Russia tread

[ManifestedISO]

100 days until my beloved Winter Olympics. Let's see what you've got as a host, Motherland. Vancouver raised the bar pretty high, are you up to the stronk, Russia?! 

Edited October 30, 2013 by ManifestedISO

[Malcador]

100 days until my beloved Winter Olympics. Let's see what you've got as a host, Motherland. Vancouver raised the bar pretty high, are you up to the stronk, Russia?!

They'll kill two lugers this time around.

[BruceVC]

 

 

 

 This is RPG-32, nice weapon,  Russians sell them to rebels also, tank have no chances to survive.

 

 

 

P.S. And  this video not meanwhile. It's video from February 2013, Syrian troops fight much better now. 

 

 

1)  Wow, great allies you make.  Selling RPGs to Assad and then turning around and selling them to the Rebels so they can fight Assad.  Priceless.  Russians even backstab their friends. 

Yes, and we'll now get a comment from Fox News Special Correspondent and totally not convicted criminal Ollie North on how the US would never, never in a million years do such a thing themselves. The russians are fairly honest about arming both sides because they know if they don't arm the rebels as well (albeit through intermediaries), someone else will.

 

The USA would never arm both sides of a conflict, well at least not nowadays. There may have been conflicts in the past where they were guilty of this?

[Walsingham]

One thing I will say for oby: having him around makes me feel a lot less walty by comparison.

[HoonDing]

Fievel was Russian originally

 

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kvZfEQ_pMdg

[sorophx]

The USA would never arm both sides of a conflict, well at least not nowadays. There may have been conflicts in the past where they were guilty of this?

 

 

yeah. the US only arms its own enemies 

[ShadySands]

We like a challenge

[Walsingham]

 

The USA would never arm both sides of a conflict, well at least not nowadays. There may have been conflicts in the past where they were guilty of this?

 

 

yeah. the US only arms its own enemies 

 

 

Not just the USA.

 

http://www.teara.govt.nz/en/musket-wars/page-2

 

The British sold muskets to the Maoris. I was also once told by Duncan Anderson (lecturer at Sandhurst) that the Maori offered ammunition to a besieged British force, as a gesture of honourable - if murderous - intentions.

 

EDIT: I've never been able to trace a source for this. If anyone finds it, can they let me know?

 

FURTHER EDIT: GD, Agiel and Monte should take note on that linked page. The Maori fortifications were bloody clever, and years ahead of Westerners in constructing some of the best possible fortifications against firearms.

Edited October 30, 2013 by Walsingham

[Gorgon]

Being a major arms dealer is not usually compatible with many other forgein policy interests. You just have to weigh out how much you want the money vs possible negative consequences to international relations. 

 

Common conundrum.

[Walsingham]

Being a major arms dealer is not usually compatible with many other forgein policy interests. You just have to weigh out how much you want the money vs possible negative consequences to international relations. 

 

Common conundrum.

 

I don't see it that way. Relevant to this thread, the Russians have been selling obsolescent MBTs to nations that can't afford to train on them, run them, repair them, or fight any wars, for years.

[NOK222]

The Mujaheddin of Afghanistan come to mind. 

[Cultist]

Okay we will have to agree to disagree about the importance and relevance of equality in places like Russia

Also I have had many discussions around topics like gay rights, so if you could provide the links that explain your opinion that would be very helpful

 

Finally if you feel strongly enough about topics like the USA border facing Mexico and how this could be a human rights issue then start a discussion around this? I'll support you if its a real issue around discrimination

 

Here.

I care not about USA/Israeli borders, just used them as an example. They can place minefields, razorwire, poisoned snakes, killer bees, mount automated turrets that will shoot any trespassers - it's their country and they are free to do as they want.

[obyknven]

 

 

Left building swarmed by Assad troop's,  tanks just move to positions, shot to targets all ammo, after this they retread to base, while other tank unit replace them at position. Assad troops quite experienced now.

 

 

And you know this exactly how? 

 

 Russian comments to this video + noticed movement in this building

 

Also in next part Syrian troops evacuate wounded  soldiers from there

http://youtu.be/db7hCVzdZYQ

 

As non-civilian i can say now: "Assad's troops acts quite perfectly now". Remind me "World of Tanks" tactics.

http://youtu.be/wq5S8CrsUig

 

 

http://www.military.com/

Meh, too much propaganda and censorship on this site. All videos of  destroyed NATO tanks and killed NATO soldiers  are deleted.  

[kgambit]

 

Meh, too much propaganda and censorship on this site.   

 

 

You complaining about propaganda?    Hilarious. 

[Walsingham]

More seriously, from Stratfor's analysis*

 

...Russia is making a large show of strength in the world to divert attention from its various domestic problems. Putin's rationale is that the stronger his country looks on the outside, the longer it will take the rest of the world to realize the weaknesses on the inside.

