A Leaner Bear
by Paul Jacob, Contributing Author: Russia is being painted as Enemy No. 1 by Hillary Clinton, despite her predecessor's mocking of the same notion four years ago, when Republican Mitt Romney said it.
Of course, Mrs. Clinton is just using Russia as a distraction from her conspiracies and crimes and inadequacies as revealed by WikiLeaks.
What's more worrying is Russia's military adventuring, surely.
Before we wander into the morass that is foreign policy, maybe we should consider the Russian military itself . . . and its supporting economy.
Last year, TASS confidently informed us that the military budget was going up 0.8 percent in 2016, with $750 million slated for nuclear weaponry. I still hear talk of the latter fact; not much of the former factoid, that shockingly modest increase.
Even last year it was commonly noted that Russia's military budget was getting "squeezed" . . . by hard times. Lack of revenue.
Now the hammer has fallen on the sickle: "Russian defence budget set to drop by 12%" in yesterday's IHS Jane's 360 article by Craig Caffrey.
First, don't be alarmed: "defence" is how Brits misspell "defense."
Second, take heart: Russia simply cannot do all it may want even in its darkest hearts.
Third, take caution: a weaker Russia is still dangerous, in some ways more so. We might see increased (and relatively cheap) cyber-warfare, of which Mrs. Clinton is so particularly mindful.
Finally, let's acknowledge that American politicians have never focused rationally on the Russian threat, often hyping it gratuitously to enhance their own power, or, for that same reason, ignoring the threat entirely, as when smirking at Romney's wise concerns.
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.
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Paul Jacobs is author of Common Sense which provides daily commentary about the issues impacting America and about the citizens who are doing something about them. He is also President of the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIFe) as well as Citizens in Charge Foundation. Jacobs is a contributing author on the ARRA News Service.
Tags: Paul Jacob, Common Sense, leaner bear, Russia, Hillary Clinton, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
Of course, Mrs. Clinton is just using Russia as a distraction from her conspiracies and crimes and inadequacies as revealed by WikiLeaks.
What's more worrying is Russia's military adventuring, surely.
Before we wander into the morass that is foreign policy, maybe we should consider the Russian military itself . . . and its supporting economy.
Last year, TASS confidently informed us that the military budget was going up 0.8 percent in 2016, with $750 million slated for nuclear weaponry. I still hear talk of the latter fact; not much of the former factoid, that shockingly modest increase.
Even last year it was commonly noted that Russia's military budget was getting "squeezed" . . . by hard times. Lack of revenue.
Now the hammer has fallen on the sickle: "Russian defence budget set to drop by 12%" in yesterday's IHS Jane's 360 article by Craig Caffrey.
First, don't be alarmed: "defence" is how Brits misspell "defense."
Second, take heart: Russia simply cannot do all it may want even in its darkest hearts.
Third, take caution: a weaker Russia is still dangerous, in some ways more so. We might see increased (and relatively cheap) cyber-warfare, of which Mrs. Clinton is so particularly mindful.
Finally, let's acknowledge that American politicians have never focused rationally on the Russian threat, often hyping it gratuitously to enhance their own power, or, for that same reason, ignoring the threat entirely, as when smirking at Romney's wise concerns.
This is Common Sense. I'm Paul Jacob.
------------------
Paul Jacobs is author of Common Sense which provides daily commentary about the issues impacting America and about the citizens who are doing something about them. He is also President of the Liberty Initiative Fund (LIFe) as well as Citizens in Charge Foundation. Jacobs is a contributing author on the ARRA News Service.
Tags: Paul Jacob, Common Sense, leaner bear, Russia, Hillary Clinton, To share or post to your site, click on "Post Link". Please mention / link to the ARRA News Service. and "Like" Facebook Page - Thanks!
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