Posted on Jun 18, 2017
Having Lost ‘Soft’ Power in Post-Soviet Space, Moscow Increasingly Using ‘Hard’ - Jamestown
661
5
5
3
3
0
"In short, Moscow has lost two of the three elements in the trinity of resources that define a hegemonic power: It no longer provides an attractive model for others to emulate, and it does not have the economic strength to leave them with no choice but to become part of its orbit. What it retains, at least for now, is the third element of that triad: disproportionate military strength. And consequently, it is not surprising that across the former Soviet space, Moscow is building up its military presence in the hopes of resisting the impact of the centrifugal forces its lack of other resources have unleashed."
Having Lost ‘Soft’ Power in Post-Soviet Space, Moscow Increasingly Using ‘Hard’ - Jamestown
Posted from jamestown.org
Foreign Policy
Europe
Influence
Posted >1 y ago
Responses: 2
1
1
0
We may argue over which came first, the chicken or the egg. But there is no argument that military power follows economic power. You can't built a strong military on a weak economy. Trying merely hobbles the economy further.
(1)
(0)
SPC Kevin Ford
CPT Jack Durish To be fair, to create a military strong enough to project power onto one's neighbor's doesn't necessarily require a healthy economy (certainly not in the short run) but one that is comparatively much larger than one's neighbors. Even then I think it could be argued that North Korea has built a comparatively strong military on top of a longstanding weak economy.
(0)
(0)
CPT Jack Durish
SPC Kevin Ford - Any idiot can throw a punch. Bullies get away with it because they many are too timid to defend themselves (indeed, that is what our children are being taught these days under the guise of "Zero Tolerance"). However, strength is measured in the ability to take a punch and fight back. North Korea doesn't have it. Nor does Russia, not now.
(0)
(0)
SPC Kevin Ford
CPT Jack Durish - It's all relative to who they are punching and who's punching them back. Russia has no problem with punching their immediate neighbors and without NATO they can do it with impunity.
As for North Korea their threat has always been the amount of damage they can cause before we can take them out.
As for North Korea their threat has always been the amount of damage they can cause before we can take them out.
(1)
(0)
0
0
0
Which is why they have such a vested interest in limiting the power and scope of NATO. It is very difficult for Russia to project military power when there is a opposing military force that neighboring countries can use as a shield. The less cohesive NATO is and the more we limit what nations we are willing to bring under their umbrella, the more effective Russia's military intimidation is going to be.
(0)
(0)
Read This Next
Continue with Facebook 
Continue with Google