tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post115443704913808179..comments2023-10-31T04:37:20.113-07:00Comments on Bloviating Zeppelin: More Of "We Are At A Crossroads"Bloviating Zeppelinhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01359816456769157176noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post-1154476324869056562006-08-01T16:52:00.000-07:002006-08-01T16:52:00.000-07:00AJ: that would be very true. But I find it intere...AJ: that would be very true. But I find it interesting insofar as, more and more, they are finding their voices, testing their strengths, making alliances and working propaganda like it's not been worked for a time -- and, on the other hand, both Israel and the US are absolutely ABYSMAL with our "working" of the media and creating our own propaganda and, folks, trust me, if you ain't in the propaganda game you are playing with one arm tied behind your back because it's ALL about the P-word.<BR/><BR/>BZBloviating Zeppelinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01359816456769157176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post-1154473982302317292006-08-01T16:13:00.000-07:002006-08-01T16:13:00.000-07:00An interesting quartet, to say the least... Russia...An interesting quartet, to say the least... Russia, with vast oil reserves, is heavily dependant upon the West to supply expertise in finding it and getting to it. A large fraction of the Russian infrastructure for oil is Soviet built and deployed from the 1960's, and shows it. In '91 the concept was that it would take two decades to replace it all with modern equipment just to *sustain* production. A bit better off in natural gas, however, as that is easier to maintain, infrastructure-wise. Downturns in the Russian economy, terrorist bombings, the Chechen campaign and Putin trying to turn the clock back are not helping matters. And Western companies will take a very dim view of seeing any investments *nationalized*.<BR/><BR/>Iran, getting lots of neat toys to play with, trying to get WMDs to place on their SCUD variants and generally exporting a Foreign Legion concept to intimidate the Middle East and SE Europe. What they have is a bad demographic problem with the majority of the population under 30 and a leadership that is exactly one deep at all positions. Plus they don't trust their own regular Army and Police and need to call in the Revolutionary/Special Guard and Basij when putting down *peaceful* protests. If Hezbollah fails them, then Iran is on the ropes and will be seen as that veritable 'weak horse'.<BR/><BR/>Venezuela. How to use natural resources to build a Socialist Welfare State that then collapses. A work in progress, give it a year or two. The work of Hezbollah with FARC and Shining Path is more worrisome than Venezuela, come to think of it. Help Iran too much, and FARC might suddenly materialize as a real nation hell bent on dictating their will using drug trade profits to arm guerillas in South America. Have to watch out, Hugo, you don't know exactly where that anthill you are poking leads to...<BR/><BR/>China, a huge nation with a problem of not being able to modernize and remain a totalitarian state. Plus they have real production bottlenecks and aren't able to get their agricultural sector into the 19th Century yet. They are finding that having a cell phone system also allows the instant spread of information via text messaging on low bandwidth. Plus, cracking down on *internal* web sites is turning out to be a real pain as cheap computers allow data to be quickly duplicated amongst many individuals and then put back up online within hours or minutes of its disappearance. If they ever get properly industrialized and get a real middle class, they can eat up Russian and Iranian oil like nobody's business. Biggest threat is to sell of their purchased US debt. Biggest problem is that they would sink their own economy while only mildly bruising the US economy, which would recover in a couple of months. China would be set back a decade.<BR/><BR/>Cuba under Fidel. Brutal dictatorship with friendly western mouthpieces. Under Raul? Who? Biggest threat is allowing China to pump oil off the North American continental shelf, just outside territorial waters... Biggest problem, the occupant of the shelf just to the North.<BR/><BR/>They can all take *aim* at the United States, even pull the various triggers... *hitting* the US in a credible way without getting oneself vaporized is another problem. The US has kept its remaining nuclear arsenal tested and ready, Russia has not and China has a limited capability for delivery sans shipping it in.<BR/><BR/>I just cannot take this quartet seriously. The concept of 'circular firing squad' keeps coming to mind for some reason... don't just look at their strengths, remember that their *weaknesses* are also cumulative.A Jacksonianhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/07607888697879327120noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post-1154445734875421582006-08-01T08:22:00.000-07:002006-08-01T08:22:00.000-07:00O goodie, Castro and Ahmadinnerjacket aligned with...O goodie, Castro and Ahmadinnerjacket aligned with Chavez -- Cindy's best friend! It doesn't get any better than this. Or does it?<BR/><BR/>Keep on carryin', Gayle.<BR/><BR/>BZBloviating Zeppelinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01359816456769157176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post-1154445009593636122006-08-01T08:10:00.000-07:002006-08-01T08:10:00.000-07:00Trust me BZ, I carry. I also have the training an...Trust me BZ, I carry. I also have the training and wherewithall. :)<BR/><BR/>I posted regarding Castro too, so we are sort of on the same page, only you did a better job of it by far!Gaylehttps://www.blogger.com/profile/02540710405153666843noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post-1154443499919345232006-08-01T07:44:00.000-07:002006-08-01T07:44:00.000-07:00Likely not. I'll wait for August 22nd.BZLikely not. I'll wait for August 22nd.<BR/><BR/>BZBloviating Zeppelinhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01359816456769157176noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-7370534.post-1154442265775512912006-08-01T07:24:00.000-07:002006-08-01T07:24:00.000-07:00I wonder if that 12th Imam has said anything to Ah...I wonder if that 12th Imam has said anything to Ahmadamnnutjob about eliminating the Venezuelan infidels?bigwhitehathttps://www.blogger.com/profile/05378526701377764387noreply@blogger.com