Print

Please login or register.
1 Hour 1 Day 1 Week 1 Month Forever
Login with username, password and session length

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

A

[MetalSlimeHunt]

How about "it is completely irrational and self-defeating for Russia to try to invade Europe, because this is not a cheap FPS".

First off-
Why is it self defeating? Russia has a lot to gain. No need for trade when you own the supplies with only maintenance cost to you.
Second off-
Why is their military budget so large? What? Is it dickwaving? inb4 yes.

No, Russia does not have a lot to gain. If Russia began a mass invasion of European nations, they would cause a global economic crisis that would make 2008 look petty, risk nuclear war, and kill many, many people. None of these things are a gain. Russia does not possess the military or political force to take and hold a part of Europe.

And yes, a lot of modern military budgets are strategic geopolitical dickwaving. While having a military if you are a modern nation is not completely useless yet, it is a lot less important than it used to be.

[Leafsnail]

Compare the American welfare/pensions budget and the Defence budget.
Which is the bloated one?

The defence budget.

Second off-
Why is their military budget so large? What? Is it dickwaving? inb4 yes.

This is great.  "Russia's HUGE military budget, which is about an eighth of the US's military budget, proves that it has hostile intentions".  Incidentally it's still a lot less than the combined budgets of France, the UK and Germany.

I must thank you for this discussion though, I miss Nikov's jingoistic and ill-informed dickwaving.

[kingfisher1112]

How about "it is completely irrational and self-defeating for Russia to try to invade Europe, because this is not a cheap FPS".

First off-
Why is it self defeating? Russia has a lot to gain. No need for trade when you own the supplies with only maintenance cost to you.
Second off-
Why is their military budget so large? What? Is it dickwaving? inb4 yes.

No, Russia does not have a lot to gain. If Russia began a mass invasion of European nations, they would cause a global economic crisis that would make 2008 look petty, risk nuclear war, and kill many, many people. None of these things are a gain. Russia does not possess the military or political force to take and hold a part of Europe.

And yes, a lot of modern military budgets are strategic geopolitical dickwaving. While having a military if you are a modern nation is not completely useless yet, it is a lot less important than it used to be.

Why is it just dickwaving? Why is militarism on the way out the door? Why is an army and  safety of a nation carrying little importance?

[10ebbor10]

The Russian military budget is the same as the US one. Same GDP percentage.

Because of globalization, and the effects on the usefulness of wars. All nations economies are intertwined , in such that a military war will no longer come up positive.* Also, MAD, NATO, UN, and each and every other internationall organization.
*Wars are no longer popular. An unilateral attack scenario is impossible
*Infrastructure is more important than resources and land. Information beats it all. The latter can't be found, the first tends to be destroyed.

[kingfisher1112]

The Russian military budget is the same as the US one. Same GDP percentage.

Because of globalization, and the effects on the usefulness of wars. All nations economies are intertwined , in such that a military war will no longer come up positive.* Also, MAD.
*Wars are no longer popular. An unilateral attack scenario is impossible
*Infrastructure is more important than resources and land. Information beats it all. The latter can't be found, the first tends to be destroyed.

Alright, I will admit that a resource war is improbable. But what about diplomatic tension? Russia still doesn't like most of Europe very much and certainly is nowhere near it's policies. Potential trade embargoes to pressure joining EU (I'm sure they'll try and get them to join, potentially soon. ) What then? Diplomacy only goes so far.

[XXSockXX]

Seriously, this Russia vs the West thing is so 80s. Where except in right-wing US politics is this even still relevant? We may have differences with Russia, but overall we're on pretty good terms.

Expansion through conquest is no longer a viable strategy on a larger scale. Expansion through indirect control is the norm since WW2, because it is so much less costly in terms of resources, money and lives.

The EU has nukes, so nobody is going to invade Europe. End of story.

As for diplomatic pressure: Russia can't even keep it's former soviet influence sphere under control with that, how is that a threat to Europe?

[kingfisher1112]

Seriously, this Russia vs the West thing is so 80s. Where except in right-wing US politics is this even still relevant? We may have differences with Russia, but overall we're on pretty good terms.

Expansion through conquest is no longer a viable strategy on a larger scale. Expansion through indirect control is the norm since WW2, because it is so much less costly in terms of resources, money and lives.

The EU has nukes, so nobody is going to invade Europe. End of story.

As for diplomatic pressure: Russia can't even keep it's former soviet influence sphere under control with that, how is that a threat to Europe?

Nobody is willing to nuke their own country.

[Leafsnail]

Disturbing footage demonstrating Russia's military power

[Gervassen]

I thought Russian oil had already conquered Europe.

I'm not so sanguine about globalisation's pacifying effects. From the vantage point of a rich western nation, it probably does seem as if the world is too wealthy to benefit from war. From Russian and Chinese perspective, it's less apparent.

It's mainly the nukes.

[kingfisher1112]

Disturbing footage demonstrating Russia's military power

Dohohoh, you're so funny! Contributing absolutely nothing at all!

[Leafsnail]

Well then I guess diplomacy has failed.  kingfisher1112, everyone else has already demonstrated that you're completely wrong and if you want to keep talking about your EU invasion fantasy I suggest you do so in the Paranoid Militaristic Wet Dreams thread.

[XXSockXX]

I thought Russian oil had already conquered Europe.

More like Russian gas. But we're working on that. Anyways, by that logic you could say that Saudi Arabia rules the world.
And really, why would Russia risk open conflict with someone they can just sell stuff to? It's not like they have nothing to lose.

It's mainly the nukes.

I too think that the nuclear threat of mutually assured destruction is the key to world peace. "Let's all be friends" is simply not going to work.

[kingfisher1112]

Well then I guess diplomacy has failed.  kingfisher1112, everyone else has already demonstrated that you're completely wrong and if you want to keep talking about your EU invasion fantasy I suggest you do so in the Paranoid Militaristic Wet Dreams thread.

At least I actually posted more than a single stupid sentence with no punctuation.

[scriver]

Because Leafsnail sure didn't.

That video was the most constructive answer anyone could've made to this discussion anyway.

[Zangi]

So... seeing that the discussion has already concluded with nothing useful to be added.


WTF is it with the Brits and their celeb/idol-level fascination with the Duchess?
Why is she just a Duchess?  I thought she was Queen or something. 
Is this a matriarchal or patriarchal marriage?  Looks patriarchal.