynne

That right there is the big hammer EMEA has to deal with Russia when they act up like this. I've read that somewhere between 50% and 65% of the energy in EMEA countries is bought from Russia. It's Russia's primary export. If those countries start using a different source or generating their own, it will cripple Russia's economy.

jag

 

[Kelly]

That right there is the big hammer EMEA has to deal with Russia when they act up like this. I've read that somewhere between 50% and 65% of the energy in EMEA countries is bought from Russia. It's Russia's primary export. If those countries start using a different source or generating their own, it will cripple Russia's economy.

jag

Russia needs to back it down a few notches......they are an extraction country, nothing else.........pretty much a primary economic activity country. They offer few commodities to other countries in trade. Natural Gas is pretty much it.......................................................they may screw up royally if they do not chill............



But I'll still stock my bar with their best Vodka.....

 

[Arkady Rossovich]

To be honest,I am a bit concerned now..