Russia was flat broke and defaulted on its bonds ten years ago. From there, due not only to natural resource export boom but also to a brand new and vastly simplified straight tax system, a flat tax set @ 12%, the middle class is growing fast, with almost no consumer debt, and the gov’t now has the third largest foreign currency reserves in the world, @ $600 bbl. The monstrous social & demographic pathologies wrought by the Communist party are still there but are turning. The population loves Putin, as he has delivered progress against their problems and is willing to accept the consequences of his actions. There’s a big wave of nationalism flowing thru the people, and they’re said to be firmly expansionist in regards to the old borders, and follwing a to-them benign dictator suits them just fine, given the close-in past.

That’s what we’re looking at, folks. Not a dying, flailing, hollow shell with a rump army blindly knocking things over, but more of a wrench which fits perfectly over the west’s nuts.

Sans the inscrutable far eastern colossus, the USA military is its only equivalent, and the USA military is funded by the folks occupying the gov’t buildings in Washington DC, bless their little pea-pickin’ hearts, while the Russian machine is funded more or less for free, by money that just flows out of the ground.

And now along comes Obama. Obama to complement the geopolitical acumen of Nancy and Harry, and the powers that run them.

Dunno what I’m trying to say –except write your reps an ink on paper letter and tell them that you want an across the board 10% cut in all spending except defense –and you want that raised 10%. Like, now.