3 ms·

I think that the world is now more unipolar than ever before. Russia is repeatedly proving that it worth nearly nothing both in military and political sense, th

I think that the world is now more unipolar than ever before. Russia is repeatedly proving that it worth nearly nothing both in military and political sense, the Chinese military power is also very much overestimated. EU is nearly defenseless on their own too. Only the US has the military power to win any existential war (small wars of course can still be “lost”, as the adversary can become the prize not worth taking).

vbezhenar 4y ago
I don't agree to your judgement about Russia. Chinese army might lack some real fight experience, but they got numbers and they got budgets. EU increases their military budgets as well, so things will change in the future. US has powerful army but that costs a lot. Once US economy will stagnate, and at this point that's pretty obvious, military budgets will be cut. US run from Afghanistan not because they achieved something but because they can't afford it anymore. It'll happen with other places.
bigDinosaur 4y ago
Nuclear weapons. That's all it comes down to. If Russia didn't have them then (rightly or wrongly) Putin would have been bombed months ago. An existential war would involve large scale use of nuclear weapons, and the US cannot win that. Neither can Russia or China, mind you.
- atemerev 4y ago
  Nuclear weapons are deterrents, they have a very limited military use. Their only useful targets are cities (and sometimes other nuclear weapons), and they leave no prize. They can be used to end the war, but not to win the war.
smallstepforman 4y ago
I must make the assumption that you’re young. China today has set its path to carry out an action in 5-10 years when it’s ready. You never engage when you’re not prepared. You build up, plan, prepare, then act. That takes time. Remember, revenge is best served cold. China has stepped down today, but I can reassure you, in 5-10 years it will act militarily to avenge its current embarrasment. Just like Russia prepared for the last 8. Russia won the war in the first 72 hours, now its grinding Ukraine and its supporters, they’re too stubborn to back away. Russia has also only committed 10% of their resources, the rest are on standby in case NATO intervenes.
- atemerev 4y ago
  > I must make the assumption that you’re young. I am 39. > "Russia won the war in the first 72 hours". In which universe? Russia is absolutely humiliated, their tanks are rusting in Ukrainian fields by hundreds, there are no new human reserves, morale on the front is all-time low, and Ukrainians are now bombing Crimean targets without any retaliation. Which is a good thing, of course.
  - vbezhenar 4y ago
    Sorry to burst your bubble but so far Ukrainian army did 0 wins and only suffers losses. They don't bomb Crimean targets, they do sabotages (or terroristic acts, depending on your side) which sometimes work. I will not carry on this conversation because this is US website and US fight for Ukraine, so it's pretty pointless, but you can't deny the big picture. I'll agree that Russia is not winning when Russia would lose any big city it captured. Like this mystical attack on Herson which is promised for months but not happening.
- Simon321 4y ago
  > Russia won the war in the first 72 hours. Russia has also only committed 10% of their resources, the rest are on standby in case NATO intervenes. Imagine the mental gymnastics you have to do to believe this. Some sources: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-14/russia-turns-to-old-tanks-as-it-burns-through-weapons-in-ukraine https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-14/russia-tu... > There are indications the Kremlin is running out of troops for its war with Ukraine. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62496905 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62496905 > the nation has been "forced into a greater reliance on old Soviet-era equipment, such as personnel carriers offering limited protection, and tanks last produced in 1973." > Kremlin is increasingly using "older, less-precise missiles for strikes, killing and injuring innocent people." > "These outdated tactics are a sign of Russia's desperation amid its equipment shortages and tactical deficiencies," https://www.newsweek.com/russia-running-out-steam-growing-desperate-ukraine-war-experts-1729384 https://www.newsweek.com/russia-running-out-steam-growing-de...
  - 4y ago

vbezhenar 4y ago

I don't agree to your judgement about Russia. Chinese army might lack some real fight experience, but they got numbers and they got budgets. EU increases their military budgets as well, so things will change in the future. US has powerful army but that costs a lot. Once US economy will stagnate, and at this point that's pretty obvious, military budgets will be cut. US run from Afghanistan not because they achieved something but because they can't afford it anymore. It'll happen with other places.

bigDinosaur 4y ago

Nuclear weapons. That's all it comes down to. If Russia didn't have them then (rightly or wrongly) Putin would have been bombed months ago. An existential war would involve large scale use of nuclear weapons, and the US cannot win that. Neither can Russia or China, mind you.

atemerev 4y ago
Nuclear weapons are deterrents, they have a very limited military use. Their only useful targets are cities (and sometimes other nuclear weapons), and they leave no prize. They can be used to end the war, but not to win the war.

smallstepforman 4y ago

I must make the assumption that you’re young. China today has set its path to carry out an action in 5-10 years when it’s ready. You never engage when you’re not prepared. You build up, plan, prepare, then act. That takes time. Remember, revenge is best served cold. China has stepped down today, but I can reassure you, in 5-10 years it will act militarily to avenge its current embarrasment. Just like Russia prepared for the last 8. Russia won the war in the first 72 hours, now its grinding Ukraine and its supporters, they’re too stubborn to back away. Russia has also only committed 10% of their resources, the rest are on standby in case NATO intervenes.

atemerev 4y ago
> I must make the assumption that you’re young. I am 39. > "Russia won the war in the first 72 hours". In which universe? Russia is absolutely humiliated, their tanks are rusting in Ukrainian fields by hundreds, there are no new human reserves, morale on the front is all-time low, and Ukrainians are now bombing Crimean targets without any retaliation. Which is a good thing, of course.
- vbezhenar 4y ago
  Sorry to burst your bubble but so far Ukrainian army did 0 wins and only suffers losses. They don't bomb Crimean targets, they do sabotages (or terroristic acts, depending on your side) which sometimes work. I will not carry on this conversation because this is US website and US fight for Ukraine, so it's pretty pointless, but you can't deny the big picture. I'll agree that Russia is not winning when Russia would lose any big city it captured. Like this mystical attack on Herson which is promised for months but not happening.
Simon321 4y ago
> Russia won the war in the first 72 hours. Russia has also only committed 10% of their resources, the rest are on standby in case NATO intervenes. Imagine the mental gymnastics you have to do to believe this. Some sources: https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-14/russia-turns-to-old-tanks-as-it-burns-through-weapons-in-ukraine https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2022-06-14/russia-tu... > There are indications the Kremlin is running out of troops for its war with Ukraine. https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62496905 https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-62496905 > the nation has been "forced into a greater reliance on old Soviet-era equipment, such as personnel carriers offering limited protection, and tanks last produced in 1973." > Kremlin is increasingly using "older, less-precise missiles for strikes, killing and injuring innocent people." > "These outdated tactics are a sign of Russia's desperation amid its equipment shortages and tactical deficiencies," https://www.newsweek.com/russia-running-out-steam-growing-desperate-ukraine-war-experts-1729384 https://www.newsweek.com/russia-running-out-steam-growing-de...
- 4y ago