Are we underestimating Russia? Shouldn't we be really concerned about the conflict right now?

jamferris

You're not being paranoid at all. You ask if Russia would start a war to prove a point; Russia sees the US tampering with their backyard or sphere of influence. We were willing to go to war over missles in Cuba. I have no doubt Russia feels the same. Russia is riding a wave of Nationalism, and now they have money.

This is a very dangerous situation. I predict Russia will start reaching out to countries in the middle east and selling them weapons in retaliation.

2012.... I'm starting to believe the Mayans knew what they were talking about.

ROBERT R.....

MY CONCERNS CENTER AROUND TWO THINGS. ONE, RUSSIA IS STILL A POTENT, HEAVILY ARMED (NUKES-WISE) WHO WOULD STILL DO ANYTHING TO BURY. SHE MIGHT EVEN GIVE, SELL, OR TRADE THOSE WEAPONS TO OUR ISLAMIC ENEMIES AROUND THE WORLD. SECOND, I FEAR COMMUNIST CHINA AND THE STRANGLEHOLD ON OUR ECONOMIC FUTURE. WITH WHAT WE OWE THEM, THEY COULD LITERALLY CLOSE US DOWN. ALSO, WE ARE FIGURATIVELY STILL AT WAR WITH THEM (COURTESY OF THE KOREAN CONFLICT). EITHER WAY BOTH HAVE ENOUGH MILITARY AND ECONOMIC STRENGTH TO MAKE OUR LIVES VERY UNCOMFORTABLE. OF COURSE, THE NEOCONS DO NOT REALLY SEEM TO CARE. ONE MORE FOR THE GIPPER.

zomo

i definitely feel threatened. Georgia is small. Poland is bigger. What is next? A larger country such as U.S.? That is a little over dramatized but just think about the concept.

melissa1987

Russia is no better than Iran. They are making threats on Poland for signing that contract with the US. That's like blowing someone's house up for putting an alarm system in it. That's insane.

brupo

Yes, it's a very dangerous situation. Russia has instigated it. We can't just give in and allow Russia to destroy democracies. But yes, this is a serious situation and there's no guarantee of what could happen. Less than 2 weeks ago, we were all believing Russia was our ally and than all of the sudden....

Inka Kola

I agree. Russia has become incredibly wealthy over the past decade from oil revenue. It has used that revenue to reestablish it's military and in the process it's sphere of influence in the Caucasus. Now that the U.S. military is stretched thin because of a war we should have never started (Iraq), and the situation in Afghanistan/Pakistan, Russia can behave this way with no real repercussions. I'm curious to see how the Europeans react to this threat.

raging_stalin

We need to resolve this. And it can be done by assuring that our missile defense shield we are going to build will not be used on Russia. Russia has stated that if we put some, not all, but some of the radar sites for the missile shield in Russia they would back down on it. I think we should also make a NATO membership offer to Russia. We show them that we want to work with them, they will work with us.

Joejack

not underestimating at all and yes this is the real deal. the public has been externalizing the world situation for some time now. young people have now grown up with all the talk and a resistance to a reality that once upon a time was serious business for everyone. now people have gotten used to thinking they can personally change the world by degrading the presidency as if it's some evil monster and has complete choice over whether we war or not. the reality is we are still in the fight for our future, it is not guaranteed and never has been.

Ahwahnee

OH YES WE SHOULD BE CONCERNED THE RUSSIANS MEAN BUSINESS, AND NERVOUS IS A COMPLETE UNDERSTATEMENT OF HOW I FEEL, WE ARE ON THE FREAKIN BRINK OF ALL OUT NUCLEAR WAR, CHECK OUT THE RUSSIAN MILITARY'S PROFILE'S S.H.I.T. THEY ARE CRAZY B.A.S.T.A.R.D.S. AND WE REALY NEED TO TAKE THEM *SERIOUS* TAKE THEM FOR WHAT THEY ARE NO HOLDS BARRED REGIME.

brucec83

We are the ones engaging in brinksmanship here. While Russia was weak, we grabbed every loose country around Russia's periphery, engineering the breakup of the USSR, Yugoslavia and Serbia. Russia had no choice but to roll over. We could have embraced them, but we chose to encircle them. Now it has recovered economically and is starting to push back. With the missiles in Poland, the die will be cast. Crimea will be next. Europe is just going along for the ride.

