Comments on: Russia’s Deteriorating Position http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html All of us against the machine Sat, 20 Mar 2010 03:18:56 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.1 hourly 1 By: tdaxp http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-148603 tdaxp Wed, 15 Oct 2008 18:03:14 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-148603 George Will suggested a Siberia in the 1990s, and there was talk of Germany buying Kaliningrad (Konigsberg). Those opportunities are lost, but we can still 'buy' (spend resources to acquire influence over) Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and even Belarus and Armenia, from Russia by a wise use of subsidies, trade, peace with Iran, and other assistance. George Will suggested a Siberia in the 1990s, and there was talk of Germany buying Kaliningrad (Konigsberg).

Those opportunities are lost, but we can still ‘buy’ (spend resources to acquire influence over) Georgia, Ukraine, Azerbaijan, Moldova, and even Belarus and Armenia, from Russia by a wise use of subsidies, trade, peace with Iran, and other assistance.

]]> By: purpleslog http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-148590 purpleslog Wed, 15 Oct 2008 17:51:40 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-148590 "On the other hand, having a long land border with the United States might actually be a good thing for China, assuming that $7 billion only buys the western 1/4 to 1/3 of Siberia leaving the rest for the Chinese to take over as the Russians slowly commit demographic suicide." Heh. Joke or not, I like it. “On the other hand, having a long land border with the United States might actually be a good thing for China, assuming that $7 billion only buys the western 1/4 to 1/3 of Siberia leaving the rest for the Chinese to take over as the Russians slowly commit demographic suicide.”

Heh. Joke or not, I like it.

]]> By: Michael http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-148212 Michael Wed, 15 Oct 2008 04:09:50 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-148212 Compromise? If Russia looks amenable to selling off chunks of territory, we can sit down with China, Japan and other neighbors to decide who gets what--THEN we start buying. Compromise? If Russia looks amenable to selling off chunks of territory, we can sit down with China, Japan and other neighbors to decide who gets what–THEN we start buying.

]]> By: Mark in Texas http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-148068 Mark in Texas Wed, 15 Oct 2008 01:03:48 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-148068 purpleslog That proposal was really just a joke. If the US were to buy a bunch of Siberia, it would put us in direct conflict with China since I suspect that they are patiently waiting for Russia's demographic decline and political decay to cause Siberia to drop into their lap in a few decades. On the other hand, having a long land border with the United States might actually be a good thing for China, assuming that $7 billion only buys the western 1/4 to 1/3 of Siberia leaving the rest for the Chinese to take over as the Russians slowly commit demographic suicide. purpleslog

That proposal was really just a joke. If the US were to buy a bunch of Siberia, it would put us in direct conflict with China since I suspect that they are patiently waiting for Russia’s demographic decline and political decay to cause Siberia to drop into their lap in a few decades.

On the other hand, having a long land border with the United States might actually be a good thing for China, assuming that $7 billion only buys the western 1/4 to 1/3 of Siberia leaving the rest for the Chinese to take over as the Russians slowly commit demographic suicide.

]]> By: tdaxp http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-147995 tdaxp Tue, 14 Oct 2008 22:17:18 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-147995 A busy week: the UAE joins the list [1]. [1] http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=081014155526.3e2km83b.php A busy week: the UAE joins the list [1].

[1] http://www.africasia.com/services/news/newsitem.php?area=mideast&item=081014155526.3e2km83b.php

]]> By: purpleslog http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-146956 purpleslog Mon, 13 Oct 2008 19:41:03 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-146956 Mark in Texas: I like how you think. 51st State? Call it American Siberia. Open ports as free trade zones, accept all incoming immigrants. Create a little piece of American on Asia. Welcome all Americans-at-Heart immigrants! Mark in Texas: I like how you think.

51st State? Call it American Siberia.

Open ports as free trade zones, accept all incoming immigrants. Create a little piece of American on Asia. Welcome all Americans-at-Heart immigrants!

]]> By: tdaxp http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-145632 tdaxp Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:26:47 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-145632 True that. My concern from a rule-of-law approach is that the ASSRs are seemingly granted rights by the 1977 Soviet Constitution, and appears to have a right to territorial integrity: "Article 84. The territory of an Autonomous Republic may not be altered without its consent. " In contrast, Chapter 11 seems only to state that Autonomous Regions exist, without granting them any constitutional powers or responsibilities. True that.

My concern from a rule-of-law approach is that the ASSRs are seemingly granted rights by the 1977 Soviet Constitution, and appears to have a right to territorial integrity:

“Article 84. The territory of an Autonomous Republic may not be altered without its consent. ”

In contrast, Chapter 11 seems only to state that Autonomous Regions exist, without granting them any constitutional powers or responsibilities.

]]> By: Catholicgauze http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-145628 Catholicgauze Sun, 12 Oct 2008 12:12:30 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-145628 Not defending the SO independence drive but South Ossetia was an autonomous oblast... in the past http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetian_Autonomous_Oblast Not defending the SO independence drive but South Ossetia was an autonomous oblast… in the past http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/South_Ossetian_Autonomous_Oblast

]]> By: ElamBend http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-145475 ElamBend Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:45:30 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-145475 There still isn't a decent highway between Moscow and St. Pete's. Ideally, Russia would be sinking a lot of its' cash from the high oil prices into infrastructure (beyond big buildings in Moscow) as well as encouraging foreign investment; while at the same time offering incentives for immigrants. Unfortunately, the cash has lined the pockets of the corrupt or gone to pet projects and now has to be used on the financial system. The government's treatment of BP and other companies has all but guaranteed that foreign investment won't be back for a while. As for immigrants, ask anyone with dark features in Moscow how that would work out. Xenophobia is out of control, the government's attempt to harness it through organizations like Nashi only encourage it. Unfortunately, it will only get harder and harder to visit my fiance's homeland in the future as the middle of Siberia is no where to be without a good escape plan. There still isn’t a decent highway between Moscow and St. Pete’s. Ideally, Russia would be sinking a lot of its’ cash from the high oil prices into infrastructure (beyond big buildings in Moscow) as well as encouraging foreign investment; while at the same time offering incentives for immigrants.

Unfortunately, the cash has lined the pockets of the corrupt or gone to pet projects and now has to be used on the financial system. The government’s treatment of BP and other companies has all but guaranteed that foreign investment won’t be back for a while. As for immigrants, ask anyone with dark features in Moscow how that would work out. Xenophobia is out of control, the government’s attempt to harness it through organizations like Nashi only encourage it.

Unfortunately, it will only get harder and harder to visit my fiance’s homeland in the future as the middle of Siberia is no where to be without a good escape plan.

]]> By: Mark in Texas http://www.tdaxp.com/archive/2008/10/10/russias-etoriating-position.html/comment-page-1#comment-145472 Mark in Texas Sun, 12 Oct 2008 04:19:22 +0000 http://www.tdaxp.com/?p=6267#comment-145472 The Russians sold us Alaska in 1867 for $7 million. I wonder how much of Siberia they would sell us for $7 billion? The Russians sold us Alaska in 1867 for $7 million. I wonder how much of Siberia they would sell us for $7 billion?

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