How is Russia a threat to US intrests?

Question

How is Russia a threat to US intrests?

Answer 1

The russian president is making great effort in reviving patriotism and strengthening the military. Wars, even cold wars, are good for a country's morale AND economy, with which russia has a problem with both. Also remember that in the "old days" russia was just as interested in spreading influence to other countries as we are. So, what do you think?

Answer 2

They wanna regain their super power position...its in the interest of us to maintain its position.

Answer 3

The U.S. is worried about Russia's intelligence and secret operations..

Answer 4

they are also in the oil and gas business and don't want the cheney gang meddling in their affairs.

After bush-cheney are finished with iran,russia is on their agenda.

Answer 5

Russia is more like a thorn in our side, rather than a threat....mostly due to our handling of Iraq and our relationship with Iran.  However, there is the issue of their nuclear stockpile leftover from the Soviets...and we'd never want those to fall into the wrong hands.

Answer 6

The russians cant be trusted...contraversal!!!

Answer 7

Russia has large deposits of oil, the USA doesn't.

Therefore Russia can influence the price of oil which will effect the US economy.

Answer 8

After the fall of the Soviet Union, Russia began enacting changes to its government in order to move away from communism and toward Democracy.  But Putin, during his time in power, instead of continuing on that course has instead rolled back many of those changes in order to consolidate power in the hands of a strong-man type of President.  And although it appears that he will step down at the end of his current term, he will remain as Prime Minister and has arranged for that office to weild a lot of power.

None of that makes Russia a threat per se to the U.S.  However, Putin has never been particularly friendly to the U.S. and throughout his career has been a KGB agent and staunch communist and most likely harbors suspicion and dislike for the U.S. and western countries in Europe.  Accordingly, his policies tend to put him on the side of Iran, Syria, China etc. when it comes to international disputes.  And as a member of the UN Security council, Russia typically doesn't side with the U.S. on votes having to do with sanctions against Iran, etc.  

Additionally, Russia does a lot of business with Iran, so Russia's interest there is to keep the Iranian government strong and free of sanctions so that they can continue to buy weapons, technology, etc. from Russia.

Another thing is that Russia is a huge producer of oil, and as oil becomes more scarce and demand continues to rise, and they have shown historically that they will use their control of oil to pressure and manipulate other countries - so that power in itself is a threat to the U.S.

Also, because China and Russia are both modernizing and becomming more affluent in the next couple of decades they will have a much higher demand for natural resources - and so will drive prices up and compete with the U.S. for resources.

Remember also that Reagan helped to bring about the fall of the Soviet Union by engaging them in a spending contest.  He continued to beef up our military until the Soviet Union essentially was broke.  And since then, ironically, the U.S. has taken on the role of being the world's policeman - and we've spent so much policing the world that without the burden of "having to keep up" with us Russia has been able to retool itself and become an economic threat.  

Japan did the same thing after WWII, - allowed us to take on the role of providing all of their military security while they were able to put their money into building up their economy.

Other countries like Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emmerites, Canada, and Europe to a certain extent draft off the U.S in a similar way.   To one degree or another the U.S. pays the bill for security while other coutries can spend their resources on other things.

Answer 9

If only   USA and Russia instead of being enemies.... join together... Holy smokes, we WOULD be a super- superpower.

We'd say so what if global warming were true- it would only make more of Siberia livable! (BEG)

Answer 10

Russia has the best vodka and we don't!

Answer 11

they have more attractive and less irresponsible women

Answer 12

For one thing, they are concerned about US aggression against them... can't imagine where they got that idea... not like we have invaded anybody (ROFL)... so they might feel inclined to be 'on their guard'  ... so if they are on their guard guess we better be on our guard... and if we are on our guard  they prob feel like they should be on yellow alert.... and if they are on yellow alert we prob fell like we need to go to Red alert.... and if they .......     ever wish we could just lock all the politicians up in a big room and leave them to take their hostilities out on each other?

Answer 13

Russia is still the second biggest military power on the planet, with the second largest amount of nuclear weapons.

But they dont have the finances to properly store and maintain all this equipment.

more worryingly, they dont seem to have the security to stop someone from stealing a nuclear bomb, or at least enough of one to make a "dirty" bomb.

My fear is that some underpaid Russian military personel could steal the necessary and sell to Terrorists or to Iran.

i think this is a very significant risk at the moment, as often these  military people are paid late etc. and sometimes not at all.

Russia are at present selling huge amounts of natural gas to European countries.

Gas and oil are huge negotiating tools in world politics.

Whilst they are aware of their diminished profile on the world stage, and no doubt a little embarrassed about it, they have realised they can regain some of that status and make their voice heard by hinting about stopping supplies etc. if votes are against them or their allies in Un etc. Many European countries in my opinion are too dependent on  Russian gas etc. at the moment and could be swayed when voting! In these troubled times it is important that ALL allies stand shoulder to shoulder with the US in the fight against terrorism. Recently it has been just the UK ,with France ,Belgium, Germany shying away! I think its high time that the French are reminded who liberated them in WW2 ! but thats a different  subject !      UK citizen and proud to support US policy !

This dependence on the gas supply is also vulnerable because of a single pipe line again poorly maintained and stretching across arctic tundra. It is also open to sabotage by terrorists, from Eastern block countries such as Chechnia rebels etc.

Wars are fought over natural resources!

It is this new found "power" that allows it to vote against the will of the USA and UK etc. when it comes to putting pressure on Iran and North Korea to stop their Nuclear programmes!

remember the USA, although correct in my opinion re: these policies, does not have the high moral ground when it tells other countries they cant have Nuclear weapons. The USA is after all the only country to have used them!!!

Answer 14

In both major wars WW I and WW II, USA and Russia were on the same sides.

But they both had different philosophy of conducting their government, namely so call Communist (government controlled, without free election) and capitalist (free enterprise, and two party system of government with relatively free elections, not without ballot rigging but over all honest systems).

I wish that this two great large countries stay at peace and work towards the batterment of the whole world, and Iron out the misstrust amongst them, and put the past behine them amd embark on strong cooperation with reach other in achieving very much needed and much deserving world peace.



They mainly feared each other and national pride was at stake, plus both engaged in arm race which involved conventional and nuclear arms. Added to that was race in space exploration for peace and weapons, not to mansion both were developing weapons of mass destruction.

"Iron Curtain" speech by Churchill and "Cold War" speech by a lesser Know senator from Illinois, added  fuel to the fire, then came Korean, Vietnam and other conflicts very major and minor perportions. All this did not help.

There was a general miss trust at least in the open, but crises were averted gracefully, at last minute by both the government through tact ful deplomacy(example Cuban crises, and the other -----).

It is just an accumulation of past stressed relationship of this two countries that creates an unpleasant, threat like situation when there is even a minor differences of opinion between the two countries.

Both the countrie are hoping for the best , but are afraid that they may reach a point  similar to the conditions and the thinking by the government during cold war time frame.

I wish that this two great very advance and very large powerfull cuntries see eye to eye on the most of the major issues, affecting the whole world and work together to bring about peace and prosperity though peacefull coexsistane, between mankind.

Answer 15

They are being run by an ex-KGB guy, they are on then rise economicallu via oil, and oh yeah, THEY ARE NO WHERE NEAR DEMOCRATIC!

Answer 16

it has big reserves of gas and oil and has an interest in putting up the price

also it is not naturally a democracy and has an interest in countires in eastern europe which the USA wants to get involved in

as an englishman I would say russia has very little interest in the west in terms of physically conquering us and would prefer to sell us expensive fuel

Answer 17

How is a bear a threat to a peacefull picnic ?