Shreeman wrote:
But the currency issue itself is at best a symptom of the bigger malaise, and under normal circumstances propaganda russia might withstand.
This is not about ruble. Thius is likely about a direct us/NATO vs Russia conflict. Or getting there. Just a matter of who sneezes first.
As far as I can tell the US is confident that russia is nude. And with economic pressure and sustained conflict on western boundaries results beyond regime change are possible.
This solves syria, iran, the rest of the great game puzzles.
And its moving a bit faster than normal chess. Now if North Korea can hold a card or two close to ijts chest, may be Russia does too. But it will be quite painful for every Russian in the near term. And for many who are integrated in Russian ecosystem, be it defence or commerce.
There are hourly developments -- a company pulling its people out here, a country refusing to buy/sell ruble there. This is extraordinary to say the least. And the mnedia will do its best to show kosovo style runs on stores/banks in the coming days.
The goal of Western Nation is to change Russian Policy more favourable to Western actions.
The crises did not start with Crimea but was always there since many years.......Note the harsh stance on LGBT during Sochi where they manage to even sabotage the Olympics and overwhelmed it with LGBT news when I can say many countries in the world including all the Islamic States and even India has stricter laws on LGBT then Russia .......The only Saving Grace for Russians was they manage to win most Gold
Just last week BBC carried a documentary on Doping Scandal and it seems the Goal is to put the Olympics in bad light or in some kind of doubt although no Russian athelete has been caught with doping in the mandatory test they conduct on all athelete.
If Russia has to maintain an Independent Foreign Policy then it has to pay a Price because the current Economic/Geo-Political situation is built around western model and mostly US , Even Western Allies are not spared when they go against US policy like US Attack on Iraq where those who opposed it were called Old Europe.
I feel Russian would be more respected world over if they maintain an independent foreign policy thats not a Haanji for Western Goals , even though in some cases both West and Russia/Chinese/Indians do co-operate like the Iran Nuclear Issue.
Its a Black and White thing for West coz every thing they do would be for the Good of the World and bring in Greater Stability ...and every thing others does that is not in tune with their Goal would be bad.
Russia faces more brunt because it has UN Veto which means West is forced to act unilaterally and not under UN mandate if Russia vetos it like it did in Syrian crisis that makes them more furious as their policy which eventually fails shows them in bad light count Libya , Iraq , Afghanistan , Sirya....
Now the current economic problem would mean Russian would have to use their own resource or will have to depend on Loans from asian market ........Again the Saving Grace for Russians is West is not the only place where they can get loan and Western and US Economy is in doldrums no one knows when the next 2008 crisis will Hit them because they never fixed them.
Its probably good time for Russia because the notion that EU is an independent Nation and will have mutual economic dependencies has failed and is a wake up call for Russian Leadership.
The Russian People are too watching it and many Russians I have spoken too have no love lost for the West and indeed all independent polls shows Russians think West is pressurising them to meet their FP goals.
They should have changed the economic model post 2008 crises when Rouble failed but they didnt but as they say No One Changes Unless they are Forced to Change........The Forced part would be the Ukraine Crises and Economic Sanctions they would have a hardlook and all the sound bites do indicate that Russian Leadership thinks the sanction would go on for Long and they will have to change to a model that serves them well.
The West is also not happy with things like BRICS Bank or Recently Chinese Initiative to start Development Bank in Asia all sounds bite about them in western MSM is negitive or West using its Institution like Credit Rating Agency for Geo-Political Goals ....they were even used against India just a year back and now used against Russia.
