So you think you know us

[Kapitan]

Based on a post i made earlier i would ideally like to see your views and how you portray the Russian people and to see just what you make of them.

I like xabbarus and probably others are in a unique position because we have lived or had some serious connection with both west and east and can see it from both sides.

From what i gather of british and american thinking is that russia is a rouge state hell bent on the distruction of america and hate americans with a passion, and that russia is the agressor nation within the world.

Id like to make this known that Russia is activly helping both british and america in iraq and afghanistan right now with the war on terrorism, it might not be in a millatry capacity but more a civil one.

So i ask what do you personally think of russia and its people and what leads you to this belief ?

this is part of the post i made over in the falklands war 2 thread i cropped a bit off as it was about the falklands but this is the part that is important.

I know the post sounds aggressive its not intended to be an aggrsssive piece more frustration of the people who are being labled singled out and effectivly bullied this is east looking west and for once giving thier view.

I hope this doesnt start a flame war please no stupid comments because it just upsets the mods and it irritates people the purpose of this post is purely what and why you think Russia is a threat to the world more so the americans i hope we can remain civil.

The west cant see past thier noses and that is a fact we demand every country be a democracy and every country conform to a world order and if that country doesnt conform they are politically embarrased by us western nations sanctioned and then singled out for further humiliation.

Yet this goes against what the west is trying to stand for isnt a democracy a freedom of choice, speech, and government? so why is the USA UK NATO UN and the likes trying to take this away from a country ?
it seems non conformists to the world order are publically embarrased and unfortunatly as a citizen we hear day in day out about how these rouge nations are developing weapons to kill us all this is to scare us if they had them surely they would have used them by now?

Russia is a good example of this, recently two submarines were off the US east coast this made headline news even international news, yet like any other country in this world they have the legal right of navigation without hindrence in international waters, yet both submarines were probably being hounded by american naval vessels submarines and aircraft for the entiraty of thier patrols.
The big thing is "they pose a threat to national security they are operating close to american shores they have the potential to strike our nation"
And mr Obama do you not think for one moment why the Russians are doing this? maybe just maybe its because you have parked a few submarines off the russian coast so its only fair they send some to yours just to make it a point as in the like.

Or how about your policies of not entering terratorial waters the last time i checked murmansk was very deep inside Russian waters so far so it could be seen as a declaration or intent and you photographed it well done not only that years later you realse the pictures (it was intresting viewing them MR Obama i thank you much) but you moan and groan when a russian submarine does it to you.

Russia has the capability to ending america right now and america also has the same capability to end russia now these new missile shields, which a treaty was signed i do believe in the 1970's stating a missile shiel could not be constructed as it would give an overall impunity to one side and the effects of MAD would deminish making one side a supreme power rather than just having two super powers this was signed by the americans who now amazingly u turn on this.

poland and check rep are due to have the missile barriers installed who's missiles are they going to target should a launch occour? Iranian missile dont have the range to strike the EU let alone american and north korea can just about hit japan so of course it leads to only one other country capible of nuclear launch Russia.

As you guys know i have experiance in russia and i know what they feel, the reason they send submarines to your coast lines is because your doing it to them america betrayed the russians in the 1990's and continues to betray russia now and when a strong leader comes to power and says to america "shut the f**k up" you dont like it that is why in polls Vladimir putin scores a high 90% no one wanted putin to leave office which in my view a bad thing that he did in that capacity but it is good that he stays on he has done alot for the country something you americans british german have not seen will never see because your not there.

You cant expect democracy to evolve over night and people to adapt to it, especially because Russia has never had a democratic government in its entire history brezhnev tried and failed the only way is putins way and that is build slowly on even blocks.

I say this to the american government get your heads out your backsides start thinking before accusing think about what your going to do and who its going to effect and upset and then you may have more contries who are willing to conform.

I found a good documentary its done by the BBC and a british reporter but he lives in russia and has done since the 1990's take a look its done from russia's perspective and not american or british.

PART 1 :
PART 2 :
PART 3 :

Your american government thinks they know all about Russia and its people sadly your sorely mistaken its amusing to see someone who has never lived in russia walked down the streets of moscow or st petersburg or spoken to the people pass a judgement about these people they dont even know theres a big lesson to learn you think you know Russia and its people think again.

[Takeda Shingen]

If I remember correctly, you were born, raised and resided all of your life in Great Britian, correct?

[Kapitan]

born in the UK yes i havnt resided in the UK all my life i spent about 7 years in Russia and still visit normally once a year atleast, i poses a duel citizenship for both the UK and Russia.

[Sledgehammer427]

I have a deep appreciation of Russia, and its people. They are always solid competitors in the olympics, and I have a friend there whos just the most awesomest girl you could ever meet.

