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gtr: your right mate, Putin never misses a trick when it comes to foreign policy. He will be smarting a little bit that Trump has gone around those six country talk fests on Korea; no better way to fix that then establishing his own bilateral meetings with NK, espeically, as I am sure, Kim would love all the attention.

about the Finland War: Russia won, gainning territory around St Petersburg, for the most part; but, as you mentioned, gtr, the Finnish gave them a really hard time, isolating some Russian formations in the forests and destroying them in the field. It was a very interesting little war.

Ark did you see the Putin Interviews with the American journalist? The interviews were spread over a year or longer I think. It was a great insight into a leader of a country considered the enemy of the West and the USA. I was amazed how open he was including allowing the cameras inside his offices and the command centre, US equivalent of the situation room when the shit hits the fan and the big rooster needs to be briefed and give his orders.

There seems to me to be a breaking down of the barriers in the world which is heartening to see and Putin is a very intelligent and well educated man, particularly on history and world affairs.

ArkRoyal wrote: gtr: your right mate, Putin never misses a trick when it comes to foreign policy. He will be smarting a little bit that Trump has gone around those six country talk fests on Korea; no better way to fix that then establishing his own bilateral meetings with NK, espeically, as I am sure, Kim would love all the attention.

about the Finland War: Russia won, gainning territory around St Petersburg, for the most part; but, as you mentioned, gtr, the Finnish gave them a really hard time, isolating some Russian formations in the forests and destroying them in the field. It was a very interesting little war.

The Russian V Finnish war called the winter war.Went for 3 months and 1 week .The opposing forces where Finnish 300,000 men ,33 tanks,188 aircraft.The Soviets had 1,700,000 men,3800 tanks,and over 4,000 aircraft.They seized 11% of Finnish territory and about 30% of there GDP.Viiripurri was the only Finish port that didn't freeze in the winter and was lost to the Soviets.The Soviet casualties where huge with over 368,000 killed,captured or wounded.

ArkRoyal wrote: gtr: your right mate, Putin never misses a trick when it comes to foreign policy. He will be smarting a little bit that Trump has gone around those six country talk fests on Korea; no better way to fix that then establishing his own bilateral meetings with NK, espeically, as I am sure, Kim would love all the attention.

about the Finland War: Russia won, gainning territory around St Petersburg, for the most part; but, as you mentioned, gtr, the Finnish gave them a really hard time, isolating some Russian formations in the forests and destroying them in the field. It was a very interesting little war.

Yep, technically Russia did win. However, when the dust had settled and everything was put into context it was a bit like Richmond (at full strength) taking on East Fremantle (coached by Wiley and at full strength) at the MCG and emerging victorious by 15 points

ooollllrrrrrry2 wrote:

ArkRoyal wrote: gtr: your right mate, Putin never misses a trick when it comes to foreign policy. He will be smarting a little bit that Trump has gone around those six country talk fests on Korea; no better way to fix that then establishing his own bilateral meetings with NK, espeically, as I am sure, Kim would love all the attention.

about the Finland War: Russia won, gainning territory around St Petersburg, for the most part; but, as you mentioned, gtr, the Finnish gave them a really hard time, isolating some Russian formations in the forests and destroying them in the field. It was a very interesting little war.

Yep, technically Russia did win. However, when the dust had settled and everything was put into context it was a bit like Richmond (at full strength) taking on East Fremantle (coached by Wiley and at full strength) at the MCG and emerging victorious by 15 points

Lol good comparison.

good posts everybody -- I will try and write a fitting reply a bit later on -- sometime after the soccer.

DD-- I apologise for not responding to your post earlier on Putin. I missed the show you mentioned, I am afraid, but I agree he cuts an interesting figur on the world stage.

If we go around the world:

Kosovo -- I sympathise with him as it was legally part of Serbia
Syria -- he has been 100 per cent correct in backing the legal governent of Syria against the islamists.
Crimea -- he got his own back against the West for Kosovo by having his own referendum, well done
Ukraine -- I am sympathetic again, because the West promised him an election in the whole of the Ukraine which the pro-Russian president would have probably won -- we don't know -- but, instead, backed the coup in Kiev.
Expansion of Nato to the East -- they promissed Gorbi, Boris and Putin they would not do it and broke their collective Western word, yet again.

Given all of the above, DD, I think he has defended Russia's position as a great power and national interest very well, and, at the same time maintained some sort of relationship with the West in difficult circumstances for his country.

ArkRoyal wrote: DD-- I apologise for not responding to your post earlier on Putin. I missed the show you mentioned, I am afraid, but I agree he cuts an interesting figur on the world stage.

If we go around the world:

Kosovo -- I sympathise with him as it was legally part of Serbia
Syria -- he has been 100 per cent correct in backing the legal governent of Syria against the islamists.
Crimea -- he got his own back against the West for Kosovo by having his own referendum, well done
Ukraine -- I am sympathetic again, because the West promised him an election in the whole of the Ukraine which the pro-Russian president would have probably won -- we don't know -- but, instead, backed the coup in Kiev.
Expansion of Nato to the East -- they promissed Gorbi, Boris and Putin they would not do it and broke their collective Western word, yet again.

Given all of the above, DD, I think he has defended Russia's position as a great power and national interest very well, and, at the same time maintained some sort of relationship with the West in difficult circumstances for his country.

Ark oil is not one of the sanctions on Russia.With the high barrel price.Putin will be counting the cash.Russia has more oil than Saudi Arabia.