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"largest geopolitical adversary" I can't believe Americans all are falling for propaganda like this. So Russia is all fine now huh. You know the country you li

by ulfw 1y ago

"largest geopolitical adversary" I can't believe Americans all are falling for propaganda like this. So Russia is all fine now huh. You know the country you literally had nuclear warheads pointed at for decades and decades and decades on end.

girvo 1y ago
Not that I care either way, but China is far larger in economy, military and population than Russia is. So "largest adversary" is correct, and it doesn't take away from the danger that Russia's government continues to pose (directly, in my extended family's case in eastern Ukraine)
- deleted 1y ago
  [deleted]
_mlbt 1y ago
Russia is the successor state of a former failed superpower. China is a rising superpower with a large, advanced military and a strong industrial base. There’s no comparison. China is a far greater threat to the West than Russia.
- ulfw 1y ago
  What is it threatening to do to the US? or is for you being able to threat a threat already? If so, why did American companies invest for decades into China so eagerly with US government support?
  - _mlbt 1y ago
    If they take Taiwan that would be very disruptive to the US and the rest of the world. They have made credible threats to do that. How does Russia threaten the United States? They can’t even take over Ukraine.
    - fauigerzigerk 1y ago
      >How does Russia threaten the United States? By supporting China and pointing nuclear warheads at the US?
    - lern_too_spel 1y ago
      By destabilizing Western democracies, which they have proven quite adept at. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics
    - Paradigma11 1y ago
      Russia sees itself as a superpower and the only way to prove this to its population is by being in constant conflict with other perceived superpowers.
    - ulfw 1y ago
      If you believe Russia is not at active cyber war with the west I got a bridge to Ukraine to sell to you
anticodon 1y ago
The fact is that China is one of the largest foreign USA debt holders makes it actually scarier than nuclear warheads. If China would decide to sell US treasuries, it will be more devastating to the US economy than effect of 10 nuclear strikes.
- hollerith 1y ago
  That is absurd!
  - honeybadger1 1y ago
    it's a fact?
    - fauigerzigerk 1y ago
      The fact is that weapons kill people. Treasuries are just promises. China cannot dump treasures without hurting its own economoy at least as much as they are hurting the US. They would be incinerating their own foreign exchange reserves just to cause a spike in US interest rates and/or inflation.
      - honeybadger1 1y ago
        Neither Russia nor China has ever deployed nuclear weapons against civilian populations, a distinction held solely by the United States. Their reasons for restraint diverge significantly, rooted in distinct strategic and cultural priorities, yet China’s rising global influence positions it as a greater long-term threat to the United States than Russia, despite Russia’s more overt aggression. Russia’s behavior, exemplified by the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, reflects an aggressive posture driven by a desire to counter NATO’s eastward expansion and maintain regional dominance. However, its economic challenges sanctions, energy export dependence, and a GDP of approximately $2.1 trillion in 2023 (World Bank) constrain its global reach, rendering it a struggling, though resilient, power. With the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, Russia’s restraint in nuclear use stems from a pragmatic focus on national survival. Its actions prioritize geopolitical relevance over a quixotic pursuit of Soviet-era glory, but its declining economic and demographic strength limits its capacity to challenge the United States on a global scale. In contrast, China’s non-use of nuclear weapons aligns with its cultural and strategic emphasis on economic expansion over territorial conquest. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, which has invested over $1.2 trillion globally since 2013, China has built a network of economic influence. Its military modernization, backed by a $292 billion defense budget in 2023 (SIPRI) and a nuclear arsenal projected to reach 1,000 warheads by 2030, complements this economic dominance. While China’s “no first use” nuclear policy, established in 1964, reflects a commitment to strategic stability, its assertive actions such as militarizing the South China Sea and pressuring Taiwan signal a willingness to use force to secure economic and territorial interests. Unlike Russia’s regionally focused aggression, China’s global economic leverage, technological advancements, and growing military capabilities pose a more systemic challenge to U.S. primacy, particularly in critical domains like trade, technology, and Indo-Pacific influence.

