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   From: acoustic@panix.com   
      
   In article ,   
   Albert K. Fung  wrote:   
   >The world's reigning hegemony ....   
   >   
   >Launched a postmodern asymmetric warfare on Russia - for its   
   >overtly ambitious annexation of Crimea. However, unlike pre-   
   >vious wars, no American Empire's boots were on the ground in   
   >Ukraine. Instead:   
   >   
   >Its Treasury and Commerce Departments are in the front-line.   
   >   
   >Today, the Russian Ruble dropped by 80%, since its peak this   
   >January. Russia's central bank panic and raised the interest   
   >rate to 17+%. That, is draw-dropping, eye-popping. Moreover,   
   >a superbly crafted and spectacular executed global oil price   
   >decline was initiated. And, it will not stop until the price   
   >hits the USD 40's. Some professional world oil traders, even   
   >a horrifying speculation of USD 30 per barrel.   
   >   
   >That will give a ginormous boom the to global economies. And   
   >seriously punishing Russia on one hand and slapping the run-   
   >away Middle Eastern oil kingdom, Saudi Arabia, on the other.   
   >   
   >Next year, by all estimates, the Russian economy will shrink   
   >by at least 4-5%. That will cause ginormous unemployment and   
   >social unrest. And Saudi Arabia's oil revenue will be cut in   
   >half. Which will quite certainly send chills down the spines   
   >of Saudi's sheikhs - as their country will be running ginor-   
   >mous budget deficits:   
   >   
   >For the foreseeable future .... :)   
   >   
   >BTW: That was the same war technique used to decimate the Al   
   >      Quada and Taliban - in deep dark caves, missiles loaded   
   >      drones flying overhead, they could only watch their com   
   >      -pletely frozen bank accounts and bitterly lament their   
   >      confiscated donations. :)   
      
   Totally off-base!   
      
   First of all, al Qaida and Taliban are far from being decimated - just   
   consider the US military's botched rescue attempt of Luke Somers and   
   Pierre Korkie from al Qaeda.   
      
   And as far as the economic kind of warfare is concerned, all the   
   West's weapons will manage to do to Russia is to once and for all   
   drive Russia, China, and other nations away from denominating their   
   currencies against the dollar.   
      
   The bank accounts in the West that are being affected are mostly those   
   of the oligarchs who have stashed their wealth in the West to avoid   
   paying taxes in Russia.  They are the bad apples that Russia will be   
   better-off without.   
      
   Most Russian people's pocket books will not be substantially affected.   
      
   That is because, except in a real war, the people continue to produce;   
   and so their productivity continue to feed and clothe them.   
      
   Russia has an enviable supply of natural resources, from timber to   
   mineral ores.   
      
   It has a strong industrial base to go with its natural resources.   
      
   Finally, it has the world's best trained work force to operate its   
   industrial economic infrastructure and large-scale production that no   
   other country in the world today is its equal.   
      
   All this upbeat talk of mine of course is predicated on the fact that   
   NATO will not be attacking Russia in the near future.   
      
   A peacetime Russia has nothing to worry about except keep doing what   
   its people normally do - be self-reliant and productive.   
      
   By contrast, a United States without its USD dominance and without a   
   manufacture base while pre-occupying itself with regime-change all   
   over the world and building more and more forward military bases is   
   doomed to become poorer and still poorer.   
      
   So, if rst9's news   
     Russia stops using the US $ completely and is using the Chinese Yuan   
     for trade.  China will buy up all Russian-made jet engines and   
     submarines.  Russia is trading with China, Middle East, South   
     America and Africa countries.  Sanctions punish both sides, NATO   
     countries as well as the U.S.   
      
   is to be believed, then what you're saying is just wishful infatuation.   
      
   lo yeeOn   
      
   >   
   >      The American Empire's soft power is awe inspiring. And,   
   >      with global commodities, industrial goods and services,   
   >      trading in terms of the USD, it does have the power and   
   >      capability of striping any country on Planet Earth econ   
   >      -omically, and financially - even for world's stone age   
   >      countries. Moral of the lesson:   
   >   
   >      Don't tread on the American Empire ....   
   >   
   >Regards,   
   >   
   >Albert K. Fung   
   >Rancho del Canto, Paso Robles, California.   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)