Russia as a Geopolitical Conundrum
Without nukes, what is Russia?
Without nukes and oil, what is Russia?
Something along the lines of a really, really BIG (spread-out, geographically speaking) Romania or thereabouts.
A somewhat-modernized string of cities in one part of the landmass, and the rest, unconstructed rural towns, small cities and villages dotting a vast territory with little in the way of infrastructure except for military facilities here and there.
A polyglot of cultures with long histories, and long-held resentments.
A history vivid with color and creativity and cruelty.
Lurching from one form of autocracy/oligarchy/authoritarianism to another over the past 200 years, with barely a nod to any notions of being part of a larger community of nation-states, beyond Imperialist conquest.
But they have nukes.
And oil.
And so, they get away with being an 11th-century social structure in the 21st century.
And we let them.
And they pillage, and kidnap and burn and commit atrocities with impunity.
Because they have nukes.
And oil.
disgustedly,
Bright