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It seems with the West becoming more and more aware of their own government's secret surveillance programs, and Russia going back to the days of the KGB, a seco

by eggy 10y ago

It seems with the West becoming more and more aware of their own government's secret surveillance programs, and Russia going back to the days of the KGB, a second Cold War is coming or is already here. Even the spin and outright denial Russian officials have put on Russia's role in the downing of MH17 in light of increasing evidence, reeks of the old Cold War days. A missile is seen shipped from Russia in a montage of stills and videos collected by the independent investigating committee, and Russian state officials spin a new story to cast doubt upon it. I am not a fan of Hillary or Trump, and frankly, I don't think either of them is up to dealing with the Russia that Putin is creating.

kafkaesq 10y ago
Actually (in regard to spin) I think it's rather different, these days. Back they, they could rely on a media that was tightly controlled (and a population with a generational memory of experiencing terror at scale); while our media, while less "controlled", were much more difficult to talk back to or even bullshit-check. These days -- where it's seemingly impossible for an educated person to be hoodwinked by canards such as the Russian government's official line on MH-17 -- it seems they pretty much as to rely on the public willingness and preference for being regularly and openly deceived. Which counterintuitively has proved to be amazingly fruitful, and indeed, apparently one of the major cornerstones of their ideology (See the recent discussion on "post-truth" politics, per the recent Economist article). At least that's how it seems. Then again, I'm not from there, and would welcome correction (or qualification) from anyone who is, on this point. I am not a fan of Hillary or Trump, and frankly, I don't think either of them is up to dealing with the Russia that Putin is creating. Me neither, but objectively there's evidence that Hillary (while not exactly possessed of a great deal of imagination as to how to handle the problem) at least seems to (1) basically get that there's a major problem (and perhaps a major storm) brewing, and (2) be genuinely, viscerally disliked in Putin's camp (such that it seems they'd be most disappointed with an electoral victory on her side).
- bnolsen 10y ago
  Yeah hillary will handle it like she handled the whole benghazi affair...ignore any people on the ground making warnings, ignore any crisis that comes up in hopes it will go away. She handed putin the reset button so he hit it and the KGB is back. No thanks.
cafard 10y ago
HRC does not strike me as a great leader. Trump however seems hardly capable from distinguishing what is so from what is not so but would feed his ego to believe. He is not a fit man to deal with US interests.

by eggy 10y ago

kafkaesq 10y ago

Actually (in regard to spin) I think it's rather different, these days. Back they, they could rely on a media that was tightly controlled (and a population with a generational memory of experiencing terror at scale); while our media, while less "controlled", were much more difficult to talk back to or even bullshit-check. These days -- where it's seemingly impossible for an educated person to be hoodwinked by canards such as the Russian government's official line on MH-17 -- it seems they pretty much as to rely on the public willingness and preference for being regularly and openly deceived. Which counterintuitively has proved to be amazingly fruitful, and indeed, apparently one of the major cornerstones of their ideology (See the recent discussion on "post-truth" politics, per the recent Economist article). At least that's how it seems. Then again, I'm not from there, and would welcome correction (or qualification) from anyone who is, on this point. I am not a fan of Hillary or Trump, and frankly, I don't think either of them is up to dealing with the Russia that Putin is creating. Me neither, but objectively there's evidence that Hillary (while not exactly possessed of a great deal of imagination as to how to handle the problem) at least seems to (1) basically get that there's a major problem (and perhaps a major storm) brewing, and (2) be genuinely, viscerally disliked in Putin's camp (such that it seems they'd be most disappointed with an electoral victory on her side).

bnolsen 10y ago
Yeah hillary will handle it like she handled the whole benghazi affair...ignore any people on the ground making warnings, ignore any crisis that comes up in hopes it will go away. She handed putin the reset button so he hit it and the KGB is back. No thanks.

cafard 10y ago

HRC does not strike me as a great leader. Trump however seems hardly capable from distinguishing what is so from what is not so but would feed his ego to believe. He is not a fit man to deal with US interests.