Nebogipfel wrote:
Fairly good for the unwashed, we are not the good guys, and the other side is not deserving of evil.
The rabbit hole is deeper, while we did promote unrest in Soviet East Europe, it was a neglected and exploited wasteland. About all the west had to do with the east was arrange for Royal Families to be killed.
Pre WWII there was no access, and the over production of all goods, made keeping other sources of raw material off the market. England, France, Germany, wanted all the manufacturing for the whole world.
Russia was the force that could unite Slavic Lands, and Napoleon and the British at Crimea tried to crush them.
Again in 1917, the murder of the Romanovs, a long term goal of the west, to keep Russia from using its resources to enter world markets.
Then it was Germany, carving a Greater Germany out of Slav Lands, and the Russian response pushing them back to Berlin.
Russia had never occupied Slav Lands, but once they did they inherited a mess. It had not been much, Germany smashed that. Russia built water, sewer, power, roads, schools, hospitals, factories, and a system of full employment.
Eastern Europe was an economic loss for Russia. It was the cost of maintaining it that bankrupted the Soviet Union. A generation grew up seeing how Western Europe had more, and rightly wanted it, but did not understand that Europe had more, when they were kept as serfs. Europe told them they could have prosperity if the made trouble for the Russians that had advanced them several hundred years in forty.
They were a buffer, Russia wanted to integrate Slavs with Europe, so they cut them lose.
Europe and America then looted their economies, bribed their way to buying the best, put the countries in debt servitude, leaving Eastern Europe with half the living standard of Russia.
After the Cold War, NATO advanced bases to the Russian Border. Eastern Europe is now poor, and the first strike target.
While this was claimed as a defense of the West, an anti missile shield, it would be useless, as subs, planes, over the pole, is still wide open. A missile defense would not stop Russian troops, tanks, if they wanted to invade.
The only logical purpose, getting close enough to launch a first strike, with no warning.
Most of it was expected, but overthrowing an elected government in Ukraine and selling the Russian Crimean warm water navel base to Joe Biden, was one step too far.
Even after Russia withdrew from Eastern Europe, they continued to be the main export buyer, Ukraine dairy, Polish apples, and the main supplier of machines, gas, and goods eastern Europeans could afford. Sanctions ended that. Eastern Europe still buys gas and coal from Russia.
NATO brings poverty, and all government is now in Brussels. Europe has reduced the Slavs to slaves, and the USA has taken over Europe. Russia often uses the word "Partner" rather than "Customer" when speaking of Europeans. While the US and UK were excluded, France and Germany were partners in resolving the Ukraine situation.
Russia, Germany, France, are the European Powers. Between them lies the market, and just as Russia is a natural ally of China, having an intact and functioning Europe protects everyone. They all have Islamic and American problems.
China and Russia have agreed on a high speed train from Beijing to Moscow, in two days, and the next stop would be Berlin in three. Along the rails will run electric power from Russia's Breeder Reactors. This Silk Road unites Eurasia. Next come duty free, then a common currency.
America and the Petro Dollar exports inflation, offers uneven trade agreements, and has an economy built on debt. This bubble will pop, Russia, India, China are selling dollars and buying gold.
Europe, Turkey, Egypt, are being offered membership in the next economy.
America is due to wake up with a sever hangover.
15 Feb 2015, 1:36 am
