The Roots of Russia’s Revanchism — Energy

The American Spectator via Free Republic

This pretty much sums up what I think.  Actually, it is a lot like what I've been writing about for the past 3 1/2 years.

The Crimean crisis is revealing what history has proven over and over again — a country that develops a powerful economy on a firm foundation of energy resources can push its weight around on the world stage, and a country that lets its economy languish can believe itself much more powerful than it really is.--- William Tucker

Energy and space---we need to conquer both if we are to progress to the next level.  But we are going the wrong way.

Greenpeace on fusion: Whatever it is, we're against it ( 2008 )

the register uk

quote:

Fusion seems to exemplify what Moore means: an anti-modernity superstition. Greenpeace doesn't understand what fusion is, but whatever it is it will be scary, it will be bad, and it must be stopped.( emphasis added ) ----Andrew Orlowski

That seems pretty accurate to me.  Unfortunately, the new Luddites are succeeding far more than they should be.  It has occurred to me that if you were to look across the board throughout the Western World, you see that real material progress is screeching to a halt.

Next Big Future: What Comes After Pax Americana ?

Next Big Future: What Comes After Pax Americana ?: Pax Americana (1946-today) followed Pax Brittanica (1815-1914) . Those were where the world was often more at peace with America and Britai...

Summary:

• He thinks that MAD will work for at least another 15-20 years.
• Won't be a big war because major powers can't be bothered
• In the next 15 years, China will double or triple the US Economy\
• He thinks the US is going to take a lesser role

Bottom line is that he is bullish on China.

I don't think MAD will work anymore.  Witness 9-11-2001.  Globalism is failing, witness Russia.  Unless there's a miracle, America is kaput.  America is failing because it is slipping into leftist utopianism.

China has yet to demonstrate that it can lead.  Once the US craps out, the world will slip into chaos.

Crimea seizure act of Russian 'weakness': Obama

Free Republic


If you put it that way, Obama sounds like Baghdad Bob.  If Russian tanks were rolling in DC, Obama would still call Russia a "regional power".  Sorta in denial, I'd say.

"Mene, Mene, Tekel, Upharsin"

The writing is on the wall.

And this is the writing that was inscribed: mina, mina, shekel, half-mina. This is the interpretation of the matter: mina, God has numbered the days of your kingdom and brought it to an end; shekel, you have been weighed on the scales and found wanting; half-mina, your kingdom is divided and given to the Medes and Persians. —Daniel 5:25–28

Hopefully, the writing is not on the wall yet for the US itself, but it isn't looking good.  I'd say the writing is on the wall for Europe and perhaps a few other places that are under US "protection".

Update:

Pull out of NATO.  If Russia wants Europe, go for it.  If the Russian bear swallows Europe, it will get a powerful case of indigestion.

It Seems The US Has Lost The Ability To Intercept Russian Communications

Ace of Spades blog

Good title, bad conclusion.

quote:

U.S. military satellites spied Russian troops amassing within striking distance of Crimea last month. But intelligence analysts were surprised because they hadn't intercepted any telltale communications where Russian leaders, military commanders or soldiers discussed plans to invade.--- source at link above

The good news is that somebody has noticed that our military is now at least partly blind, thanks to this administration.  The bad news is that the remedy is to punish Snowden---quote:

I'm happy to have Snowden come back to the US and face a firing squad but I don't think we should jump to the conclusion that every intelligence failure from here on out is because of his crimes. --- "Drew M."

What do you think should have higher priority:  a) We know that our government is spying on EVERYBODY or b) that our military is now blind to a certain extent.

We wouldn't know the domestic spying, and because of that we may not know b).  Therefore, a) is more important.  It is vital that we know what our government is doing.  I don't trust Obama any further than I could throw Mt. Everest.  He is commander in chief.  Even with uncompromised intelligence, he is still no damned good.

In other words, what Obama is doing is more important than what Putin is doing.  Even though what Putin is doing is bad.  What Obama doing is even worse.

What Harry Reid was talking about

Republicans say that Harry Reid is unhinged after blaming GOP for Russia's annexation of Crimea.

Comment:

Buried beneath all the headlines is the core of the problem:

Many Republicans object to the IMF reforms because they are partly paid for by taking money from accounts used to buy Army and Air Force aircraft and missiles. Republicans also argue the reforms would diminish U.S. influence, since they would let the U.S. shift billions from crisis IMF accounts to its general lending fund. For these reasons, many Republicans have come out in vehement opposition to the provision, arguing it could even empower Russia.---Business Insider

The good and the bad news:  The bad news is that people will only read the headlines and line up on a partisan basis.  The good news is at least the Business Insider put out the GOP point of view.

The last thing we should be doing is weakening our defense posture.  Not to mention raiding the government for even more funds for a dubious enterprise.

As for Harry Reid, he looks to be trying to get "to the right" of the GOP.  The Democrats really want to appear to be tough, when they certainly are no such thing.