The shame of it is that people don't support wars unless their leaders manipulate them into it. If put to a vote, only 30% of the Polish and Czech people would vote for a missile system. How many Americans would vote to go to war against Russia in Georgia? 20% maybe? But the news media of both countries will increase that by skillfully exploiting our fears.

Our leaders, both US and Russian, have been playing this game for 100 years now and after a winning streak, the US just made two bad moves. Just remember when inflation is double digit and the top tax rate is back at 70%, that it didn't have to be that way. Welcome to Cold War II.

Lana Lee =)

WW3

ZanzaLabs47

russia has the largest army in the world i think we should be more careful

Seabiscuit

The USA and its allies can easily handle themselves in a conventional war

if it turns nuclear, be worried

with so many nukes (RUS has 5000+, as does the USA) everyone is assured of death via fallout

its a bleak and cynical view, i know, but sadly, it is true
hopefully, though, they wouldnt risk it

professional ***hole

You have a right to be concerned as we all do! I have been having the same feelings as you and there is nothing we can do about it, because the people we put in charge is not taking any consideration on how the people of America feels on the subject. Other Countries hate us and most have good reasons for it, if you look at our history and all the "real" facts we have been real ***holes! Look at all the laws and rules we have, and I thought this was a free country, yeah right! We are just like the rest but we just think we are the best. We have so many hungry poor homeless people but not enough jobs, Our taxes and gass are so high we cant afford to get to work. We have so many people in our own country that need help but yet our government seems to think that spending our money butting into other countries business is the better choice at the moment. Maybe if we would have done the right thing a long time ago one of the wars we have going on now wouldn't have even happened! I think its time we ban together and say **** the government start making some choices for ourselves before we cause another world war!!

Johnny C

um when we dont mind our own buisness we end up in messes like iraq

somedude

Russia should be a BIGGER concern to us than what we are making it. Russia is just as technologically efficient as we are, and they have an unstable government. Russia still is considered a world power, and can cause a havoc on Europe. Unfortunately France, Germany, and other European countries don't do anything, they are too lax. Poland depends on us and we are in an alliance with Poland, should Poland be invaded we would be required to act. Our soldiers have already been spread thin.

Don't get over excited about this, I have a feeling that Russia just wanted to showcase in a "Bully" type of manner that they are still a force.

Relax a bit.

Visor

I think west is underestimating Russia and the danger Russian imperialist ambitions pose.

2 Bruce83, for the record after events in Georgia and Russian threats to Poland popular pools showed support for missile defense system jumped up 30%. In 2-3 days.

West didn't grab soviet republics, they run away from USSR after 70 years of Russian/communist rule, let's face it that's what it was.

in 1991 Russia could've done a lot of things to convince its neighbors they weren't the old communist Russia, however Russia PERSONALLY instigated multiple ethnic conflicts in former republics in an attempt to weaken independent countries and keep control of them. That happened in Moldova, Georgia, Ukraine(failed attempt), Azerbaijan etc...

Seeing all that, is it surprising those republics seek allies and protection in the west and from NATO?

Who want the kind of neighbor that is arming separatist groups on your territory, bombs your country every once in a while and denies it, or explains it was an accident(Russian explanation of the bombing of Georgina territory, before this conflict)..

Mephisto

P A R A N O I A - setting in...

Maybe we should have thought about that before US adventure in Iraq.

As for under estimating Russia, maybe 'we' are over estimating our military reach. History tends to repeat itself. Alexander, Khan, Napoleon, Hitler just to name a few. They all went the same way we are heading - and the irony of it all is that Persia is still standing. The most ruthless warrior could not bring Persia to its knees, the same one that sacked Rome.

