Top | Newest First | Oldest First
Xuan12 · 31-35, M
While Russia is not poised to pose an existential threat to the West as it did in the cold war, (Save for it's nuclear arsenal), it does have the capacity to severely frustrate and hamper regional US interests abroad.
For example, the present proxy war in the middle east between Iran and Saudi Arabia. What's at stake is ultimately the main artery of the global oil supply. The US has long backed Saudi Arabia in this region, but Russia backs Iran. If Iran were to wrest de facto control of the outflow of middle eastern oil, it would pose a severe threat to US economic activity and strategic capabilities.
The situation is similar in the arctic. Every year, more and more ships successfully cross the arctic during the summer, opening new trade routes, and access to previously untapped material resources. No nation technically owns the arctic waters, but Russia is looking to stake out a massive claim of it, which would much enrich them, but since it is unclaimed territory, there's no reason the US, or Canada, or Norway, or Sweden couldn't also lay claims, and when multiple nations are laying claims, there could be conflict. The ultimate victor claiming significant wealth for their nations.
There's also Russia's role in the far east, concerning China and North Korea. Historic tension between China and Russia serves to weaken both politically in comparison to the United States, but dispelling that tension, could significantly weaken the US hand in the far east, making access to profit from the dense and rich trade waters of the pacific more difficult.
Russia is simply too big to be irrelevant.
For example, the present proxy war in the middle east between Iran and Saudi Arabia. What's at stake is ultimately the main artery of the global oil supply. The US has long backed Saudi Arabia in this region, but Russia backs Iran. If Iran were to wrest de facto control of the outflow of middle eastern oil, it would pose a severe threat to US economic activity and strategic capabilities.
The situation is similar in the arctic. Every year, more and more ships successfully cross the arctic during the summer, opening new trade routes, and access to previously untapped material resources. No nation technically owns the arctic waters, but Russia is looking to stake out a massive claim of it, which would much enrich them, but since it is unclaimed territory, there's no reason the US, or Canada, or Norway, or Sweden couldn't also lay claims, and when multiple nations are laying claims, there could be conflict. The ultimate victor claiming significant wealth for their nations.
There's also Russia's role in the far east, concerning China and North Korea. Historic tension between China and Russia serves to weaken both politically in comparison to the United States, but dispelling that tension, could significantly weaken the US hand in the far east, making access to profit from the dense and rich trade waters of the pacific more difficult.
Russia is simply too big to be irrelevant.
xCoinx · 31-35, M
What they been doing?
sunsetsoareomyofavourite · 22-25, F
Are you stupid?
5thApprentice · 31-35, M
Yes
ImperialAerosolKidFromEP · 46-50, M
Dem = democracy? My country is a dem as well, so I am too