by ulfw 1y ago

girvo 1y ago

Not that I care either way, but China is far larger in economy, military and population than Russia is. So "largest adversary" is correct, and it doesn't take away from the danger that Russia's government continues to pose (directly, in my extended family's case in eastern Ukraine)

deleted 1y ago
[deleted]

_mlbt 1y ago

Russia is the successor state of a former failed superpower. China is a rising superpower with a large, advanced military and a strong industrial base. There’s no comparison. China is a far greater threat to the West than Russia.

ulfw 1y ago
What is it threatening to do to the US? or is for you being able to threat a threat already? If so, why did American companies invest for decades into China so eagerly with US government support?
- _mlbt 1y ago
  If they take Taiwan that would be very disruptive to the US and the rest of the world. They have made credible threats to do that. How does Russia threaten the United States? They can’t even take over Ukraine.
  - fauigerzigerk 1y ago
    >How does Russia threaten the United States? By supporting China and pointing nuclear warheads at the US?
  - lern_too_spel 1y ago
    By destabilizing Western democracies, which they have proven quite adept at. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Foundations_of_Geopolitics
  - Paradigma11 1y ago
    Russia sees itself as a superpower and the only way to prove this to its population is by being in constant conflict with other perceived superpowers.
  - ulfw 1y ago
    If you believe Russia is not at active cyber war with the west I got a bridge to Ukraine to sell to you

anticodon 1y ago

The fact is that China is one of the largest foreign USA debt holders makes it actually scarier than nuclear warheads. If China would decide to sell US treasuries, it will be more devastating to the US economy than effect of 10 nuclear strikes.

hollerith 1y ago
That is absurd!
- honeybadger1 1y ago
  it's a fact?
  - fauigerzigerk 1y ago
    The fact is that weapons kill people. Treasuries are just promises. China cannot dump treasures without hurting its own economoy at least as much as they are hurting the US. They would be incinerating their own foreign exchange reserves just to cause a spike in US interest rates and/or inflation.
    - honeybadger1 1y ago
      Neither Russia nor China has ever deployed nuclear weapons against civilian populations, a distinction held solely by the United States. Their reasons for restraint diverge significantly, rooted in distinct strategic and cultural priorities, yet China’s rising global influence positions it as a greater long-term threat to the United States than Russia, despite Russia’s more overt aggression. Russia’s behavior, exemplified by the 2014 annexation of Crimea and the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, reflects an aggressive posture driven by a desire to counter NATO’s eastward expansion and maintain regional dominance. However, its economic challenges sanctions, energy export dependence, and a GDP of approximately $2.1 trillion in 2023 (World Bank) constrain its global reach, rendering it a struggling, though resilient, power. With the world’s largest nuclear arsenal, Russia’s restraint in nuclear use stems from a pragmatic focus on national survival. Its actions prioritize geopolitical relevance over a quixotic pursuit of Soviet-era glory, but its declining economic and demographic strength limits its capacity to challenge the United States on a global scale. In contrast, China’s non-use of nuclear weapons aligns with its cultural and strategic emphasis on economic expansion over territorial conquest. Through initiatives like the Belt and Road Initiative, which has invested over $1.2 trillion globally since 2013, China has built a network of economic influence. Its military modernization, backed by a $292 billion defense budget in 2023 (SIPRI) and a nuclear arsenal projected to reach 1,000 warheads by 2030, complements this economic dominance. While China’s “no first use” nuclear policy, established in 1964, reflects a commitment to strategic stability, its assertive actions such as militarizing the South China Sea and pressuring Taiwan signal a willingness to use force to secure economic and territorial interests. Unlike Russia’s regionally focused aggression, China’s global economic leverage, technological advancements, and growing military capabilities pose a more systemic challenge to U.S. primacy, particularly in critical domains like trade, technology, and Indo-Pacific influence.