Putin reportedly dissolved Russian government – not fully confirmed yet

I think you missed my point.

Australia’s actions in the SW Pacific are similarly extensive (much, much, more so than the UN for example), and have spanned decades. But in terms of producing global impact, global influence, they are not that significant.

No I think you are deliberately forgetting yours, you said that France has no influence outside Europe, dont back track on it now.:p

lol your funny. Try doing some research you will find that French involvment in Africa is substantial and influential.:rolleyes:

I think you missed my point.

Australia’s actions in the SW Pacific are similarly extensive (much, much, more so than the UN for example), and have spanned decades. But in terms of producing global impact, global influence, they are not that significant.

From a global perspective, it is. A bit like Australia’s influence in the South West Pacific.

lol your funny. Try doing some research you will find that French involvment in Africa is substantial and influential.:rolleyes:

I thought you said that French influence in Africa was irrelevent.:rolleyes: You claimed that France has no influence outside Europe and you have been proved wrong, get used to it.:rolleyes:

From a global perspective, it is. A bit like Australia’s influence in the South West Pacific.

Gents, what will become of Russia is completely unknown. All feeling, very few hard facts.

Only thing I say is that quite a (growing) number of people-in-the-know, and I mean Russians in the upper and top operative management of big++ companies, not only Expats, are pretty gloomy about the devlopments.

90% of “what is going on” is very shallow, nothing sustained. I’m afraid one fine morning in about 15 years Russia will wake up and find, that it’s strategically broke (whatever that means).

That fits pretty much with what I have been told. The economic improvements are almost entirely related to energy exports with manufacturing still very weak and a very limited design and knowledge base outside of the defense sector. In the mean time the Demographic situation just gets worse.:( Its a shame really, all the oil and gas wealth could have been put to good use developing a truly modern economy instead it is being frittered away on pathetic little shows like the bear flights.

And how does that translate into real influence for France as a nation? From a wider perspective, does the UN itself have any real influence? For example East Timor and Rwanda.

I thought you said that French influence in Africa was irrelevent.:rolleyes: You claimed that France has no influence outside Europe and you have been proved wrong, get used to it.:rolleyes:

permanent.:rolleyes:

And how does that translate into real influence for France as a nation? From a wider perspective, does the UN itself have any real influence? For example East Timor, Rwanda and protocols for addressing climate change that have not any real world effect.

Also unlike Belgium and the Congo France has Nuclear weapons.

Which are pretty much useless as a means of addressing today’s security threats to the Western world….

Gents, what will become of Russia is completely unknown. All feeling, very few hard facts.

Only thing I say is that quite a (growing) number of people-in-the-know, and I mean Russians in the upper and top operative management of big++ companies, not only Expats, are pretty gloomy about the devlopments.

90% of “what is going on” is very shallow, nothing sustained. I’m afraid one fine morning in about 15 years Russia will wake up and find, that it’s strategically broke (whatever that means).

Yep, just like Russia……. Isn’t Belgium currently on the Security Council, just like that other influential country, the Republic of the Congo…..

permanent.:rolleyes: Also unlike Belgium and the Congo France has Nuclear weapons.

we have quite a number of Russian grad students here in Japan. I talked to them about Putin. All of them seem to think highly of him.. many were half half on Gorbachev, and most don’t seem to like Yeltsin.

They seem to have strong suspicions of what the US is doing. Despite his questionability on media and political freedom, it seems he’s still quite popular. The economy certainly has improved substantially, although much of it depending on energy.

I personally do not like some of the strong arm tactics they’ve used on the Baltic nations and Georgia.

You obviously missed the permanent UN security council seat.:rolleyes:

It came free with being on the winning side in World War 2…. sixty-two years ago.

It’s hardly a reliable indicator of present-day global economic and political influence. 😎

You obviously missed the permanent UN security council seat.:rolleyes:

Yep, just like Russia……. Isn’t Belgium currently on the Security Council, just like that other influential country, the Republic of the Congo…..

