Reply to: To Obama, from Russia with Love

[EternalOptimist]

Generals are not supposed to command platoons or battalions - there are lots of colonels, majors, captains - so if generals have got 700 men under their command on average it means pretty high levels officers like captain would have 50-100. There are over 150000 officers in Russian military right now with maybe 800000 soldiers at best. Situation is so bad that even they decided to cut down on officer stuff, and reduce generals count from 1100 to ... 900

well I am not sure if what you say about a general commanding a btn is true or not. What I do know is that there are extra levels of general in the Russian army, and their units are typically much smaller than in the west. Their staff officers are also generals, whereas in the west they can be any old rank.
If all British staff officers were made into generals I am sure I would be laughing along with you

[EternalOptimist]

So what is the aim, the end game? I assume it is to exhibit that Russia does not agree to further eastward NATO expansion?

One kind of related question that has bugged me - why did the Soviet Union give all that lovely resource rich territory away in the first place, especially Kazakstan? I mean it's the size of Western Europe! Was Yeltsin just a "happy drunk" !?

possibly setting up a bargaining chip, the timing due to a change at the top in the USA


Why did they give up their empire ? I dont know for sure, but isn't that what we did over the last 100 years or so ?

[AtW]

Russian units are not the same as western ones, they operate a different structure, ranks are not equivilent

Generals are not supposed to command platoons or battalions - there are lots of colonels, majors, captains - so if generals have got 700 men under their command on average it means pretty high levels officers like captain would have 50-100. There are over 150000 officers in Russian military right now with maybe 800000 soldiers at best. Situation is so bad that even they decided to cut down on officer stuff, and reduce generals count from 1100 to ... 900

[ace00]

So what is the aim, the end game? I assume it is to exhibit that Russia does not agree to further eastward NATO expansion?

One kind of related question that has bugged me - why did the Soviet Union give all that lovely resource rich territory away in the first place, especially Kazakstan? I mean it's the size of Western Europe! Was Yeltsin just a "happy drunk" !?

[EternalOptimist]

Here is one interesting statistic - Russian army right now has got 1100 generals (!), roughly there are maybe 700 soldiers per general, can you fking believe that! I think in USA number of generals is around 100 max.

Russian units are not the same as western ones, they operate a different structure, ranks are not equivilent

[AtW]

AtW this is probably the one topic that you have any real knowledge of

Here is one interesting statistic - Russian army right now has got 1100 generals (!), roughly there are maybe 700 soldiers per general, can you fking believe that! I think in USA number of generals is around 100 max.

[DodgyAgent]

USSR lost the war - it should have been grateful it was all peaceful and troops returned home with weapons and no bombs were dropped. Heck, the leaders of USSR should have been extatic at the fact they did not go to Nurnberg to answer for their crimes against humanity - Soviet regime killed more people than nazi germany and they got away with it!

Frankly, given how Russia was supporting Iran and other backwards states to encourage them opposing the West, I think such behavior was totally wrong and anti-missile defence is appearing now directly as the result of Russian support to Iran and others to help them make missiles and now effectively nuclear weapons.

AtW this is probably the one topic that you have any real knowledge of

[AtW]

The agreements under Regan and Gorbachev in the Glasnost and Perestroika years was that the Berlin wall will be allowed to fall, the Russian bases would be dismantled and their troupes withdrawn to the Russian border.

USSR lost the war - it should have been grateful it was all peaceful and troops returned home with weapons and no bombs were dropped. Heck, the leaders of USSR should have been extatic at the fact they did not go to Nurnberg to answer for their crimes against humanity - Soviet regime killed more people than nazi germany and they got away with it!

Frankly, given how Russia was supporting Iran and other backwards states to encourage them opposing the West, I think such behavior was totally wrong and anti-missile defence is appearing now directly as the result of Russian support to Iran and others to help them make missiles and now effectively nuclear weapons.

[AtW]

If Russia joined Nato, problem would be solved.

The generals don't want to because this would mean they will lose big enemy and thus huge financing. USSR was more or less build around the external threat which justified 80% of GDP spent on armaments one way or another - civil production like radios were made as last effort on military plants making radios for the forces etc.

[AlfredJPruffock]

The Russians are preparing for the destruction of the United States. Perestroika was a deception to disarm the West and take away Western unity in the face of a common enemy. They are not concerned by this pathetic defence system. Moving missiles into Kaliningrad is a precursor to war and they’re doing it under the pretence of being the victim, notably announcing such an important move when the eyes of the world are elsewhere (typically devious Mongol Communists).

Unfortunately, brain dead Little Timmy's everywhere believe the Russian lies and agitprop. To them a nation of hockey mums and narcissists is the greatest threat to world peace (Amweican empewialesm / prior knowledge / unlimited wars / goo goo).

Jings !!!

Help ma Boab !!!!

[Paddy]

Where do you get these figures from?

The figures are taken from opinion polls and published in the Polish and Czech media. I was in Prague in August and there were mass protests regarding the US radar shield and NATO, not that the BBC would report that. The

[Nicky G]

The Russians are preparing for the destruction of the United States. Perestroika was a deception to disarm the West and take away Western unity in the face of a common enemy. They are not concerned by this pathetic defence system. Moving missiles into Kaliningrad is a precursor to war and they’re doing it under the pretence of being the victim, notably announcing such an important move when the eyes of the world are elsewhere (typically devious Mongol Communists).

Unfortunately, brain dead Little Timmy's everywhere believe the Russian lies and agitprop. To them a nation of hockey mums and narcissists is the greatest threat to world peace (Amweican empewialesm / prior knowledge / unlimited wars / goo goo).

[DodgyAgent]

You don’t let facts get in the way of your argument DA? The majority of people in Poland and the Czech Republic (75%) do not want NATO or the US missile shield. Democracy DA?

If agreements don’t matter than it’s the same as Hitler’s words. “Would you go to war over a piece of paper?”

Where do you get these figures from?

[M_B]

The Russians are just adapting to the new strategic threat - it was inevitable.

[tay]

You don’t let facts get in the way of your argument DA? The majority of people in Poland and the Czech Republic (75%) do not want NATO or the US missile shield. Democracy DA?

If agreements don’t matter than it’s the same as Hitler’s words. “Would you go to war over a piece of paper?”

You arent making much sense... the majority in the UK dont want Brown as PM... he is still there.
The Poles will get a chance to vote out a govt if they feel strongly enough... in fact they already did, and they didnt take it. They have already made thier choice.