Russian military quietly becoming a world power?

[pastorables]

MOSCOW (Reuters) - Russia's military leaders approved a plan by the navy on Sunday to station warships permanently in friendly ports across the globe.

Underfunded since the 1991 break up of the Soviet Union , the Russian navy has been reasserting itself over the last year by chasing Somali pirates around the coast of east Africa and steaming across the Atlantic to visit allies in South America.

"The General Staff has given its position on this issue and it fully supports the position of the (Navy's) main committee," deputy chief of staff Colonel-General Anatoly Nogovitsyn told RIA Novosti news agency.

A resurgent navy has become central to a strategy for Russia -- which enjoyed a decade of economic revival from 1998 -- to project itself in foreign affairs.

In August a Russian diplomat said the navy was to make more use of a Syrian Mediterranean Sea port. Last month a Russian warship cruised off Cuba after visiting South America for the first time since 1991.

Nogovitsyn said Russia was directly negotiating with foreign governments to station warships at bases around the world permanently, although he declined to give exact details.

"Nobody can predict where problems could flare up," he said. "What we need are permanent bases, but these are very costly. They need to be considered very carefully."

RIA Novosti wrote that the Russian navy was already in negotiations to build a permanent Black Sea Port in the Russia-backed breakaway Georgian region of Abkhazia.

Is our nation content to watch Russia assert itself in strategic locations globally without rebuttal?

pa

[TW]

pastorables,

Why should we expect anything less from any other government than that which we do ourselves? It is incumbent upon any nation's rulers to take such actions as are necessary to insure the strength and stability of their respective nation. Why should we expect that we, and we alone, have the right to a "global presence?"

How would we rebut them? Tell them that they can't have any influence outside of their own countries? That is not a realistic option. The fact is that they have the same rights to global positioning that we do.

To tell the truth, I have a bigger problem with China expanding their influence than I do with Russia. Just a few of my thoughts about this.


TW

[bibleguy]

Right now, I would feel a little more confortable if a cowboy or a war hero was going to be taking the oath of office in a couple of weeks...

[one love]

I have been saying for a while that Russia was rebuilding under Putin and people laughed and said they are broke, a dead nation etc.

China recently released a article that said America has declined as a super power by the two wars and the economic situation and that Russia has expanded greatly. It also mentioned China's place in this and boldly stated that America was not the only super power any longer.
Russia and China now have a direct link phone to discuss militarily positions and economic strategies. Folks if we don't think they don't hate us we are fooling ourselves.

You will also soon see Iran get more involved and I believe Russia will side with them......

[Tim Elston]

Folks if we don't think they don't hate us we are fooling ourselves.

Russia and China are two different countries that have their own interests. Even though a lot of Americans don't realize it, other countries don't exist to be our maidservants. Russia feels pressured by our intrusion into their sphere, and China has energy import needs to fuel its growing economy. The growth of its economy is also dependent on ours, so they have much more to gain as our friends than as our enemies, so long as our economy is their number one export market.

In the end, each nation, including the United States, "hates" all other nations when it comes to competing interests and "loves" all other nations when it comes to mutually beneficial interests. To frame Russia and China as categorically hating us, with the implication that we are categorically innocent of looking out for our interests in the same manner that they are looking out for theirs, is perhaps the most unproductive foreign relations posture conceivable.

[one love]

Folks if we don't think they don't hate us we are fooling ourselves.

Russia and China are two different countries that have their own interests. Even though a lot of Americans don't realize it, other countries don't exist to be our maidservants. Russia feels pressured by our intrusion into their sphere, and China has energy import needs to fuel its growing economy. The growth of its economy is also dependent on ours, so they have much more to gain as our friends than as our enemies, so long as our economy is their number one export market.

In the end, each nation, including the United States, "hates" all other nations when it comes to competing interests and "loves" all other nations when it comes to mutually beneficial interests. To frame Russia and China as categorically hating us, with the implication that we are categorically innocent of looking out for our interests in the same manner that they are looking out for theirs, is perhaps the most unproductive foreign relations posture conceivable.

Tim I understand your premise here but I think it is deeper then that. Sure we do what is in our best interest, however we are the United states (this may sound arrogant but is not meant to) the main super power. If they wanted True friendly relationships with us they could do so. They are positioning themselves as allies of strength to display their power, with that said why would they do that Tim?

I do believe Russia has a agenda against us, they want "Mother Russia" to return.
You wait until Iran launches a missile at Israel and we get involved, you will see where they are.....IMHO

[Dr. Ron]

Yeah, you know .....dadgumit....we ought to stay out of world affairs.

I mean, you know, when China was being over-run by a little ole Japan, General Chang Ki Sheck(sp) begged us to stay out of their war....but noooooooo we had to stick our noses in there,.

And when Russia was being cut off from the world and starving to death by the Hitler regime.....they told us .....butt out.....but nooooooooo, we gotta send them material and money and then help them with advisors......we gotta stick our noses in there.....

And when Bosnia. or Viet Nam, or Korea, or Samalia, or Iraq, or whoever, tells us to go shove it......nooooooooo, we gotta stick our noses in there too.

You know, I think the world would be a better place if we just built a big old fence around the US and told everyone else in the world to "deal with it".

I am so sick of this kind of patter I am about to puke.

No, the rest of the world is not our "handmaids" but by George, they OWE us big time. And there "sphere" .......good Lord....what is that supposed to mean....WE'RE Global NOW!!!!! Hello!!!!!

Sorry, but I am tired of the same old "we shouldn't be there" .....

If they want our money, our education, our music, our dollars in their economy, our movies, our books, our everything........then just be at least willing to say thank you.