Wannabewoodsman
Custom
In WW3. My prediction (if it goes that far): Russia, China, Iran (maybe)
USA, NATO, Taiwan
USA, NATO, Taiwan
Big players
- Thread starter Wannabewoodsman
- Start date
Top 10 militaries in order.
- The United States…
- Russia. ... (enemy)
- China. ... (enemy)
- India. ... ? (Independent but enemy of China and Pakistan)
- Japan. ... ? (Harsh past but I would think ally)
- South Korea. ... (ally)
- France. ... (EU ally)
- Italy… (EU ally)
- UK… (EU ally)
- Turkey… ? (NATO ally, problem child)
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Texas Buzzard
Elite
I'm beginning to think Russia may not be a concern too much longer. Practically the entire world is turning against Putin and there's a good chance he may be up on war crimes. Plus, I wouldn't be too surprised to see him overthrown with a Russian rebellion.
Wannabewoodsman
Custom
I have HEARD that many Russians are against Putin's war. I'm not sure though
Wannabewoodsman
Custom
Japan was hoping we would park some nukes there recently.
I'm pretty
sure we are friendly with India even if we aren't officially "allies". I'm not sure one way or the other about the ally thing.The Taliban may get involved too wanting to protect Chinese interests and a chance to kill westerners.
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Yeah, those are just best guesses based on who the biggest players are in the event of a WWIII. Geographics plays into it a lot. Friendlies can become enemy territories when their giant neighbors step in. Japan has a vested interest in staying friendly with the US. Their economy depends on us and our buying power, along with most of the nations that would be on our side.Japan was hoping we would park some nukes there recently.
I'm pretty
The Taliban may get involved too wanting to protect Chinese interests and a chance to kill westerners.
Two honorable mentions would be Iran and Israel. Iran has a pretty large army and a bunch of our weapons thanks to Obama. Israel I think is far too often underestimated and would make for a good ally.
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HansGruber
Ronin
No, he’s not going to overthrown, nor tried for any war crimes.
If the kleptocracy/oligarchs decide he’s too big of a liability, he’ll have a “stroke”, probably courtesy of the Wagner Group, and Putin 2.0 will be put in place.
Texas Buzzard
Elite
Russia's economy is crumbling, and the sanctions have just started. The people are panicking. Plus, Putin's actions are starting to mirror Germany's land grab including the killing of civilians. You might just be surprised how this brutal tyrant is dealt with... time will tell.
As a first-generation Taiwanese immigrant (In-turn of first-generation China-to-Taiwan immigrant [really, political refugee] parents), I am not much worried about China-Taiwan.
Why?
Because there are so many deep social connections (even today) that exists between the two, also also because of just how intertwined the economies of the two happen to be these days.
My father thinks that Xi will take Taiwan back within his next term. He's made a promise to do so, and he would "lose face" (for those of you who do not understand the cultural implications of this, here's an easy-to-read and understand primer: https://www.teachingnomad.com/blog/china/what-does-saving-face-mean/) if he did not fulfill this promise. But as with Hong Kong (speaking of - isn't it strange [that's satire, folks
] that HK's been really quiet, lately? Looks like it's not "The Revolution of Our Times" any more, huh?), it's likely to be "bloodless."
"Face" makes us Chinese spout heavy rhetoric and put on a good show for the public. But in private, that's where the real action is. Board meetings are often filled with public vitriol and memos sent to employees that read as though "we'll never surrender!" But far from the workbenches of the blue-collar laborers of that company, the CEOs and owners will have sat down in a private room at their favorite hostess-bar (read: strip joint where prostitution gets a blind eye by the authorities, who are of-course paid-off) and have already hammered out the details of their takeovers and shaken hands over bottles of XO.
-----
The one I fear is the one with Russia. They're a true-near-peer, militaristically.
But more realistically, I worry about us here at home, after seeing what's happening in Russia.
I really don't know what the current sanctions are actually doing to those there with money, and I can't see (read: predict) what its fallout on the common folks (i.e. the 99%) will mean for the Russian oligarchy and those in-power. Frankly, that's kinda academic to me, as we're far, far from being that rich......
However, what's happened with their economy now, amidst this current conflict, has made me think on how vulnerable our own financial industry may be to outside players (be it state sponsored sanctions or direct-action, or via the direct-action hacking of various private/independent social collectives). COVID having exposed the weaknesses and shortcomings of our supply chain and labor sector combined with recent weather events in the west (continuing wildfires that have more recently really encroached on heavily populated areas) and south (Texas, Feb. 2021) highlighting the weaknesses in our power-delivery infrastructure....how much of a push will it take -in the form of an economic driver, or otherwise- to send us into the "9 means between anarchy" scenario?
Some have speculated that the Ukrainian populace in its major cities seemed to have well-ignored unmistakable signs of the coming Russian invasion (OK, even setting up a field hospital complex could be attributed to Russian wargaming drills, but when they started to truck-in blood products, it doesn't take the reincarnation of Sun Tzu or Ender Wiggin to think that maybe taking a few vacation days off work and embarking on a family train ride to see the west of the country would maybe be a reasonable precaution, right?) perhaps due to the public attitudes portrayed by their political leadership. How is that anything unlike how many of our own citizens are willing to blindly listen to the rhetoric of their chosen political parties, whichever side of the spectrum they may lie on?
