Russian Ships Near Data Cables Are Too Close for U.S.Comfort

[Indy]

[Dylan]

Oh, Russia has vastly improved since Georgia. They learned the lessons they needed to and they modernized portions of their military very effectively. They cut down the bloated bureaucracy and streamlined information management, which is vitally important in 21st century combat. They're using Syria and Crimea as an opportunity for their elite forces to cut their teeth and get some actual on the ground combat experience, as well as an opportunity to tease out other operational weaknesses they can remedy in the future.

Their problem is that they are a very poor country and they simply don't have the resources to modernize their entire military. Their best is very, very good. But the rest are mediocre at best and they in no way have the resources to fight an extended war on multiple fronts, which is their only option in a conflict with NATO. Also their key ally - China - doesn't have a ton of interest in war at this point, IMO, because they are still so reliant on the US as an export partner. Also with Japan tooling up and the US's close ties with many nations in the region, China would have their hands full in their own Pacific theater and be unlikely to be capable of offering any real assistance to the Russkies in their Western theater.

It would take a few months I suppose, but Russia would lose and lose badly.

All assuming non-nuclear.

[Indy]

Wow. Well nice to know we have somebody here who knows Russia (I don't know squat).

Yeah, there's that nuke thing--although I find it hard to believe Putin would do something when MAD exists. What I could see though? Them selling stuff to ISIS or a like-minded group.

All unofficially of course.

[Dylan]

Well Putin is kinda crazy. From his early days in the KGB he was labelled a somewhat loose cannon. A paraphrased quote is that he has a decreased awareness of danger and is overly confident.

He could go nuclear. But depopulating Russia isn't the worst thing long term TBH.

[Indy]

[The Comrade]

10 more posts before eynon turns this into a stupid discussion of f**k russian women

[Indy]

OK Dylan and everyone: what's the play here?

I would think cutting that cable would literally be considered an act of war, about as much as dropping a bomb on us.

So, what is the point of their little game here, assuming they're not going to do that. Or is it just Putin waving his dick around again?

[exploited]

[Stratego]

[Indy]

Does anybody else think the big fight will be over oil drilling as the ice caps continue to melt?