The State of Affairs in Russia

[Sheilbh]

Honestly, at least Greece being pro-Russian I can understand, given their shared religion and the fact Russia hasn't invaded them. But Hungarians doing that seems unforgivable to me given their history. Hell, I'd understand them more if they were neo-Nazi sympathisers instead.

Yeah. Greece, Bulgaria and Cyprus I get. I'm baffled that Hungary (!) would end up a client state

[Martinus]

Honestly, at least Greece being pro-Russian I can understand, given their shared religion and the fact Russia hasn't invaded them. But Hungarians doing that seems unforgivable to me given their history. Hell, I'd understand them more if they were neo-Nazi sympathisers instead.

Well, Putin's Russia is closer to nazi Germany than pretty much any other (powerful) state when it comes to ideology.

[MadImmortalMan]

They must not be all retired yet.

http://www.cnn.com/2015/02/12/world/a-10-jets-to-europe/index.html

Warthogs!

[Jacob]

I subsequently learned that Canada, Australia and New Zealand though were also partnered with the US/UK in the "Five Eyes" alliance (which obviously doesn't include Hungary), so do you happen to know why the UK is elevated to such a "special relationship" above all others?

I'm guessing they got the special partnership back when they were a serious heavy-weight and with world-spanning interests, so it was more of a "partnership of equals" which has, I assume, stuck around even as the differences in class have become more pronounced.

Canada, NZ, and Australia have always been junior partners, with more limited ability and interests as well.

I dunno... but that would be my guess. They weren't elevated, they were already up there even if their current position doesn't seem to justify it any longer.

[grumbler]

I subsequently learned that Canada, Australia and New Zealand though were also partnered with the US/UK in the "Five Eyes" alliance (which obviously doesn't include Hungary), so do you happen to know why the UK is elevated to such a "special relationship" above all others?

The UK was in a position to provide the US with information that it couldn't get from anywhere else, and to assist in technical data collection (remember that the Brits were for a very long time, and may still be, considered the best in the world at crypto-breaking, and they had access globally to a lot of secure sites for downlinks, radio transceivers, and the like.  In a lot of areas (but not all; humint for instance), neither the UK nor the US have an intelligence collection network; they just have access to the joint US/UK one.

The Five Eyes is intel-sharing on a more traditional basis.  There may be a closer relationship between the US and/or Canada, Oz, and NZ than I was ever aware of, though.

[mongers]

Personally, I blame the Soviets.

[The Brain]

I assume that a NATO country has to call for aid if it gets attacked for NATO to be formally required to help out?

[Tamas]

I assume that a NATO country has to call for aid if it gets attacked for NATO to be formally required to help out?

I guess so.

And then you will have NATO countries like Hungary who will say that NATO need not intervene as it is just an internal policing issue against political upheaving.

[Martinus]

So, Russia's sovereign debt now has junk rating from two agencies.

[Berkut]

I assume that a NATO country has to call for aid if it gets attacked for NATO to be formally required to help out?

I guess so.

And then you will have NATO countries like Hungary who will say that NATO need not intervene as it is just an internal policing issue against political upheaving.

I think this is a real possibility - that Putin continues this strategy of destabilization in vulnerable countries where he can create a token fig leaf of deniability, which would allow NATO members to refuse to fight over countries they almost certainly never thought they would ever have to fight over when they were allowed into NATO to begin with...

[Valmy]

So, Russia's sovereign debt now has junk rating from two agencies.

Hard to fight a war with no money.

I just don't see this scenario where Russia rolls into Estonia and gets away with it.  A single American brigade would annihilate anything those clowns have.  Wouldn't deploying said brigade be better than watching our entire foreign policy in Europe be destroyed?

[DGuller]

Hard to fight a war with no money.

I just don't see this scenario where Russia rolls into Estonia and gets away with it.  A single American brigade would annihilate anything those clowns have.

"Its better to be on-hand with ten men than absent with ten thousand". 

[CountDeMoney]

I just don't see this scenario where Russia rolls into Estonia and gets away with it.  A single American brigade would annihilate anything those clowns have.  Wouldn't deploying said brigade be better than watching our entire foreign policy in Europe be destroyed?

It would all eventually go nuclear anyway, so why not.

[Berkut]

So, Russia's sovereign debt now has junk rating from two agencies.

Hard to fight a war with no money.

I just don't see this scenario where Russia rolls into Estonia and gets away with it.  A single American brigade would annihilate anything those clowns have.  Wouldn't deploying said brigade be better than watching our entire foreign policy in Europe be destroyed?

What has Putin done in the last two decades that would make you think he would dumb enough to just outright invade in such a manner?

[Valmy]

It would all eventually go nuclear anyway, so why not.

Russia would nuke us over Estonia?