Why?
Because there are so many deep social connections (even today) that exists between the two, also also because of just how intertwined the economies of the two happen to be these days.
My father thinks that Xi will take Taiwan back within his next term. He's made a promise to do so, and he would "lose face" (for those of you who do not understand the cultural implications of this, here's an easy-to-read and understand primer: https://www.teachingnomad.com/blog/china/what-does-saving-face-mean/) if he did not fulfill this promise. But as with Hong Kong (speaking of - isn't it strange [that's satire, folks
] that HK's been really quiet, lately? Looks like it's not "The Revolution of Our Times" any more, huh?), it's likely to be "bloodless.""Face" makes us Chinese spout heavy rhetoric and put on a good show for the public. But in private, that's where the real action is. Board meetings are often filled with public vitriol and memos sent to employees that read as though "we'll never surrender!" But far from the workbenches of the blue-collar laborers of that company, the CEOs and owners will have sat down in a private room at their favorite hostess-bar (read: strip joint where prostitution gets a blind eye by the authorities, who are of-course paid-off) and have already hammered out the details of their takeovers and shaken hands over bottles of XO.
-----
The one I fear is the one with Russia. They're a true-near-peer, militaristically.
But more realistically, I worry about us here at home, after seeing what's happening in Russia.
I really don't know what the current sanctions are actually doing to those there with money, and I can't see (read: predict) what its fallout on the common folks (i.e. the 99%) will mean for the Russian oligarchy and those in-power. Frankly, that's kinda academic to me, as we're far, far from being that rich......
However, what's happened with their economy now, amidst this current conflict, has made me think on how vulnerable our own financial industry may be to outside players (be it state sponsored sanctions or direct-action, or via the direct-action hacking of various private/independent social collectives). COVID having exposed the weaknesses and shortcomings of our supply chain and labor sector combined with recent weather events in the west (continuing wildfires that have more recently really encroached on heavily populated areas) and south (Texas, Feb. 2021) highlighting the weaknesses in our power-delivery infrastructure....how much of a push will it take -in the form of an economic driver, or otherwise- to send us into the "9 means between anarchy" scenario?
Some have speculated that the Ukrainian populace in its major cities seemed to have well-ignored unmistakable signs of the coming Russian invasion (OK, even setting up a field hospital complex could be attributed to Russian wargaming drills, but when they started to truck-in blood products, it doesn't take the reincarnation of Sun Tzu or Ender Wiggin to think that maybe taking a few vacation days off work and embarking on a family train ride to see the west of the country would maybe be a reasonable precaution, right?) perhaps due to the public attitudes portrayed by their political leadership. How is that anything unlike how many of our own citizens are willing to blindly listen to the rhetoric of their chosen political parties, whichever side of the spectrum they may lie on?
HansGruber
Ronin
The people don’t have the ability to overthrow him.
The military does, but they’re pretty much beholden to him.
He’s not going anywhere unless the people who actually gave him (not the Russian populace) decide he has to go.
If the reputation of Joseph Stalin is any indication of how Russians think, it's my understanding that he is still held as a wartime hero despite the hundreds of thousands of executions and millions that died of starvation. If Putin was here in the US, it would be a different story but he isn't. He's in Russia so I won't bet my dollar on a Russian uprising.
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Texas Buzzard
Elite
I agree, but if the masses come together in force it wouldn't surprise me to see the military see this is their opportunity to get rid of this tyrant. Stranger things have happened.
Keystone19250
SAINT
Some are saying that Putin is becoming irrational and possibly loosing his mind while others are saying he is completely sane, the sad and scary part of this is if there is a WW3 then there is the chance that Nukes could come into play and at that point nobody wins.
Lock n' Load
Custom
40% of Russia's economy comes from the sale of oil and gas. We are still importing and paying for their oil at $105/barrel with 120 million+ barrels/year. We need to immediately reopen our pipelines and drilling leases to make us energy independent again, even if it's only for a limited time. We could also supply our allies, which would really tighten the economic screws on Putin. It's way past time for the US government to wake up and stop the flow of US and our allies' money to this tyrant. God help the brave people of Ukraine.
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Keystone19250
SAINT
I heard the average yearly income for a Russian citizen is below $11,000
Jfal
Professional
I was under the impression that India and Japan are very close allies, even though the Japanese look down their noses at us from quite a height (they do to all but true Japanese). What's that term, Gajin is it?
Regarding the rest? Keep 'em coming, I enjoy reading some of this stuff....and how it varies with whichever news outlet one prefers!
Regarding the rest? Keep 'em coming, I enjoy reading some of this stuff....and how it varies with whichever news outlet one prefers!
HansGruber
Ronin
The leadership is far too well paid by the oligarchs…and they back who they get paid to back.
The Russian people are powerless.
Recusant
Hellcat
I wonder if the International Court of Justice, the EU, or NATO will development a set of Russia most wanted playing cards that will feature members of Vladimir Putin's government, high-ranking members of Russia’s military, and Russian oligarchs that should be subject to immediate arrest as war criminals?
HansGruber
Ronin
Never happen.