War is coming

[ingemann]

Yes, of course. We are going to have a big war within the next 4-5 years.

Care to expand on this? I am curious.

Russia has not been controlled or contained.

Russia would have to advance past the old Iron Curtain (save East Germany) for actual war to break out.  proxy war is already happening.

No, just as soon as any NATO member is invaded.

you think Putin can't get a few of the old Soviet bloc countries to 'voluntarily' renounce NATO membership?

No I don't think that's possible, in fact I don't see how anyone could see that as possible.

[ingemann]

yeah - one reason being that a Western ally automatically earns the title of small-d democrat by virtue of being a Western ally (ie: allow US military bases, expropriation of profits by Western corporations).  Colombia the democratic haven, Venezuela the Stalinist hellhole.

hence Lukashenko is the "last European dictator" - Belarus refused mass privatization and maintained close ties to Moscow.

Okay please enligthen us wise one with how the Baltic Countries, Poland and Romania are dictatorships.