An economics, investment, trading and policy blog with a focus on Modern Monetary Theory (MMT). We seek the truth, avoid the mainstream and are virulently anti-neoliberalism.
Pages
▼
Pages
▼
Friday, October 17, 2014
Noah Smith — U.S. vs. China+Russia - the Tale of the Tape
"The Russians are really shitty allies, they really, really suck at keeping friends and make no compromises with them."
That may be, but Russia and China perceive themselves in survival mode against a very real existential threat. They have their differences, but when survival is at stake the game changes big time.
The US depends on a lot of crappy allies, too, like the Saudis for existential reasons in addition to economic. Since WWI the name of the game strategically has been access to energy at any cost, even war.
Perhaps, although some of us would argue that a lot of that is manufactured concern, just like most everything else of note in the "news."
Not that I am defending Putin. As far as I am concerned anyone that makes to the top in most any country today is a sleaze ball. That's just how the selection process works. It favors narcissists and psychopaths. Some places are worse than others, but anywhere there's a lot of money involved, it attracts the usual bullies, grifters and shills. It's the media's jobs to perfume the odor of the leaders of one faction and make the leaders of the other factions smell worse.
Comment over there:
ReplyDelete"I'm very skeptical that this China-Russia axis will happen, for two reasons:
* The Russians are really shitty allies, they really, really suck at keeping friends and make no compromises with them."
This comment has been removed by the author.
ReplyDelete"The Russians are really shitty allies, they really, really suck at keeping friends and make no compromises with them."
ReplyDeleteThat may be, but Russia and China perceive themselves in survival mode against a very real existential threat. They have their differences, but when survival is at stake the game changes big time.
The US depends on a lot of crappy allies, too, like the Saudis for existential reasons in addition to economic. Since WWI the name of the game strategically has been access to energy at any cost, even war.
Just saying that there is a palpable dislike of the Russians under Putin in the west... this is the other POV... ie "we dont like you..." its real...
ReplyDeletersp,
Perhaps, although some of us would argue that a lot of that is manufactured concern, just like most everything else of note in the "news."
ReplyDeleteNot that I am defending Putin. As far as I am concerned anyone that makes to the top in most any country today is a sleaze ball. That's just how the selection process works. It favors narcissists and psychopaths. Some places are worse than others, but anywhere there's a lot of money involved, it attracts the usual bullies, grifters and shills. It's the media's jobs to perfume the odor of the leaders of one faction and make the leaders of the other factions smell worse.