sburke

Or Russia simply has an inferiority complex as it's economic power puts it outside of "great power" status. Russia is not and never will be the power that the USSR was. That bloc was politically and economically unsustainable. China is a rising economic power, which unfortunately is also not paying attention to long term demographics and their economic model, however they are far and away in a different economic status than Russia. Russia can try and stay "independent" and in a few decades will be a trivial little backwater with nothing of significance to contribute to the world economy. That is not the model China is following. Isolating oneself from the world economic community and hoping your one cash cow will keep you afloat is not a serious economic plan, however it is the only one Putin has. China will probably take Siberia from you leaving the European facing rump state to jump up and down and make lots of noise hoping to get someone's attention living on it's past glories. That is the future Putin is delivering for you.

For not being friends we certainly invested a fair amount early on under Yeltsin. I don't think you have a clear perception of how Russia is viewed in the west. A democratic govt participating as an economic partner is actually highly desirable. What isn't acceptable is a rogue state that feels it can militarily intervene unilaterally against it's neighbors who are also part of that economic community. There was actually a significant out pouring of excitement and hope right from the beginning of Glasnost that we had entered a new period where the major powers were all working in partnership to reduce the risks of war and establish a sense that we would all function based upon an agreed set of standards. That the major powers would act jointly to reduce tensions, isolate and undermine dictatorships and generally improve the overall condition of humanity after a very long counter productive Cold War. From our view Putin has made a turn to the past, a past no one in the west has any interest in living through again. To us he represents all of the worst of failed policies of the USSR. Policies that created misery for most of Eastern Europe (how many of the former soviet allies support Putin'). We do not view the current path charted by Russian leadership as productive for anyone, least of all Russia. Putin is condemning the Russian people to another generation lost pursuing objectives that simply are no longer achievable or relevant in the 21st century. Hell if Russia had managed to stay on course from where things originally were going it might have joined NATO itself. NATO does not have to be an "anti Russia" alliance. Hell until the events of the past year NATO was foundering as a security alliance without a clear purpose. The international space station is just one example of where people here hoped things were going, we were jointly doing space exploration with Russia. Now we are working to create our own capabilities again independent of Russia, such a waste. As to Iraq, yeah I'd have to agree the US made a major mess. I don't think that is so much based on a strategy to make people weak so much as a leadership that didn't want to face facts and had an agenda with huge blinders on. In a sense not much different than current Russian policy.

This is the CessPool, that you couldn't even pass kindergarten wouldn't phase us. After all we have Emrys as a baseline for how low we can go. Surely you aren't worse than that. Hmmmm. I may be overly optimistic there, you are an Aussie. Okay spare me your details, it is actually possible you would embarrass us all. As to the second comment, my boredom began right about the moment you opened your mouth to speak. No actually perhaps it was the moment you entered the room.

R&R? In the middle of a battle? Who does he think he is Beetle Bailey?

agreed, who is her color coordinator?!

luckier than me. My game started with mortar rounds falling on the embassy. One guy ran out into it and got hit. After it stopped a bunch of folks ran across the courtyard- I was afraid they were gonna exit the compound. As I was herding them back insurgents opened fire and hit one.The mortars also knocked down a wall segment the insurgents used to enter the compound. All in all I had a big firefight just keeping myself from being overrun. I'll leave the rest not to give away anything on the extraction, but great scenario. Lots of fun.

Hmm lots of disclaimers. Anyone else getting the impression that Ian is Moon in disguise so he can float ideas? C'mere Ian, Moon is that you in there? C'mon out Moon!!!

Then when Russians are captured, they are simply declared as having "gotten lost". There don't seem to be any other instances I can think of where regular soldiers have "gotten lost" and crossed an international border recently. Either we need to rate Russian soldiers in CMBS, even elite ones as tactically incompetent. ie they can't even verify their location or somebody is lying. I know it is a stretch to think Putin might lie about where his soldiers are, but oh wait yeah he already did that.

what probably works better is to extend the map a bit to have a unit set up on map and respond to a trigger rather than spawn on map on a trigger. Spawning can have inherent problems as others have noted.