Garbage. You are speaking like a true Russophobe:p

It is actually 143 millions. But people like you always exagerate (by a wide margin) :rolleyes:

Shrinking at the moment, yes. But measures have been taken (including cash incentives) and positive signs are emerging. We will know better in a few years 😉

Still, no one expects Russia’s population to match the USA…let alone China’s or India’s 😀

I just checked the price of oil (almost at $80 per barrel). With worldwide demand expected to increse in the future, maybe over-reliance on energy exports is not as bad a thing as Russophobes would like to present :rolleyes:

Russia has been a big power even in it’s darkest days. Just mess with it and you will find out :dev2:

Hahahaha, wake up and smell the caffeine. As we speak the GDP of Russia is surpassing them. With the present trend, it will surpass Germany’s GDP in a few years. By 2020+, Russia’s economy is expected to be among the top four (USA, China, India, Russia), leaving Japan behind. :rolleyes:

No one is expecting Russia’s economy to surpass that of the USA (after all it has half the population). But, neither did the Soviet Union’s economy :diablo:

The USA is a superpower with collapsing bridges that are dangerous to motorists :rolleyes: . Look at your own economic and infrastructural problems…. As for China and India, do I need to talk about their problems?

All countries have problems and issues. Try to be objective before tapping on your keyboard :rolleyes:

Just do some research on the measures that are being taken to prevent that and then only start tapping on your keyboard :rolleyes:

You don’t seem to have been there either :rolleyes:

I have been in those places. France has a lot of influence on the French speaking countries in Africa. As a large economy, and having a permanent seat on the UN security council (with Veto powers), France has influence all over the world. But, in most places, Russia’s worldwide influence is much greater. Yes, even in many countries in South America.

All typical fantasy stuff.

Take out the historical elements, particularly in relation to France’s old colonies in North Africa, and what’s left? A description of diplomatic efforts that are on par with a host of other countries in the world, eg Netherlands, Belgium, Japan etc….

You obviously missed the permanent UN security council seat.:rolleyes:

I have checked the following article and it is mostly accurate,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_France

Enjoy.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Take out the historical elements, particularly in relation to France’s old colonies in North Africa, and what’s left? A description of diplomatic efforts that are on par with a host of other countries in the world, eg Netherlands, Belgium, Japan etc….

As evidenced by….?

I have checked the following article and it is mostly accurate,

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foreign_relations_of_France

Enjoy.:rolleyes: :rolleyes: :rolleyes:

Utter nonsense. nobody is really scared by Russia, just slightly confused as to why a country that is not threatened by anybody except internal enemies and its own looming demographic disaster feels the need to try and play ‘look at me and see how important I am’.

Garbage. You are speaking like a true Russophobe:p

The fact is that the Russian population is about 100 million and plummeting whereas the US is 300 million

It is actually 143 millions. But people like you always exagerate (by a wide margin) :rolleyes:

Shrinking at the moment, yes. But measures have been taken (including cash incentives) and positive signs are emerging. We will know better in a few years 😉

Still, no one expects Russia’s population to match the USA…let alone China’s or India’s 😀

and rising its economy is massively over reliant on energy exports.

I just checked the price of oil (almost at $80 per barrel). With worldwide demand expected to increse in the future, maybe over-reliance on energy exports is not as bad a thing as Russophobes would like to present :rolleyes:

Russia might be a big power in the future but it will never rival the US China or India in the future.

Russia has been a big power even in it’s darkest days. Just mess with it and you will find out :dev2:

It will be a middling power like the UK and France, nothing more.

Hahahaha, wake up and smell the caffeine. As we speak the GDP of Russia is surpassing them. With the present trend, it will surpass Germany’s GDP in a few years. By 2020+, Russia’s economy is expected to be among the top four (USA, China, India, Russia), leaving Japan behind. :rolleyes:

No one is expecting Russia’s economy to surpass that of the USA (after all it has half the population). But, neither did the Soviet Union’s economy :diablo:

I never said Russia was not powerful just that it no longer has super power potential like the US, China and India do

The USA is a superpower with collapsing bridges that are dangerous to motorists :rolleyes: . Look at your own economic and infrastructural problems…. As for China and India, do I need to talk about their problems?

All countries have problems and issues. Try to be objective before tapping on your keyboard :rolleyes:

Oh and in ten years time there will be even less Russians in the world.

Just do some research on the measures that are being taken to prevent that and then only start tapping on your keyboard :rolleyes:

You have obviously not been to Africa or South America lately then.

You don’t seem to have been there either :rolleyes:

I have been in those places. France has a lot of influence on the French speaking countries in Africa. As a large economy, and having a permanent seat on the UN security council (with Veto powers), France has influence all over the world. But, in most places, Russia’s worldwide influence is much greater. Yes, even in many countries in South America.

Feel free to stand by them, they just make you look incredibly uninformed.:p

As evidenced by….?

I’d say major power:rolleyes:

Call it what you want, but it will never be as powerful as it once was and it will be far below India, China and the US. As I said, in the same sort of region as the UK and France.