[Dowly]

I was raised to be aware of the Winter War & Continuation War, so I cant say I love Russians. BUT, I dont think it's fair to base my opinions to something that happened almost 70yrs ago.

So, from my personal experience, I've met two russian families that were close to my father (the guys played bandy in a team my father was involved in). They were great! Ow and as for the drunk part, they visited our summer cottage and drank the same as everyone else, but they ate little snacks all the time, so they ended up being almost sober at the time everyone else were pissed drunk.

I also met a russian gal few years back who was a friend of my friend's GF, one thing lead to another and I had pretttty fracking great night with her. I wonder where she is atm.

[GoldenRivet]

I dont care if she speaks english or not...or if Russia is hell bent on conquering the world... fine... as long as i get to surrender fully to her.

EDIT: what happened to the russian sailor girl image?!?!

I've never been to Russia but I've learned some of the language and read some Russian history, military history mostly. I've mostly read about European history and I think Russian history is linked with European 'destiny' in many ways. Russia was founded as a western nation in the east, to stop the marauding eastern hordes from plundering the ripe orchards of the central and southern Europe.

As a country Russia has the capacity to surprise people. It's just a vast nation, demographically and geographically too. The geographical size of Russia is mind boggling, normal flat maps don't do justice to the size and scope the whole of the Russian land, let alone what it used to be when it was Soviet union.

As for Russian people, I've known a few of them. I've noticed that Russian women kind of travel around, sort of wonder around without an attempt to settle down and study etc. They are very nice looking and they can certainly hold their liquour. One problem with Russians is the alcohol, especially with men. I think the average age of men is around 60 when they die, mostly due to alcohol related things.

[Oberon]

Russia, nice place, good people. Still not quite sure what to make of the leadership, but it's nowhere near as bad as the days of the big bad old Bear of the Cold War

Now just stop playing chicken with our Eurofighters

[Freiwillige]

What do I as an American think of Russia?

I think they have some of the most beautiful women in the world, Oddly enough they also sport some of the ugliest!

I think that Putin is a mans man and nothing like our nancy boy president. Funny cause now the Russians have their Reagan and we have our Comrade Obama!

I think that Russia is on the right path politically and economically.

I think Russia still has a little bit of the Communist Russia against the world syndrome (Though not much)

I think that I like Russians and even lost some of my sexual innocence to a hot teen redheaded one who's family defected during the cold war in the mid 80's.

[Oberon]

To add to my somewhat brief post, regarding the Russian government, I'm not anti-Putin, in fact I like the whole personality he's built up around himself as the tough guy of Europe. I mean, Putin goes out and wrestles with Tigers whilst Brown picks litter with Hoodies...
However, the echoes of the Cold War are still quite loud, the recent overhaul of the Russian nuclear missile system in response to the US Unified Strike Command, it's all still a bit icey and seemingly getting icier.
But, one mans poison is anothers delight and it will surely be a thing of national pride for Russia, just as our Type 45s and Astutes are for us.
As I have stated before, Russia needed a tough man to clear up the mess following Yeltsin, to clear away the decade of stagnation following the glasnost and Soviet collapse and build Russia up again, and they got that man in Putin, and I salute him for that, but I wouldn't trust the guy as far as I could throw him (then again, I would say the same about Brown...).
Some things will never change, and that mentality from the 1950s-1980s seems to be something that hasn't. Russia has gone from being ally, to enemy, to laughing stock and now back to cautious ally but possible enemy.

Another thing I do love about Russia, your music! Such stirring musical pieces, Katyusha, Polyushka Polye, The Great Patriotic War, Kalinka, Ochi chyornye, the Russian national anthem, all such beautiful stirring pieces which really stand out amongst any parade of anthems or musical pieces.

Spasiba

[Melonfish]

Originally Posted by Kapitan

Based on a post i made earlier i would ideally like to see your views and how you portray the Russian people and to see just what you make of them.

I like xabbarus and probably others are in a unique position because we have lived or had some serious connection with both west and east and can see it from both sides.

From what i gather of british and american thinking is that russia is a rouge state hell bent on the distruction of america and hate americans with a passion, and that russia is the agressor nation within the world.

Id like to make this known that Russia is activly helping both british and america in iraq and afghanistan right now with the war on terrorism, it might not be in a millatry capacity but more a civil one.

So i ask what do you personally think of russia and its people and what leads you to this belief ?

this is part of the post i made over in the falklands war 2 thread i cropped a bit off as it was about the falklands but this is the part that is important.

I know the post sounds aggressive its not intended to be an aggrsssive piece more frustration of the people who are being labled singled out and effectivly bullied this is east looking west and for once giving thier view.

