Re:Gas Leak in the Baltic Sea
by MichaelCollins on Wednesday September 28, 2022 @04:39AM
(#33005688)
> Sweden [...] shrugged at Russian threats and joined NATO.
Alternate take: Russia is behaving so irrationally and dangerously, their actions persuaded the Swedes to break two centuries of neutrality to cozy up with a defensive pact. They could have joined NATO in the 90s when the threat was nil, but instead they maintained their neutrality until things got dicey.
Have you read that book?
https://www.amazon.com/Secret-War-Against-Sweden-Submarine/d...
I stopped reading at "battleships".
Re:Gas Leak in the Baltic Sea
by wonderwonder on Wednesday September 28, 2022 @07:59AM
(#33006918)
Cool, appreciate you letting me know.
The Russian gas pipelines were just destroyed; meaning that for Europe, yielding to Putin's energy blackmail is not even an option anymore, he has nothing to offer now. They will support Ukraine as they find other energy partners. Italy just secured a source from N. Africa. The US will now become a major energy supplier to Europe, costing the Russians long term. The Russian economy is flailing and they cannot even replace parts required to keep their vehicles running.
Most importantly on a global scale, the illusion that they are a near US military peer has been destroyed. Sweden and Finland shrugged at Russian threats and joined NATO. Russia has been exposed as a weak, poorly led military that would get steam rolled by Europe even without US boots on the ground. The united states would obliterate them. The only card they have is nukes, besides that they are weak. Russia likely becomes a vassal state to China.
If this is Russia winning then yes, you are correct.