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Interesting messaging about Russia; that's probably the most interesting thing about the whole note to me. Russia = authoritarian regime. I wonder when the US

Interesting messaging about Russia; that's probably the most interesting thing about the whole note to me. Russia = authoritarian regime. I wonder when the US state department started approving messaging like that about Russia.

Zikes 11y ago
It's funny, I never really looked up the definition for Authoritarianism before. It's actually quite interesting. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism 1. limited, not responsible, political pluralism 2. a basis for legitimacy based on emotion, especially the identification of the regime as a necessary evil to combat "easily recognizable societal problems" such as underdevelopment or insurgency 3. neither "intensive nor extensive political mobilization" and constraints on the mass public (such as repressive tactics against opponents and a prohibition of anti-regime activity) 4. "formally ill-defined" executive power, often shifting or vague
maxerickson 11y ago
There are a whole bunch of recent US geopolitical actions that are interesting to look at through the lens of lessening Russian influence. When US national policy is pretty much to undermine the Russian economy I'm not sure how worried the White House should be about how a particular statement gets parsed.
- vessenes 11y ago
  Well, I would term it more that policy is curbing re-emergence of a soviet-like political power. But, it's one thing to go quietly pursue cold-war style influence mongering. It's another to take that mongering out into the 'real world' of press releases words..
  - maxerickson 11y ago
    Yeah, that's what people say, I just don't really get it. Kneecapping their economy is a lot more aggressive than any level of bluster or bravado, and has not been all that secretive in implementation (i.e., overt sanctions on economic sectors and particular individuals).

Zikes 11y ago

It's funny, I never really looked up the definition for Authoritarianism before. It's actually quite interesting. According to https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Authoritarianism 1. limited, not responsible, political pluralism 2. a basis for legitimacy based on emotion, especially the identification of the regime as a necessary evil to combat "easily recognizable societal problems" such as underdevelopment or insurgency 3. neither "intensive nor extensive political mobilization" and constraints on the mass public (such as repressive tactics against opponents and a prohibition of anti-regime activity) 4. "formally ill-defined" executive power, often shifting or vague

maxerickson 11y ago

There are a whole bunch of recent US geopolitical actions that are interesting to look at through the lens of lessening Russian influence. When US national policy is pretty much to undermine the Russian economy I'm not sure how worried the White House should be about how a particular statement gets parsed.

vessenes 11y ago
Well, I would term it more that policy is curbing re-emergence of a soviet-like political power. But, it's one thing to go quietly pursue cold-war style influence mongering. It's another to take that mongering out into the 'real world' of press releases words..
- maxerickson 11y ago
  Yeah, that's what people say, I just don't really get it. Kneecapping their economy is a lot more aggressive than any level of bluster or bravado, and has not been all that secretive in implementation (i.e., overt sanctions on economic sectors and particular individuals).