Probably but no conclusive proof. Guess we need another U137 that Russia can say "got lost" amazing how that same excuse keeps surfacing- pun intended. and the little green men in Crimea that Russia denied so vehemently ...and turned out to be oh yeah, Russian military. The problem is when Putin gets caught lying,the plausibility that he is lying about other stuff is going to be people's first choice. You can't have it both ways.

The trouble with arguing with you guys is the sub could have surfaced, been clearly a Kilo class, flown the Russian flag, had the crew come out on deck and sing the national anthem and there would still be with some excuse- it is faked, someone photo shopped it, the sub was a US CIA operation using an old captured/purchased sub, lord knows what, but it would be anything other than, yes Russia violated Sweden's territorial waters. Really a USN intel run in Swedish waters? That is the best you can come up with? If anything the declarations from Sweden are an embarrassing revelation as to how poor their ASW capabilities are. Russia has clearly stated it is intent on restoring it's great power military status. This includes an increase in aggressive overflights, armed forces demonstrations along it's borders and naval maneuvers. Is it really that hard to think that maybe Russia is also testing the anti submarine warfare capabilities of it's neighbors?

Kept air superiority? Not sure that is actually a true statement. Germany never even came close to the level of air superiority we in the west generally understand the term to mean. Tactically the Germans were able to seize control over various battlefields, but they pretty much ran into a wall during the battle of Britain. They contested the allies for air control through 1942 and decisively lost it in 1943. German use of aircraft on the battlefield was certainly better than allied practice in 1940/41, but even that proficiency slipped away as the allies strategically won the air war.

Well if you consider the standards required for his admittance in the first place, any school with standards that low is likely to not even realize it is the same Stuka. It isn't like he would have passed any grades and be applying for second or even (god help us) third.

no edit- that would mean you would actually attend school.

no way, this is America!!! That bathrobe, ironed and warmed is a god given right! (oh and don't forget to remind your aide to fluff your pillow.)

the last time this came up as a definitive question Steve's reply was no.

Oh and here is a demerit for that obnoxious two year old for making the comment about my edits. I know you didn't think of that.

No it is the auto format of my iPad. You wouldn't know about such things as I am sure your posts are written by a two year old that you dictate to. At least you are past thinking you are engaged in a conversation with them. That must have been a huge revelation when they told you they were reading things written by other people. How long was it before your stopped searching you hut for us? Ps I'd let it go but grammar nazi Boo would go on a endless frothing tirade.

ahh the dreams of empire die hard.

Interesting. It is listed on wiki as the polish noun for a person of polish descent, but in English it is a derogatory term for a person of polish descent. Very confusing world.

if you purchased the 3.0 upgrade, what is the size? If it is not the 9 gb version I would re download it. That will give you the latest full installer. Get rid of everything else and install that and you'll be all set at 3.11. Check the included read me installer for licensing or go to the knowledgebase but definitely read before going through licensing, it will save you some headaches. If it gives you trouble, threaten the computer with that knife. I assume that is why you have it there.

Polak? Is there some different expression in Russia for Poles or is that the same derogatory slang you would hear in the US only spelled different.

I preferred mine where a T 34 85 got hit with a PF and the bright crop of red crosses in order appeared over the tank. Brought back memories of Elvis and JonS beta AAR in Bois de Baugin when the hand grenade got tossed into the truck. Seems you can never have too many reminders of the dangers of troop transport. I expect to see a lot more with CMBS.

while testing Studienka I had a couple guys run into a Russian tank crewman who went into surrender mode right after shooting one of mine. Of course my guy being the civilized bloke he WAS, proceeded to buddy aid his comrade. The Russian recovered his morale somehow and proceeded to shoot him.. I have asked charges be leveled according to the Geneva convention but so far no reply.