What Humanitarian Efforts does Russia Support?

InTheTrees · 02-08-2014 05:53PM

Russia is a sad shadow of its former self.

Massive oil wealth being accumulated by putins oligarch friends and meanwhile the country has a life expectancy the same as egypts. They're hovering just about third world status.

Which would explain putins macho strutting.

Shakespeare's Sister · 02-08-2014 05:55PM

wandererz wrote: »

I don't know if this has been asked before on boards, but what humanitarian efforts does Russia support?

Whenever there is a crisis of some sort: military, tsunami, cyclone, volcano, airplane disaster etc. there is an outpouring of support from certain nations for the well-being of the general population, but never from Russia it seems.

Perhaps i am mistaken.

What does Russia contribute to the well-being of people globally rather than simply make peoples lives more miserable?

Perhaps i am jaded myself, living my great life in the western world and (almost) not impeded or controlled by dictatorships and doing what i want to do?

At the same time, why do so many people wish to move to places like the UK, US, Australia, New Zealand, Ireland, Canada etc.

But IS there an influx to places like Russia? ...I don't think there is.

Why do they seem to continue to make peoples lives worse rather than enhance it.

After having engineered his current term in office, and considering his previous terms, what has the current president done for the world and for humanity in general?
When exactly does Russia speak out about atrocities that are comitted and actually ACT on them, other than when suits them?

I'm no fan of Putin, but why would they have to talk about giving aid to prove they're doing it? http://www.globalhumanitarianassistance.org/countryprofile/russia

InTheTrees · 02-08-2014 05:59PM

Does russia even qualify as a "democracy" anymore?

When the same person keeps winning "elections" over and over. When there's no independent press or legal system. When the ruling elite can rewrite the constitution to creats posts for themselves for their own purposes, is it really "democracy"?

Iwasfrozen · 02-08-2014 06:05PM

Joe Doe wrote: »

powerful all the same, maybe 2/3rd or so...

Plenty of subs, long range and big birds, the uk only got it's semi-working single carrier recently, France only has one carrier also. Wouldn't pick a fight with them or anything...

Your obviously making up your own gdp data, again. These x3 sources say otherwise for 2013. In fact the UK could be on the way down beside Italy if/when Scotland goes independent.

Suppliers are one thing, customers are another, Russia and China have signed a 30-year, $400bn (£237bn) deal for Gazprom to deliver Russian gas to China. The had talks last month with BRIC's about a global reserve alternative to the usd and $100bn brics bank to start off with.

Their policies are often un-agreeable, but sovereign, independent and idealistic choices all the same, somewhat free from central bank or external influence. Again having alternative perspectives to consider (even if wrong), could be for the greater good in long term evolution.

They very recently talked about helping the Palestinians with oil discover off their coast, to help support that fledging economy, can't be a bad thing surely?

I think you're confusing great power with superpower. No doubt Russia is a great power but it's not a superpower.

InTheTrees · 02-08-2014 06:09PM

average hero wrote: »

With regards to people not emigrating to Russia, there are a number of reasons. Firstly, it isn't paraded as a place to go to prosper such as the US or Europe. Secondly, I hear it's not very welcoming, be it bureaucratically or socially. And finally, the US, the Commonwealth and the Francophonie make former colonies view these homelands as places to prosper - history etc.

Many of putin's political enemies ended up in prison. There is o free independant judicial system.

Multinational corporations at least require some political stability to invest and that isnt the climate in Russia.

God knows what part of the constitution putin will decide to re=write next.

Maybe he'd nationalise foreign holdings? Thats the threat that usually slows foreign investment. And there's no sign of that threat coming form China, india or brazil.

If you were going to invest your life saving in one of the bric countries which would you pick?

KingOfFairview · 02-08-2014 06:17PM

average hero wrote: »

With regards to people not emigrating to Russia, there are a number of reasons.

No, there aren't. Russia is the second-highest recipient of immigration on Earth.

InTheTrees · 02-08-2014 06:19PM

Iwasfrozen wrote: »

No doubt Russia is a great power but it's not a superpower.

I dunno about a great power. Their troops are drunk, underpaid and under equipped.

KingOfFairview · 02-08-2014 06:58PM

InTheTrees wrote: »

I dunno about a great power. Their troops are drunk, underpaid and under equipped.

Any meaningful definition of Great Power would include Russia. If they don't make the cut, there's no such thing.

Manic Moran · 02-08-2014 07:33PM

Muahahaha wrote: »

Just wondering why they are seen as a superpower, I don't know much about their military capability. Is it because they have nuclear weapons or that aside do they still have serious capability? I kinda look at the Russian military and think of things like the Kursk submarine disaster and wonder what mistakes would happen when the pressure in on during a conflict. Also one of my main memories of a trip to Leningrad was the amount of uniformed navy officers staggering around on the streets locked drunk with bottles of vodka in hand, it didn't inspire confidence.

I defer to the words of Field Marshal Montgomery:

Rule 1, on page 1 of the book of war, is: "Do not march on Moscow". Various people have tried it, Napoleon and Hitler, and it is no good. That is the first rule. I do not know whether your Lordships will know Rule 2 of war. It is: "Do not go fighting with your land armies in China". It is a vast country, with no clearly defined objectives.

Russian troops work hard (on-duty discipline is brutal) and play hard. They do not follow the same standards as we in the West do, but it would be a gross mistake to underestimate the bear's claws if they get riled up.

In contrast to Overheal's wiki definition, I've seen a definition I agree with in which the US is considered a hyperpower. World-wide economic and military capability beyond anyone else on the globe, even the superpowers such as the UK and Russia.

Then there are regional powers, such as China, Germany, Japan, Brazil.

And finally, there's everyone else.

What Humanitarian Efforts does Russia Support?

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