Putin proposes not-so-Soviet 'New-nion"

[Ozy_Flame]

Sorry for the terrible pun, it's a rather bold proposal put forth by the Russian Bear himself.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2011...oc?INTCMP=SRCH

It would start with a customs union with Belarus and Kazakhstan, but would grow from there:

"We are not talking about recreating the USSR in one form or another. It would be naive to try to restore or copy that which remains in the past, but close integration based on new values and a political and economic foundation is imperative,"

but then this gem:

"We propose a model of powerful, supranational union, capable of becoming one of the poles of the modern world."

First he re-instates the former Soviet national anthem, now this? Someone better tell him each of those countries are independent states and can make their own decisions. Additionally, this guy can't even corral the Caucasus to play nice, how can he corral large, independent nations to do so?

This isn't good.

[CaptainCrunch]

I don't think its a terrible idea, its not like he's talking about re-creating the Warsaw pact which was the Soviet Union governing client states through the use of feat and super ideaology.

Lets be honest though, creating a block of Eurasian nations with combined financial, military and foreign policy goals is a bad idea, the EU is rapidly becoming a failure because they are forced through obligations to support states like Greece and other weak economies.

[Hack&Lube]

Putin isn't stupid, he knows that the Soviet power hierarchy of communist assimilation will never work again and his power comes from the corruption of the rich oligarchs of Russia.

What he is proposing is basically a competitive analogue to the European Union made from the old Soviet states and adjoining nations.

[CaptainCrunch]

Lot of current Eurasian and foreign Eastern Bloc countries in Nato. I wonder if withdrawl from Nato would be conditional to joining this new bloc?

[octothorp]

I think that other than Belarus and maybe Moldova, none of the european nations are likely to join: certainly not the baltic states, nor Ukraine, Armenia, Azerbaijan, or Georgia, all of whom have been pursuing EU membership in one form or another. The thing about entering into any sort of alliance with Russia is that you know that Russia is going to dominate the alliance in every possible way. The relatively equal footing of EU nations makes it much more appealing. Not to mention the bad blood that still exists toward Russia in many of these countries.
Given that the only other economic power involved - Kazakhstan - is very proactive at pursuing their own relations with both the EU and China, I don't see this alliance having any strong impact on global politics or economics.

[Thor]

Amazing how Putin just keeps himself in power, shuts down dissenting voices and so little attention is played to all of that.

Now this...

[Itse]

Oh, it's that time of the century already?

[Cowperson]

Originally Posted by Thor

Amazing how Putin just keeps himself in power, shuts down dissenting voices and so little attention is played to all of that.

Now this...

Russians like him . . . . . . which makes all the difference.

That will change through time.

Cowperson

[VladtheImpaler]

Originally Posted by Cowperson

Russians like him . . . . . . which makes all the difference.

That will change through time.

Cowperson

It should have happened already, but hasn't. There isn't even a hint of real trouble for him. The people love a "tsar"...

[Thor]

Yeah, that's the problem, democracy is still quite new/wildly corrupt and a great number of people are impatient and many pine for a greater Russia that will be a major player in the world. Putin has a cult like status with the young people, that is what scares me most, because I don't see them tiring of him anytime in the next 10-20 yrs.