Intervention in an unstable region increases instability and we are no longer kidding/fooling the world.... Read the following http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mary-dejevsky/mary-dejevsky-intervention-may-breed-instability-891438.html

http://www.independent.co.uk/opinion/commentators/mary-dejevsky/mary-dejevsky-russia-the-bad-guys-who-are-the-west-trying-to-kid-897498.html

Its not me Its u

avoid the mob rush, and get to the Wal-mart to get all your provisions....

beage3

I think we should protect Georgia as much as we can, because there our allies. And their are rumors that Russia provoked the attack as a way to get back at the Georgians for trying to join NATO(North Atlantic Treaty Organization) who are notoriously anti-russia.

As for whether or not we should concerned about Russia's intention with their recent threats, I think that they are testing the world, to see whether or not we'll back down or stand firm. I think its similiar as having an abusive husband, after you get abused, you can't let it go or its just going to get worse.

For example after WW1, the western nations were tired of fighting, but in the 30's Hitler repudiated the Treaty of Versailles by re-militarizing and crossing certain forbidden territorial boundaries. So instead of checking the German advance they let it slide, emboldening Hitler which led to the takeover of Poland and eventually WWII.

My point is its never a good idea to let bullies or power-hungry nations have their way, because if we don't stand strong who is to say they'll stop. Bullies are cowards they like easy meals,but if we let Russia know their actions will not go unpunished, then they'll think better about crossing us.

ps. zanzalab; china at 2.8 million strong has the worlds largest army, not russia who has a little more than 300,000 troops in its army(very poorly equipped compared to the u.s.).

...

it shoudnt be the US promblem it should be the UN's promblem

Rafael T

zanzalab, no they do not have the largest army in the world, that goes to china. yes u r being paranoid, russia knows damn well that if they did that it would lead to a nuclear war ending human life as we know it. they are all talk and not much substance. they went to war with afghanistan for 10 years and lost while we won in few weeks. everyone on here seems to overestimating them.

TopEST Contributor

im not sure, i just hope we dont try to "help" them out, thats wat we tried with iraq, now look where its gotten us?

Let Russia uses it resourse a little more then we can make money outta it. Take it easy.

AIPAC,SPLC & ACLU DESTROY THE US

Don't worry.Obama will sell America to Russia easily.

mkimkilop

....look Russia has a economy of 1/3 that of the US and combined with NATO Russia only has about 1/5 of that of our economies they also only have 1/2 of the popuplation of the US......If Russia were to nuke Poland there would be no Russia left to talk to the US would have support for a Nuclear counter attack and all of Russia's major cities would be hit..........they would try to hit us back but our missle defence sheild would have us covered....also were not underestmating Russia people are Underestmating NATo they see to forget that NATO is basicly the entire western world and has 35 of the top military powers either as amember or as a strong ally of a member they seem to forget that besides China and Iran no one really likes Russia......

This little game Russia is playing we should not stand for it we should give them until Friday to take down the naval blockade around Georgia and to withdraw all Russian forces out of Georgia before NATO moves in we should also move the %th fleet into the blacksea close to their little blockade just to show them were watchign them they would back down within hours their only still there because the world is basicly letting them get away with it diploACy is good don;'t get me wrong but Force should always be on the table.....

Arctic Pheonix

Most people that I speak to are saying that what Russia is doing is bullying tactics which are most psychological in nature.

They seem to think that nothing much will come of this.

Snow Man

Einstein

I don't think Russia will invade Poland. Invading Poland has grave consequences. Look what happend when Hitler did it. That started WWII.

Grizz

i say georgia gotta surrender and if US makes a move im gonna be pissed and poland gotta be careful i dont want a freakn world war starting right now

Naeko

This conflict ended a week or so ago.

Boycott Hollywd Commies

Bush will handle the situation fine. Sleep tight, you are in good hands.

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