Despite massive energy revenues, the Russian economy is stagnating, with a projected growth rate of only 1.8 percent. Projections suggest that growth will remain slow for the next three years. By comparison, the Russian economy has grown by 3.4 to 4 percent annually in recent years. Russian energy may suffer more in the coming years from competition in liquefied natural gas developments and shale gas production, creating an uncertain future for the government's largest source of revenue.

Russia is also currently experiencing elevated levels of social unrest. A more politically vocal generation is rising in the country, as are tensions among ethnic and religious groups. Over the past month alone, Russia has seen anti-migrant and anti-Muslim riots by nationalists, subsequent riots by Muslims and migrants and a militant attack outside the Caucasus region.

Meanwhile, after 15 years of domination by Putin, the Russian political system is showing signs of atrophy. The are growing discrepancies among the Russian elite, who care more about preserving their positions than they do about the state. And yet there is no system in place that can bring the next generation of Russian leaders into the fold.

 

 

*Well worth the few bucks a month to subscribe. Seriously.

[Zoraptor]

Not really for that analysis though. Don't get me wrong, it's certainly an accurate representation, but it's a representation that has for the most part been true for a long time (decade+).

 

The Russian economy has not grown as much as it 'should' given their natural resources and the high energy prices over the past decade, not just recently. There's been plenty of political unrest of various sorts, it's just now a bit more palatable and thus noticeable to the west as it's shifted (somewhat) away from the Zhirinovsky/ Zhuganov types, though it's notable that the alternative labels most commonly seen at opposition rallies are still the old Soviet flag, and the older Imperial flag. There have also been plenty of ethnic and terrorist stuff happening (outside the Caucasus too) over the past decade+, the recent ones are just recent and a lot more high profile since the Olympics are coming soon. And there have always been discrepancies between the elite- Putin had notable fallings out with oligarchs/ power players when he became Pres first time (Berezovsky et al), nothing recent is as significant as that.

 

Putin will of course lose power at some stage, it's inevitable. Should be noted though that Putin himself was not really a 'big shot' until relatively soon before Yeltsin left, only being a politician for around 8 months prior, and was rushed straight into the PM's job, so it's not like there's ever been a western style system to bring through the new leaders. Personally I'd tend to presume that Medvedev would be the obvious successor anyway, he's not that old.

[obyknven]

More seriously, from Stratfor's analysis*

 

Despite massive energy revenues, the Russian economy is stagnating, with a projected growth rate of only 1.8 percent.

*Well worth the few bucks a month to subscribe. Seriously.

 

Dude, say something new. Such songs about ruined Russian economics i hear at least 10 years.

http://www.forbes.com/sites/markadomanis/2013/01/07/why-russias-economy-isnt-going-to-collapse/

 

Hating Russia‘s economy is a full-time job for many people...

 

However, after getting decimated during the worse days of the financial crisis, Russia’s economy has been plugging along with steady and unremarkable growth in the 3-4% range, hardly world beating but actually faster than almost every country in the EU. As more time has passed and Russia’s economy has defied predictions by continuing to not collapse, I’ve become increasingly convinced that its economic stability has been somewhat underrated and that, despite its many faults, its basic economic model is quite likely to endure through the short and medium terms...

 

However, based on its post-crisis performance, the Russian economy seems to be flexible enough to deal with a number of serious challenges. It would be a big mistake to allow distaste for Putin to cloud judgement about the likely course of Russia’s economy, which seems like it will continue to experience modest growth in the short and medium terms.

[Walsingham]

Given that Forbes just voted him most powerful man, and also given that Forbes is a magazine for... I've no idea... *searches*

 

...The kind of high quality publication which has con-ads for pensions on its website. I don't see why I should have anything but contempt for an analysis that simply says "Oh but they've been doing OK despite having none of the necessaries for success. So that'll continue indefinitely."

 

It is a grave error to brand contempt for Putin as distaste, rather than sound judgement regarding a system of government that is little more than asset stripping wrapped in a rather boring flag.

[NOK222]

Cultist, come on, we know it's you. 

[Cultist]

Cultist, come on, we know it's you. 

wat?

[ManifestedISO]

Well whoever it is, they got the HAWT closed. Stupid smegma sniffer.

[Walsingham]

Well whoever it is, they got the HAWT closed. Stupid smegma sniffer.

 

Inaccurate. Calling out the squad on them got the thread closed.

 

Break out the tinfoil and start making hats, gentlemen.

[Malcador]

[obyknven]

http://youtu.be/55HIaz_vkpY

[obyknven]

Russian guy explain about Russian etiquette and about imperial arrogance of Britt's.

