Zone1 Putin: We are Ready to Compete With the West.

[Kilroy2]

oh gee here it comes, whining about the west. So he admits that in the past Russian has been a 2nd rate power behind the US.

Ukraine so far is not going as expected. He had to use paid fighters whom seem to be fighting better than the regular troops. Then they had the gall to march to Russia but seem to chicken out and settle for going abroad.

Gee even China has an economy that is ranked higher that Russia. Russia does have a (get no respect) problem outside its orbit.

 

[peacefan]

The only country that "alone" can compete with the USA and it's "democratic" allies - is only China. And even for China it will be immensely difficult and time & $$ consuming.

The world has polarized into three main groups - Western democracy, Autocratic systems, and Democratic countries that are not on the same page with Western democracy.

The question presently is, are those "not on the same page" going to stay neutral aka forge an own alliance - or are they gong to join one of the other two systems. As such both the USA and China are trying to get the neutrals on their side. Russia is an economic and political dump yard - that only plays a "significant" role due to it's nuclear arsenal, it's mineral resources and a population of around 145 million people and lastly its Geo-strategical position. same goes for e.g. Brazil and South-Africa.

The biggest neutral country is India - and I belief that it will be their goal to stay neutral, unless the China-Pakistan issue is handled differently.

China has no interest in conquering the world or to use it's military in an offensive style. Therefore until today China has not forged a military pact or alliance.
It simply want's to be left alone - and get rich via trade, that it will as such control or have a huge decisive impact onto the world economy is understood.

Since the USA's foreign policy is extremely dependent on it's existing military strength - they need loads of $$ to compete - whilst facing a horrendous state deficit of US$ 31 trillion. The US economy simply isn't strong enough in production and population to compete in the long run with China and China's existing economic allies. Therefore the present US policy is to instigate as much global unrest as possible - hoping to gain time in regards to China.

The USA is therefore focused onto maintaining their global dominance for at least another 50 years - whilst hoping for a miracle, aka China running into a political instability, that then will allow the USA to maintain it's global domination role. The USA is basically playing Russian roulette or if one prefers, is simply gambling onto it's future status.

And Putin is gambling onto China's support and a Europe that might try to reorient itself in regards to blindly following the USA, or being masterminded by the USA.

Obama caused Putin's mindset to go wild - when he publicly stated that Russia has changed from a Global Power to a "Regional Power".

typical propaganda. whether you believe it is irrelevant.
China is becoming more and more aggressive even in the form of sending military-aged men across the southern US border, sending spy balloons all over the US, approaching islands near Alaska with a flotilla of warships, and regular loops around Taiwan with military assets.

 

[AZrailwhale]

Good to see this topic revived! Nothing that was said in June has proved to be incorrect, and especially the idea of Putin (Russia) giving it up!

Russia is definitely in a life or certain death fight this time.
As I believe is true for America too! With certain implications for China and the Brics.

Russia isn’t in a life or death struggle, but Putin is. He has to succeed or die, every day that goes by and every armored vehicle that gets destroyed makes that victory less possible. When Russia first invaded Ukraine, I figured the war would last a month at the outside with Russia winning an easy victory. Now it looks to me like Russia faces almost certain defeat as long as the west supports Ukraine in its defense against Russia’s unprovoked and illegal invasion.

 

[AZrailwhale]

I think Russia (Putin) has already attained the self-sufficient economy that somehow eluded Russia. Inasmuch as Russia has diversified away from any critical dependence on the West. Not to suggest that Russia doesn't still seek normal relations with Europe.

This war has brought nothing but economic and military gain to Russia.

Russia’s “self-sufficient” economy only works as long as it sticks to sixties technology. It can’t produce modern integrated circuits or even anything dependable for export. When was the last, or first time, for that matter that you saw anyone using anything made in Russia. Even when it was the USSR Russia imported everything important that the ruling class used. Medicines came from Western Europe or the USA, Appliances came from west Germany, even food had to be imported since the USSR couldn’t even feed itself. The Russian economy only works as long as the Russian people accept the crap consumer products and cheap clothing that are produced in Russia. With the ruble going for a penny, Russia isn’t buying anything on the international market. It can’t even export refined petroleum products anymore because China and India are only willing to buy crude oil under market prices to refine in their own refineries to resell at a profit.

 

[Moonglow]

We are ready for competition with the West – Putin

No monopolies or domination are eternal, and Russian firms are ready to compete with Western rivals, President Vladimir Putin has said

www.rt.com

(3 sentences to come)

Can Russia compete with America? (the West)
Is Putin really talking about the Brics together as an economic and military alliance?
Is Putin now assuming that the war against the Ukraine proxy is no longer a question on Russia's success?

Scott Ritter has always maintained that the Ukraine can't possibly win the war. But just recently he has introduced the idea that the Nazi faction of the Ukraine are willing to lose millions of lives but fight to the last Ukrainian. Therefore the conclusion is that this is a never-ending war.
That raises many questions then for both sides and all countries that become involved.

Can there be a discussion on what that implies, on this board?

That Pootin he's a regular shoe slapping Kruschchev.