The US should not intervene in Ukraine!

[Rahul]

The Russian military is not in good shape. I've read the experiences of one Moscovite that recently was in the Russian military for a couple years and he talked of the vehicles having flat tires more often than not, dead batteries, and the troops draining all their gas out of the tanks and selling it on the side of the road.

The condition of their navy has been dropping like a rock since the Soviet Empire collapsed, except for some subs that they manage to keep from dropping to the bottom of the ocean.

Their tactics still remain very similar to WW2 tactics.

In a conventional war the US would rack up a very lopsided kill rate against them.

Is it worth it for us to go at it with them? Fuck no. Let Putin take the Ukraine and feel all powerful.

I don't think he's crazy enough to try to keep rolling over additional countries.

[Minimalist]

We "won" the last 'cold war'. Is it possible to win another? Would the Russian people honestly risk all out war with the west over Chernobyl-irradiated lands in Ukraine? Would we? What would be the point of that?

Profits for the defense contractor whores.

[Anomalocaris]

Profit for defence contractor whores must necessarily come at the expense of profit from many other form of whoring. Without an overriding sense of threat, defence whores won't get a free ride at the expense of other whores for long.

[Dragonetti]

We do not need to go into a physical war with Russia.

They will be put into a financial war, but it will be a war in terms of Russia vs EU/USA/NATO. They will put financial pressures on Russia. Their economy would not last very long, because it is very fragile.

I do not believe we will see combat war. We stay out of Syria, which has large issues due to region, Tabilan, and AQ influence.

[sven]

We do not need to go into a physical war with Russia.

They will be put into a financial war, but it will be a war in terms of Russia vs EU/USA/NATO. They will put financial pressures on Russia. Their economy would not last very long, because it is very fragile.

I do not believe we will see combat war. We stay out of Syria, which has large issues due to region, Tabilan, and AQ influence.

I'd say that is not an unlikely scenario. At least I hope so. It would not be good for people in Russia, but I have to be selfish and say 'better they suffer than all of Europe and perhaps the entire world'
Perhaps that will make them get rid of their own little Napoleon.

[Dragonetti]

Puttin is a billionaire. He put many of the companies he invested or own in a position to making him a billionaire. He will not go away anytime soon. Russian people are already in a breaking point. If you are not in the inner circle, you are probably extremely poor.

[Anomalocaris]

We do not need to go into a physical war with Russia.

They will be put into a financial war, but it will be a war in terms of Russia vs EU/USA/NATO. They will put financial pressures on Russia. Their economy would not last very long, because it is very fragile.

I do not believe we will see combat war. We stay out of Syria, which has large issues due to region, Tabilan, and AQ influence.

They are the largest natural gas producers in the world. The amount of pain economic war with Russia will inflict on the west is probably much greater than the west can tolerate.

When it comes down to it, there is one thing the Russians do better than anyone else in the world. That is to suffer. When it's a suffering match, they will win hands down.

[Dragonetti]

They are the largest natural gas producers, but the collapse of their economy would inflect more damage. The EU/USA/NATO will endure the lost of natural gas. China is moving towards greener technology. They want to replace all their coal plants. Moves are being made to move away from fossil fuels.

[Anomalocaris]

They are the largest natural gas producers, but the collapse of their economy would inflect more damage. The EU/USA/NATO will endure the lost of natural gas. China is moving towards greener technology. They want to replace all their coal plants. Moves are being made to move away from fossil fuels.

1. I don't think the EU/NATO will endure the loss of natural gas.

2. I think our biggest continental European Allies, sire to a history where territorial conflict and position advantage of holding key territory are of much more tangible value then lofty abstract american idealism, understands Russia's motives and positions much better than we do, and as a result do not see Russian action as so evil and intolerable as we do.

3. If you think China, thinking practically of how to reduce pollution while sustaining economic growth, can move from coal to green energy and not to natural gas, you are insane.

[Heywood]

1. I don't think the EU/NATO will endure the loss of natural gas.

Russia cannot turn off the spigot without enduring some serious economic consequences itself. Further, last time they did it(2006 and 2009) caused Europe to start diversifying its gas sources and spurred the production of facilities to stock pile gas.

Countries like Germany now have huge stock piles of gas and could send gas to other countries like Ukraine for a while. Also we're in April and Europe needs a less gas then if we were in the middle of winter. The United States is preparing to star exporting gas to Europe in 2015 and those plans are probably being accelerated and expanded. Europe is in a better position now than it was in 2006 and 2009 to endure a short term gas disruption.

Russia's position is strong in this game but not as strong as you think.....especially over the long haul. Sure they have a loaded gun but they have to be concerned about shooting themselves in the foot. In the long run Russia needs to sell gas and they have to worry about creating a need in Europe for it to develop infrastructure that will allow it to boycott Russian gas when it wants.