Putin; trying to resurrect red-Russia, or trying to make Russia a world power again?

Question

Your thoughts please.

As for me I could go both ways on this one, and obviously I don't mean literally bring back communism, but merely make Russia a superpower based on military force again.

Answer 1

With NATO building missle ""Shields""" inside the former Soviet Union what is he supposed to do. The Germans are at his door again.

Answer 2

First, on the matter of economics. According to April 2007 IMF data, Russia's GDP (PPP) is the 8th in the world, having surpassed Italy recently. Russia's nominal GDP places them in the tenth, closing rapidly in on ninth, largest economy in the world.

The Russian economy has soared due mostly to high gas, oil prices, and a good economic policy by Putin. However, most experts predict that oil prices will remain high, at about $60 a barrel, up in the coming decades. $60 is not the highest it has ever been, but is still high enough that Russia will continue to make tens of billions of dollars of profit every year.

If oil prices fail, despite what you may have heard Russia will not crash and burn overnight. Russia has one of the largest stabilization funds in the world; almost a trillion dollars. This means that if oil gas prices suddenly dropped, the stabilization fund would completely shield Russia from the effects for at least several years.

In that time Russians can decide what to do from there on. It helps that Russians are developing the human resources sector and other industries, so, while they are largely dependent on oil prices now, this is becoming less and less of a reality with time.

This kind of money obviously gives Russia the resources needed to rebuild her armed forces. Russia's Navy is particularly ambitious, and will soon be purchasing a lot of new equipment. By 2020 Russia will have about six aircraft carriers and a revitalized Air Force with advanced G5 fighters like the PAK-FA. In a nutshell this means Russia will have significant projecting power.

Russia's nuclear armament is arguably the best in the world. The Russian RS-24 is currently the most advanced nuclear missile in the world, better than the USA's Minuteman III, which is decades old and will not be replaced until 2015. While Russia doesn't have too many Topols and RS-24s just yet, you can bet they'll be purchasing more and more of these in the coming years.

In thirty years time Russia will undoubtedly be a major military power. The largest problem Russia faces is not financial, but her collapsing birthrate. Russia is one of the few countries on Earth with a negative population growth. So if Russia does not stabilize the population at around 140 million by 2020, they will not have a population large enough to sustain the economy.

The population problem crisis isn't just Russia's problem, however; most countries in Europe face the same peril. What all of this really means is that if Europe does not decide to start making children soon, the world of the future, perhaps in 80 years time, perhaps much sooner than that, will belong to countries such as China and India.

Answer 3

I'm still not sure how Putin is going to crawl into bed with the chinese after they history those two have. That said, I think he will try to return to a more communist society. However, as shattered as the former Warsaw Pact is I just don't see it happening.

Answer 4

Do not kid yourself, Russia is still a world power.

It just does not have the clout it used to have under USSR.

Do not underestimate Russia.

Good Luck

Answer 5

He's challenging American global dominance.
Perhaps we'll see him invading some Middle Eastern country

Answer 6

....just trying to make Russia matter again....and we will see if that is possible, they have a long way to go....economically that is!