IMO it is obvious that Russia has the upper hand. They have tanks on the streets, NATO have diddly squat and it is questionable that they would want to roll them in. There's no way the EU would want an open confrontation else freeze next winter. The US government may be a little more bellicose. I doubt they would want direct confrontation though, more likely an economic response will be the focus - unfortunately it may take a global recession to do it. I don't see Russia rolling over or rolling out in a hurry. The NATO response to the Georgian conflict six years ago was telling. Putin may have weaknesses but he is no fool. Will be interesting to see how the Ukraine elections in May pan out. The splintering between east and west is fairly obvious. It may be that Russia will be happy 'claiming' eastern parts of Ukraine and leaving the rest to Europe. Crimea is strategically important and the east (Donetsk, etc.) is fertile in cropping and mining. That would be a win but they may not be satisfied. This is a carve of Europe. It's happened before, for example with Poland between Germany/USSR some 75 years ago. I also see this is as another legacy from Soviet border-drawing designed to mix and weaken ethnic groups.
The Ruskis don't want the Ukraine , they only want the Crimea which has been traditionally Russian in the past The Crimea was handed to somebody ( can't remember which clan ) in the 1920's & made part of the Ukraine to make them more independent from Russia Give the back the Crimea I say But who can say that in the Ukraine ? :| IF the Russian army was in Kiev or Odessa than that would be a totally different thing
haven't spoken to my auntie lately , mum usually does , she didn't mention anything at dinner the other day They are in Odessa , eldest son is a army pilot & the young one is in the navy .
Stupid for anyone to think US has more pull on Russia and vise versa. They are both playing a game of chess to which the only outcome is a dead lock, there can be no winner and no one country can be better off over all. In the case of Ukraine, Russia won that move and America are not going to do shit about it. What can change this is China, whoever they decide to back will be the dominating power. If i had to place a bet ill bet they side with Russia when push comes to shove. But this is looks further into the future.
China is backing itself. It aims at becoming the world superpower, and will likely succeed. For the time being, it is relatively quiet, buying up African natural resources without invading (unlike the US, Russia and European countries have been doing), but it is flexing its mussels in East Asia (for the time being by trying to control all the islands in the region).
I am all for a strong Russia and China, we have see what happens to the world with only one hegemony and it stinks. Sure they have Civil Rights Violations but that is pail in comparison to what the US had been doing.
I agree that China is backing itself, but I don't really see China trying to emulate the other previous super powers in trying to acquire direct control over nation states. In my opinion china is doing the smart thing and investing in natural resources throughout the world and position itself to be an economic power. Wars are expansive and extremely destructive, China has witnessed this first hand on a number of occasions and I would hope they don't go down this path after all as I have previously stated war is just an extension of economic warfare which China is currently doing well at.
I guess China has caused enough environmental destruction on their own land, I don't thing they can handle much more.... But seriously i don't think China gives a crap about being destructive, just like any other super power.
You are contradicting yourself. "china is doing the smart thing and investing in natural resources throughout the world", "war is just an extension of economic warfare", it follows that China will become as aggressive and blood thirsty as the US. China is buying up all the natural resources it can buy (it has enough US$ reserves to do that...). Once it has all the natural resources, it will need a strong army to "defend" them from theft. And then it will figure out that 1) it's easier to steal than to buy, and 2) it won't have enough money to buy natural resources, because it all went in weapons. So 3) it will go around stealing all the natural resources it wants. This is the history of the British empire and US imperialism. China will do the same. And I don't think that the USSR was much better than the US. Not worse probably, but not better either.
That was kruschev. He gave Crimea as a "gift" to ukraine in 1954. So to all those Russia bashers remember that Crimea has always been Russian until 1954 when a totalitarian regime gave it to ukraine. No referendum no plebiscite. No one asked what the inhabitants wanted. Russia has a very strong claim on Crimea a land that was Russian for centuries. The USA is now reaping what it sowed when it decided to change regimes all over the Middle East and make territorial changes to countries like Serbia. Hey if the Albanians can carve Kosovo away from Serbia so should the Russians take crimea, a land they have more than a valid claim too. I congratulate v Putin for taking back what always belonged to Russia.
Foreign Ministry spokesman Qin Gang said "There have been reasons for today's situation in Ukraine," said the spokesman, without detailing the reasons." that's the position of China
Original question was? My answer is ... I don't know what effect this or any other actual war or potential war will have on spot. I'd prefer not to profit from the death of innocent people. That's all I'd like to say.
Exactly. A territory should belong to the people who live on it, and the people who live in Crimea feel Russians and want to be part of Russia, so I salute Putin for doing the same thing. And who died in Crimea? As long as Kievians (or what are the people who live in Kiev called??) stay out of it, everybody is safe.
The location of Ukraine is such that there isn't really a lot that can be done which does not involve terrible consequences.. The effect on gold will be at best temporary....it will not change the overall trend. If gold is destined to fall further then so it will be....using the example of the u.s. and its ongoing wars and you will see that the influence of war is temporary. It is the breakdown in Europe we need to focus on....it is the u.s. dollar we need to watch....it will begin its big move forward soon enough and gold will follow with it or soon after.... The movement in gold will be a function of a breakdown in governments.........not inflation....not war...not manipulation...not chinese buying...
President Obama has threatened to withdraw from G8 talks and move to revoke Russia's access to the prestigious economic club. Russian official to Obama: "There is a saying in Russia: You can't scare a hedgehog with a naked ass."
ML, your version of reality does not match the facts. Obama is toothless, especially on Russia's home turf. The US has a horse in this race because we helped create the revolt and then, as in Georgia, abandoned the natives when they needed our support. If the US didn't see Russia as a threat to Georgia, then our military intelligence were idiots. Everyone knows Putin wants to put the old Soviet Union back together. If you think Russia taking Ukrainian soil is Putin being bitchslapped by Obama, I have some ecologically sensitive property in the Everglades I would like to interest you in. Again, Putin doesn't need to escalate anything, he already has what he wants. And the US & Europe will only shake their fingers at Russia and say naughty, naughty. Putin knows the West will not risk war and Russia is now allying with the Saudi Arabia that Obama has alienated. So, a large portion on the world's energy supplies will be on Russia's side. Obama is an intellectual, elitist and has no concept of reality and Putin is slaughtering Obama on the world chess board. I consider that Obama being bitchslapped and I expect the rest of the world does too. America is the greatest nation in the world and fracking is giving us a second chance to undo the economic damage of the last several administrations. We shall see if the US government will get out of the way long enough for the citizens to revitalize America.
In the first instance I'm talking about Russia being a Mafia state ruled essentially by a Don. The enemy which we are fighting though is not Russia it is fundamental Islam.