 

google translated

 

Facebook walks on a link to an article by Jeremy Clarkson of the British politeness and Russian boorishness. Good, in fact, the article because it is very clearly shows the attitude of the British to ethics: politeness is only one - the British, and the other only to a greater or lesser degree of savages. It seemed to me that this attitude has become obsolete with the end of imperialism, but it seems that there are eternal themes that do not never fall silent. No one is surprised that the Japanese may be offended leaving a tip, and the American waiter take offense if you do not leave. But the gloomy Russian border guard - is, of course, rudeness, what else?

Meanwhile, it is quite obvious that the notions of civility and incivility are not universal and depend on the culture in which the process of formation. But I've never seen anyone in public without disparaging comparisons tried to describe what the notion of ethics of relationships made ​​in Russian culture, especially the modern, not the days of yore. Most educated people, one way or another, to accept themselves as "Western" notions of civility, treating Russian behavior as different manifestations of rudeness, not thinking too much about what is in the west and these ideas are quite different, and even more so they are different from those of in Russia.

In early childhood, parents teach their children the rules adopted in the Russian hostel how to treat the elderly, how to behave at the table, but the most important lesson, which is firmly hammered into children's heads before releasing one somewhere - do not talk to strangers. In general, with any strangers. I do not know about you, but when I was a kid - it was taught almost everyone. This is the first lesson of politeness, for which the unlearned and can be punished. In Russia taught from childhood not to talk to strangers. Not dangerous, not a suspect, but in general with strangers.

If the child get up to mischief in a public place? Do not stick to my uncle (aunt, grandmother). You can pull someone else's child on the cheek or something to entertain? What do you want from my child that you climb, you have not been asked. Aliens. But old people can old people can teach strange mummy, how to wear a hat like to roll the pram. They are annoying, violate a rule not to molest a stranger, but they can not answer. Seniors.

Once I was in the American supermarket in the middle of the day, in front of me in the queue were two people. Cashier serving them for about twenty minutes. He deliberately punched goods, simultaneously discussing the weather with an elderly shopper, neatly laid out the goods in bags, and then he told us about any discounts, shopper hobbled over to the grocery store jam, then came back, and they have long made ​​out coupon. I was furious, I hated that damn old woman for what she distracts the cashier, the cashier hated, for he is such a brake. Damn, I just need to buy a pack of cigarettes and a cup of coffee. Then I remembered that it is not at home and relaxed. It's so accepted, they are not rude to me specifically, they are just different ideas about politeness. I'm not in a hurry, I was on holiday at all, and the 20 minutes played no role, but in Russia rudeness - it does not break the pointless talk, rudeness - it's wasting everyone's time. Polite seller is not the one who smiles a lot, and he who weighs the smartly. Here he respects the buyer. I will leave a tip to the waiter, who quickly and quietly goes about his business, and not one that uninvited climbs with its recommendations to the menu. Because the first behaves politely, and the second is not.

When in the 90s appeared in Moscow supermarket chains appliances, western management trained sales consultants and customers to actively offer help in finding the goods. I remember well, as people shied away from these sellers, not knowing how to behave. I myself was very annoyed when I offered to help, which I did not ask. Because impose unsolicited communication - it is not polite. Now, if you've been paying attention, this is not often, choosing a vacuum cleaner, you should still look for the consultant. Because the traditional understanding of the principles of comfortable buying corporate policies won in sales.

My colleague and friend, when we are discussing something, if he believes that he understood me, then immediately interrupts and stops, and if I want to finish the thought, or to continue the theme, the risk of running into rudeness. Interrupt the speaker - it is normal to spend time companion to a senseless, from his point of view, communication - rudeness.

Smile - it's an invitation to dialogue, if you want to speak with someone, then you smiled at him at first, if a person will respond to a smile, you can start talking. A person who is always smiling - a fool, a crook or blessed. In Russia, the smile only to those with whom you are happy to talk. If a person is smiling, but you know what he did to you is not happy, or just having such a service - it's annoying. Insincere "duty" smile is a sign that you want to cheat.

In Russia it is very hard to start communication with a stranger in such a way that is acceptable to both sides. Only in Russia I saw bars, packed to capacity, in which all sitting at the bar, stumble upon a smartphone. The bartender is working, do not distract the bartender, and he has to serve other customers. Do not bother the neighbor on the front, it has an interesting conversation with your friends on facebook. Do not interfere with work postman and the border guard, do not distract them, they are focused and immersed in their own world. They do not want to talk to you.

A lot more just like to write, but I guess that's enough. Ten paragraphs already abroad decent post to Facebook. I'm sorry.

 

for people who can into Russian language
https://www.facebook.com/alexander.polejaev/posts/695422463801678