http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6898690.stm

- Oh n0z, the Russian hoardes are going to burst on Europe through the Asian steppes again!
I mean seriously. what does this man think he's going to accomplish? That treaty is as outdated as the Peace of Versailles. It might mean something if Russia's economy wasn't in the doldrums and her military eclipsed by almost all of her neighbours (EU, US, China..).

Putin - you're just giving us all a good giggle.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/world/europe/6950986.stm

- /bump

Putin, again as previously stated, is intent on leaving a legacy of making Russia a stronger presence than when he took office. To do so he needs to reassure the country, and world at large, of the military strength that Russia still has, and can still use.

Putin is one of the more intelligent of the current crop of world leaders, and certainly realizes that there will not be another war like WWII; conflicts now will be smaller scale, more often than not involving criminal/terrorist groups. The unfolding drama regarding the North Pole area and Arctic Sea will result in a negotiated arrangement, with much sabre rattling and show of force by the countries involved before the deal is made public.

So let it be written, so let it be done.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/6957589.stm

The RAF has ordered 144 Typhoons, which can accelerate from standing to take-off in under seven seconds.

They were developed by companies in the UK, Germany, Spain and Italy.

Good luck with that.

Five F22's (http://www.lockheedmartin.com/wms/findPage.do?dsp=fec&ci=11174&rsbci=0&fti=126&ti=0&sc=400) > 144 Typhoon

Well it was more a piece about Russia's new foreign policy of provocation, but yeah we'd have an entire airforce of F-22's if we had a purchasing parity of 10 trillion dollars, and not 2 :P

To the right of the news piece are some excellent pieces on the "Resurgent Russia", with the first link being to a story on Putin's stance on current treaties.

Basically, he is taking the postition that if the U.S. is not going to commit to being bound by the treaty's constraints on arms, then certainly there should not be any expectation that Russia should be. It is hard to find fault with his reasoning; and, taking into account that Russia sits in a much more vulnerable position than the U.S. in that region, Putin has a much stronger foundation from which to argue the need for more of a military presence.

Cold war 2.0 I need to buy Lockhead Gruman and Boeng stock

Sadly, due to the fact that our only growth industry in the US *is* the military industrial complex, the folks at the Pentagon (not to mention the Fed and elsewhere) have to be creaming their jeans at Putin's escalating sabre-rattling - if the Cold War 'heats up' again it's a license to print money, without the ugly sell that Iraq and the 'War on Terror' has become of late.

I've only been at work three days and already have been reminded multiple times what a huge part of San Antonio's economy the defense industries are (namely via various training initiatives we have with them, the considerable economic benefit we derive from them, etc). It's truly startling every now and then to think about just how much the tail wags the dog with regard to how this huge behemoth, with accompanying gaping maw, drives both domestic and foreign policy decisions - it's such a huge component of our economy that despite the enormous dividends that could be gained by dismantling it and investing the resources elsewhere, the powers that be are either frightened of the wrath of their economically affected constituents, or have no interest in doing so being that said industries butter their own toast.

When I consider how the mushrooming of the MI complex has perverted well-meaning American ideals, I can't help but think of the little plant in "Little Shop of Horrors", grown huge and ominous, rumbling "Feed Me!" while our George, I mean Seymour tries to figure out how to lure it it's next meal...

Regards,
Nydia

When I consider how the mushrooming of the MI complex has perverted well-meaning American ideals,

Regards,
Nydia


Like strip clubs ! another strong investment

Oh bullshit Nydia, we're spending around 4% of our GDP on the military (not including the cost of the WoT operations.)

Maybe if congress spent less on bike paths and parking garages, they could shuffle some of that money over to your utopian dream. Myself, I wish they had spent more on bridge repairs.

Oh bullshit Nydia, we're spending around 4% of our GDP on the military (not including the cost of the WoT operations.)

Maybe if congress spent less on bike paths and parking garages, they could shuffle some of that money over to your utopian dream. Myself, I wish they had spent more on bridge repairs.

But 19% of the federal budget, not including the current wars.

Oh bullshit Nydia, we're spending around 4% of our GDP on the military (not including the cost of the WoT operations.)That line just laughs at itself.
Maybe if congress spent less on bike paths and parking garages, they could shuffle some of that money over to your utopian dream. Myself, I wish they had spent more on bridge repairs.Unfortunately, utopian dreams of the Middle East and enriching the rich take precedent. At least the Bridge to Nowhere should be in good shape for a few decades. Maybe centuries, given the traffic.

Akipt you are ever so informed. Our budget is about 8000 billion, 600 billion is held by the Department of Defense which is just about the same amount as how much the Departments of Agriculture, Personel Management, Veterans Affairs, Transportation, Labor, Education, Housing and Urban Development, Justice, Energy, Homeland Security, Nasa, State, Commerce, and the Environmental Protection Agency combined.

Now the Iraq war alone is 120 billion per year as of Feb 2006 or 1.5% ... bike trails are barely a 10th of a %.

600 outta 8000 is 7.5% ... but thats like 4%!

The best money can buy.

