We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Theory: Putin doesn't want war -- he's selling Russian hardware
FREE Catholic Classes
Vladimir Putin continues to rattle his saber at the western world with bomber flights, naval deployments and the movement of troops within Russia. Some fear the world may be on the brink of a new cold war with the old superpower.
LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - As Vladimir Putin takes his seat at the G20 summit in Australia, a Russian flotilla takes position off the coast of Queensland, just outside of territorial waters and just out of sight. Still, the fleet is close enough should anything happen.
Over the past several months, and even the past six years, Russia has returned to old habits that were long thought broken with the fall of the old Soviet Union. Russian bombers flirt with American airspace and overfly Navy ships. Russia fleets sail into tropical waters on exercises designed to show that their navy is capable of operating fearlessly, far away from home.
Pray for peace in the world, for we already witness too much war.
Within Russian territory, the nuclear arsenal is quietly upgraded, a drone base is established within range of Alaska, and troops and tanks move into Eastern Ukraine with impunity.
The overall sense is that Russia is flexing its military might and is asserting itself as a global superpower once again.
The most likely theory is that these military gestures are bids to increase Russian bargaining power at the political negotiating table. From trade deals to talks about topics such as NATO expansion and Ukrainian sovereignty, the Russian moves serve to intimidate potential threats and to keep western rhetoric and maneuvers at bay while Russia increases its power within its sphere of influence.
This is most visible in Ukraine where the Russian military is now believed to be openly helping pro-Russian rebel separatists in the Eastern portion of that nation.
The bold moves put Obama on the defensive, but Obama and the other western leaders might not back down in the face of such overt Russian aggression. Instead, they may respond in kind, sparking a new cold war. Nuclear arsenals could be refurbished and upgraded, new orders for ships and planes can be placed, and troops could return in force to parts of Europe where their presence has been minimized.
There's another motive for Russia's military posturing, this one a bit more practical. Some think the Russian display or power, particularly in Asia, gives the nation a chance to show off its military hardware to potential customers. It could inspire nations like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia to purchase Russian-made equipment over that produced by the West.
Nobody believes the Russians seek an open conflict with the West, but as long as Russian bombers and ships threaten the world, the chances of miscalculation and danger increase; the sword itself incites to violence.
---
'Help Give every Student and Teacher FREE resources for a world-class Moral Catholic Education'
Copyright 2021 - Distributed by Catholic Online
Join the Movement
When you sign up below, you don't just join an email list - you're joining an entire movement for Free world class Catholic education.
-
Mysteries of the Rosary
-
St. Faustina Kowalska
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
-
Saint of the Day for Wednesday, Oct 4th, 2023
-
Popular Saints
-
St. Francis of Assisi
-
Bible
-
Female / Women Saints
-
7 Morning Prayers you need to get your day started with God
-
Litany of the Blessed Virgin Mary
Sacrifices of Faith: The Pro-Life Legacies of St. Gianna and Jessica Hanna
-
How to love God by caring for our bodies
-
Pope Francis calls for negotiations to End Russia-Ukraine War
-
Pope Francis Contemplates Return to U.S. for United Nations Assembly Address
-
Pope Francis Calls on Faithful to Embrace Faith, Hope, and Charity in New Teaching Series
Daily Catholic
- Daily Readings for Sunday, April 28, 2024
- St. Peter Chanel: Saint of the Day for Sunday, April 28, 2024
- Prayer before a Crucifix: Prayer of the Day for Sunday, April 28, 2024
- Daily Readings for Saturday, April 27, 2024
- St. Zita: Saint of the Day for Saturday, April 27, 2024
- Prayer for the Dead # 2: Prayer of the Day for Saturday, April 27, 2024
We ask you, humbly: don't scroll away.
Hi readers, it seems you use Catholic Online a lot; that's great! It's a little awkward to ask, but we need your help. If you have already donated, we sincerely thank you. We're not salespeople, but we depend on donations averaging $14.76 and fewer than 1% of readers give. If you donate just $5.00, the price of your coffee, Catholic Online School could keep thriving. Thank you.Help Now >
Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. All materials contained on this site, whether written, audible or visual are the exclusive property of Catholic Online and are protected under U.S. and International copyright laws, © Copyright 2024 Catholic Online. Any unauthorized use, without prior written consent of Catholic Online is strictly forbidden and prohibited.
Catholic Online is a Project of Your Catholic Voice Foundation, a Not-for-Profit Corporation. Your Catholic Voice Foundation has been granted a recognition of tax exemption under Section 501(c)(3) of the Internal Revenue Code. Federal Tax Identification Number: 81-0596847. Your gift is tax-deductible as allowed by law.