The Donald has realised - as Lord Palmerston did 150 years before him - that "The policy and practice of the Russian Government has always been to push forward its encroachments as fast and as far as the apathy or want of firmness of other Governments would allow it to go, but always to stop and retire when it met with decided resistance and then to wait for the next favourable opportunity."Originally Posted by PSRB
Which is also, pretty much to the letter, Hitler's foreign policy up until 1939. Its just that he didnt actually meet any resistance until then....
It isnt a bad description of everyone's foreign policy......
Which, of course, is an endorsement of the idea of pushing back against Putin as Trump is doing and as Obama singularly failed to do.
It's certainly a description of the foreign policy of expansionist powers. There aren't many such powers left, however - at least in the West. Russia has always been that sort of power because it perceives itself as having a sphere of influence and control far beyond its borders that includes nebulous ethnic (ie Slavic) and religious (ie Orthodox) components. In addition, being where it is, Russia has always had a massive chip on its shoulder because it is seen (justifiably) as backward and uncivilised by its western European neighbours. This inferiority complex has made it aggressive in its dealings with those neighbours and its relationships with them uncomfortable.
So we need to bring Putin to his knees just like we did the USSR?*
* Economically speaking, at least.
Not really. He isn't a serious global threat in the sense that the USSR was. He's simply a posturing strong man type who needs to be made to wind his fvcking neck in.
Never forget when talking about Russia and its capabilities that - for all its geographical size - Russia's economy is less than half the size of the UK's. Russia's economic capacity for doing anything much more than posturing in military terms is virtually zero.
THat is pretty much what Hitler said in 1941
Never attack the Russians. Never ends well......
Oh, never invade Russia with the intention of defeating it utterly. That is madness. However, it's perfectly possible to fight local wars with limited objectives with Russia (Crimea, Russo-Japanese War, etc, etc) and win. Plus, of course, the Russian home record is pretty decent (if Pyrrhic), but their away record is absolutely shocking.THat is pretty much what Hitler said in 1941
Never attack the Russians. Never ends well......
In light of our match on Thursday, this has me worried
Yes, but we have limited objectives, la. We need to get in and get out without conceding more than two goals and/or scoring at least one ourselves. All we need to do is not lose too badly and we're fine.In light of our match on Thursday, this has me worried
Without question, they dount travel well. If you are going to war with russia you need to make sure it is fought over two legs.
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