We can say what that money could would buy. But it actually has to be spent. For a cop on every corner like Clinton wanted to stop the war on drugs in our nieghboorhoods. To feed, insure, cloth build homes for those who would rather just sit at home and survive on goverment assistance but was it spent ?. Education ? How much of that asistance actually allocated tied up in red tape and never materilised to make that record surplus from the democrats that was set up from the previous rep party

I didnt see anything but a huge surplus mostly set up by the economic policies set up by previous republican power left unused by the clinton era. Major military cut backs but what did he provide to the people ? A big war bank ? job cuts ? Did Bush take it all away with a war ?

The economy is strong and continues to be so other than the housing mortgage issues from offering alot of free money to build business put people in homes that wouldnt of been able to afford otherwise and now a stagnation of the markets in some areas from over speculation and low cost loans.

Bush has been very helpful for the small business person, were as the Dems want to tax us to death and keep us from hiring people and expanding. The cost of insurance ect is huge.Raise the small business mans expense ability to run a business and tax them to death and there is a less amount of jobs to be filled. Blame Katrina but free healthcare isnt the answer I know many Dr would definetly be opposed to this its there lively hood and reason they spent years in school to specialize. why should i be taxed at at higher rate because I make 60 + a year and busted my ass to make it. compared to someone just not trying or giving up to Im held back by the man

Do people need those resources yes. But when I go to hire people and do 100 interviews in a week have 50 people beg me for the job 15 actually show up and have 1 if Im lucky after a week or less of work stay its discouraging and Im supposed to be happy with them getting free assistance for housing medical and food stamps ? While my taxes get increased to support them. The ones that stay make 40k a year and are greatful as am I, they preservered wanted to succed and put in the work. There the ones I am pushing to teach and have them franchise with me for all our benifits

They can be spendon roads and infrastucture but when you dont want that refinery in your nieghborhood, that pipeline built accross america that creates jobs and infrastucture for years, and blame oh we need it from another source is lame. Our actually imports from Iraq and the middle east is small in comparison from other sources. to say its all about oil is wrong.

http://www.gravmag.com/oil.html

http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbbl_m.htm

20% of us oil http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/dnav/pet/pet_move_impcus_a2_nus_ep00_im0_mbbl_m.htm


http://findarticles.com/p/articles/mi_m0CYP/is_1_110/ai_83445547

That one is pretty informative, we can go nuclear which would be a great solution with todays technology like the french, but like refineries who wants them in there nieghborhood. So coal is a prime source and natural gas.

God I really need to not drink and take multiple calls over the hour half it took me to put this together, and yeah it can be picked apart even with some of the links provided. but hey what the hell, its my belief. The world isnt that bad of a place if we could educatate everyonet would be great. But hten its another topic on education and what shoudl and shouldnt be taught.


oh edit fuck the russians Ill drink there vodka

God I really need to not drink I agree entirely with this portion of the post.

Anyway, back on subject...

KRAUTHAMMER: Well, this is Putin flexing muscles. He has made deals with Iran and Syria. He has threatened the Ukrainians and the Czechs. He has had military exercises with China just last week.

Look, he is not a Communist, he is a believer in power. He is old secret service—KGB—and they were too sophisticated and too worldly to actually believe in ideology. But he believed in power. He has accumulated it for himself by dismantling democracy in Russia. And he wants it for his country. . . .

They're selling arms to Syria and Iran, a lot of bad guys. The exercises with the Chinese—it's beyond symbolism. And they are putting pressure on the eastern Europeans.

What Putin wants is to reconstitute the old Soviet Empire in a non-Communist Russia. And that is dangerous.


But I guess it's Bush's fault.

I liked Nekko's post !!

+ rep!

Perhaps Bush needed new contacts during his previous look into Putin's soul. On the plus side, the Syrians, Chinese, Russians, and Iranians are bound to welcome us as liberators.

if you protect the vodka distilleries, the war would pay for itself within a month.

'if you protect the vodka distilleries, the war would pay for itself within a month.'


- :D

if you protect the vodka distilleries, the war would pay for itself within a month.

Will the Russian people then welcome us as liberators?

Not if we liberate them from their vodka!

Looks like the cold war is on again, and I missed a couple of military stocks for investment.

http://articles.moneycentral.msn.com/Investing/SuperModels/GetReadyForTheNewColdWar.aspx

Great link Nekko. Would have repped ya but it says I have to spread around more.

Not only does the writer give some solid background info, but he even speculates on investment portfolios to benefit from the coming arms race.
Nothing beats a well-rounded commentator. :D

Pffft. Russia is still arse poor.

Selling the North Pole's oil will help that somewhat, but not much.

Or they could just trade north pole oil to China for arms...

Pffft. Russia is still arse poor.

Thats why the cold war is so important for them. I was watching the military channel the other night discussing military air supremacy. The russians do have an answer for the F-22 and F-35 american fighters that they pretty much only build for China and other countries willing to pony up since they cant afford to build for themselves.

Which does make an arms race interesting. I dont think they want war anymore than anyone else. But the prospect and fear builds great media and profits. Remember the 80s when it was just a nuke away from the end of the world, more so in the 60s but schools with fallout shelters is what I remember and pictures of hiding under your desk like a tornado is coming is going to save us all. Red Dawn was my favorite movie back then.

Anyway Im rambling,. :)

Red Dawn was my favorite movie back then.


WOLVERINES!!!!!!