I hope this doesnt start a flame war please no stupid comments because it just upsets the mods and it irritates people the purpose of this post is purely what and why you think Russia is a threat to the world more so the americans i hope we can remain civil.

you know i'm sorry but i find this post to be horrifically offensive, how DARE you tar me with the same brush as your narrow minded insights.
simple fact russia is a beautiful country which is recovering from years of mis-use and finding its footing in the world once more as a country. i know russian's personally and i'd call them all soul to the earth people i have nothing against russia and i would love to go there one day and wander round, meet people and generally explore it seems a fascinating country, in work my friend mentioned that in the winter his mother saves money on electricity by turning the freezer off and burying their food. and all i thought was "kewl". so No i don't have a problem with russia thanks very much.

don't post material like this and not expect to get BBQ'd you wouldn't walk up to a guy in the street and call him a bigot and expect to get away scott free either..

[Max2147]

I'm not sure if my views are typical of Americans, but I have a lot of respect for Russia.

I don't see Russia as a country that wants to conquer the world, but I think they have a chip on their shoulder. They are proud, powerful, and paranoid. They think they should be treated like a superpower, just like the US. Now that Putin has the country back in order, they see that as a realistic goal. They still have immense military power, and now that they're finally extracting their natural resources they have immense economic power as well. Finally, I think Russia is very suspicious of outsiders and always afraid that other countries are teaming up and plotting against them. These fears aren't entirely unjustified, but Russia's natural suspicion causes a lot of unnecessary tension.

I think Russia is power-hungry in a way, but not in the old Soviet take over the world way. I think Russia's quest for power is motivated by security needs, not by ideological desires. They want to make sure that the countries around them will never have the strength or desire to threaten Russia or help somebody else threaten Russia. This quest for power is inextricably linked to Russia's security fears.

[August]

The only Russians I've ever met face to face were a family of immigrants who were friends of my parents back in the 1960's. We've since lost touch and I don't know all the details of their story but they lived in fear that the Soviet government would find out where they were and did everything they could to hide their heritage, including changing their surname and moving regularly which is probably why we eventually lost touch with them.

Beyond that simply put the Soviets were the enemy of my youth. I am a child of the cold war who has taken part in air raid drills in preparation of a Russian nuclear attack. As a young man I patrolled along the Iron Curtain and have seen the wreaths the Germans would place along the border to mark where people had died trying to escape the so called "workers paradise".

All that is supposedly changed now that the Soviets are out of power but it worries me that critics of the Russian government have a nasty habit of winding up dead. I think I would have a difficult time ever trusting one.

[Takeda Shingen]

Originally Posted by Kapitan

born in the UK yes i havnt resided in the UK all my life i spent about 7 years in Russia and still visit normally once a year atleast, i poses a duel citizenship for both the UK and Russia.

I was not aware that you had dual citizenship. Very good.

[AngusJS]

I speak Russian and lived in Moscow from 2004 to 2007.

Most Russians that I knew personally were nice. I liked most of my flatmates, really liked my coworkers, and I don't think I'll ever have a better boss than the one I had there. Their work/life balance is much more sane than in the US.

Their bureaucracy is really really bad. I once was denied an apostille for a Russian college diploma because it was signed in blue ink, not black ink. That "error" resulted in another 6 months of waiting and endless trips to the college and the &#@%^ Ministry of Education, as I refused to partake in bribery.

I've heard that the Russia today has more bureaucrats than the Soviet Union did, which had twice the population and a planned economy. Way to go Putin!

All but one of the TV stations were conservative, and they competed to see who could suck up to the Kremlin the most. Critical stories on local or regional matters were allowed, but I don't think I ever saw anything critical of Putin himself.

I don't like Putin, and I don't like what he's done to Russia. I'm a democrat, and am against the rule of the one "official" party, the Putin-jugend (which is not to be taken too seriously, but is absurd and is indicative of Putin's cult of personality), and the ever greater concentration of power in the presidency. Some Russians would make the case that Russia first needs stability before it can become truly democratic. I can see where they're coming from, but good luck getting the power back then.

OTOH, most Russians honestly do love Putin. He would be reelected even without the TV media doing everything in its power to ensure that result.

It sometimes seemed to me that for Russians, world history ended in 1945. They don't really understand why Eastern Europe is so pissed off at the them. I think this is reflected in the media as well. There were documentaries and dramas about the many domestic crimes of the Soviet Union, but I never saw anything about what it did to other countries.

If my country had been murdering its own citizens wholesale less than 60 years ago, I don't know how I could live here, but apparently for Russians it's no big deal. Maybe that's how it is everywhere, though - I got something of the same feeling during my short time in Cambodia.

I never had any problems in Russia stemming from my being American or a Westerner. But Russians are still suspicious of Western governments, both the EU and the US. In Russia the Cold War continues on, albeit in a much diminished form. They miss being a superpower, and this drives their foreign policy.

Anyway, sorry for the rambling post.

And boy, could I go for a shaurma now! (I know, not ethnic Russian food, but they were my main form of sustenance for years there, and I miss them dearly.)