Heavy Fighting in South Ossetia

[Husar]

I agree with CrossLoper, I noticed this as well.

Russia seems to feel bullied of sorts because soon they will be surrounded by NATO members, an organization founded to keep Russia in check and the solution everybody comes up with is to go and drive the russian bear even deeper into the corner it already is in. Think about what a bear does when you try to corner it...
Of course you can shout at the bear all day that it is evil and should stop but usually that will not stop it from attacking you. I never particularly liked the idea that Europe is dependant on russian ressources, since we get all our IT equipment from the US and noone says we are dependant on the Us, instead we call them a good trading partner. In a similar fashion we should try to become, laugh if you want, friends, with Russia, trading partners who benefit from eachother. They influence us, we influence them.
surely there are forces in Russia who's rather see us as weaklings kneeling before lord Putin but I would say if we keep treating Russia like it's the devil we're not exactly helping the situation either.

Or maybe I'm just naive and we should nuke Moscow, you tell me.

[ICantSpellDawg]

I never particularly liked the idea that Europe is dependant on russian ressources, since we get all our IT equipment from the US and noone says we are dependant on the Us, instead we call them a good trading partner.

That is because you can vote against our interests and we won't turn off the IT faucet. Try doing anything that Russia doesn't like as see if you don't have an energy crisis in the making afterwards.

There is a difference (however subtle) between a FDIC insured bank and a mentally unstable loan shark.

[Adrian II]

I agree with CrossLoper, I noticed this as well.

Russia seems to feel bullied of sorts because soon they will be surrounded by NATO members, an organization founded to keep Russia in check and the solution everybody comes up with is to go and drive the russian bear even deeper into the corner it already is in. Think about what a bear does when you try to corner it...

The thing is these nations want to be Nato members, and under the charter most of them are entitled to apply and be admitted. It's called freedom. If Russia doesn't respect that, we won't respect Russia.

And becoming 'friends' with the oligarchy in Moscow is a laughable proposition.

[ICantSpellDawg]

The thing is these nations want to be Nato members, and under the charter most of them are entitled to apply and be admitted. It's called freedom. If Russia doesn't respect that, we won't respect Russia.

And becoming 'friends' with the oligarchy in Moscow is a laughable proposition.

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I agree.

[Husar]

And becoming 'friends' with the oligarchy in Moscow is a laughable proposition.

I didn't say become friends with the oligarchy, I said become friends with the country.
I tend to seperate between a country and it's government though currently most Russians seem to want that government, unfortunately.

[JR-]

I didn't say become friends with the oligarchy, I said become friends with the country.
I tend to seperate between a country and it's government though currently most Russians seem to want that government, unfortunately.

ask BP whether russia is able to make that distinction.