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What are you reading?
- Thread starter Recovering LSO
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Max the Mad Russian
Hands off Ukraine! Feet too
Brits again. Thanks, seems to get into my mustread list after Andrew Lambert's Seapower States
ABMD
Bullets don't fly without Supply
@Randy Daytona Have you received your Naval History mag in the mail? I joined USNI and subscribed in Sept but haven't received anything, nor has my dad. Is the magazine quarterly?Am getting ready to subscribe to Naval History from USNI - anyone else get this hard copy magazine in the mail?
Naval History Magazine
Bringing the history of the Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard to life.www.usni.org
Yes I did, but it took longer than I expected. Give them a call to find out if something got messed up. Can you login and read anything?
ABMD
Bullets don't fly without Supply
Yup, I can read articles from Naval History on the site. I'll give them a call and/or email to see what's going on.
No, it's monthly and that delay rates a call.
Happened to reread this article in The Atlantic about Peter Turchin and his thesis on the over-production of elites causes societal instability. Has anyone read Ages of Discord or any of the author’s other books?
www.theatlantic.com
Historical analysis shows that long spells of equitable prosperity and internal peace are succeeded by protracted periods of inequity, increasing misery, and political instability. These crisis periods—“Ages of Discord”—have recurred in societies throughout history. Modern Americans may be disconcerted to learn that the US right now has much in common with the Antebellum 1850s and, more surprisingly, with ancien régime France on the eve of the French Revolution. Can it really be true that there is nothing new about our troubled time, and that similar ages arise periodically for similar underlying reasons? Ages of Discord marshals Structural-Demograpic Theory and detailed historical data to show that this is, indeed, the case.
THE NEXT DECADE COULD BE EVEN WORSE
A historian believes he has discovered iron laws that predict the rise and fall of societies. He has bad news.
The Next Decade Could Be Even Worse
A historian believes he has discovered iron laws that predict the rise and fall of societies. He has bad news.
Ages of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis of American History
Ages of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis of American History: Turchin, Peter: 9780996139540: Amazon.com: Books
Ages of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis of American History [Turchin, Peter] on Amazon.com. *FREE* shipping on qualifying offers. Ages of Discord: A Structural-Demographic Analysis of American History
www.amazon.com
Historical analysis shows that long spells of equitable prosperity and internal peace are succeeded by protracted periods of inequity, increasing misery, and political instability. These crisis periods—“Ages of Discord”—have recurred in societies throughout history. Modern Americans may be disconcerted to learn that the US right now has much in common with the Antebellum 1850s and, more surprisingly, with ancien régime France on the eve of the French Revolution. Can it really be true that there is nothing new about our troubled time, and that similar ages arise periodically for similar underlying reasons? Ages of Discord marshals Structural-Demograpic Theory and detailed historical data to show that this is, indeed, the case.
I have read some of his stuff and listened to him at conferences. He is fascinating and has his thumb on…”something,” but it is interesting that the article mentions his Russian roots because he clearly has that ever-depressed Russian global outlook. I found his work to be trapped in what some call the “eastern model” as in east coast of the US. They see their city block and imagine that is what the rest of the world is like a d that everyone must, simply must, think and act as they do. [A western model thinker looks at change through an independent or small group lens] that recognizes people will protect what is closest first then outward]. Most contemporary writers pumping up the “civil war” talk are eastern model thinkers. When I explain the military impossibility of an actual civil war in the US they get visibly upset. They want North v South, blue v red, or something like that. They want sides as does Turchin who imagines sides like a Russian with the proletariat v bourgeois. Once they start to understand that our worse days will be more internecine violence than tribal/geographical fighting they aren’t happy…mostly because that means the violence can and will be anywhere - including their city block.
So, will things get worse…sure. Will we have a civil war…absolutely not. Will we have violence along the lines of the late ‘60’s early 70’s…it certainly seems that way. Will it last a decade…I think not, American’s are too anxious to get on with life to be fighting each other for years.
So, will things get worse…sure. Will we have a civil war…absolutely not. Will we have violence along the lines of the late ‘60’s early 70’s…it certainly seems that way. Will it last a decade…I think not, American’s are too anxious to get on with life to be fighting each other for years.
HA! We were discussing just what Putin was thinking and our resident Sovietologist, yes he actually (sorta) trained to be one about 20 years too late, said pretty much the same exact thing, that the Russians are paranoid and gloomy and that extends to their geopolitical outlook.
I don't think it'll ever get past their thick heads that we don't care that much about them, at all, much less want to invade them.
Thanks for the summation - seems like an interesting read. Some of his themes (classism) remind me of Professor Michael Lind at the University of Texas.
There is a reason the Russians are paranoid as they have been invaded by the Swedes, the Poles, the French, the British, the Germans, the Germans (again), the Canadians!, and invaded by yes, the United States. (The cruiser Olympia was in support of US troops at Murmansk in the North, we also sent troops to Vladivostok in the East).
American Expeditionary Force, Siberia - Wikipedia
American Expeditionary Force, North Russia - Wikipedia
I'm tired of that old trope that we 'invaded' them, we didn't. A battalion or brigade or two of troops and a cruiser ain't an invasion of the largest country on earth by any stretch.
I'm also tired of hearing about how over hundreds of years numerous countries have invaded Russia. Welcome to the club! How about France, Germany and pretty much all other European countries that have been repeatedly invaded over the last couple hundred years? Or better yet how about places like Poland and Finland, along with more than a few others more recently to include Georgia and Ukraine, that have been repeatedly invaded and occupied by Russia.
Finally, the other myth I'm sick of hearing about is how we promised not to expand NATO to Russia's borders, which is nothing more than a fiction created by Russians upset about losing the Cold War. While it was a proposal, one of many, during negotiations with the USSR concerning the reunification of Germany and the attendant withdrawal of Soviet troops from East Germany it was never agreed to either verbally or formally.
There is no one to blame for this crises other than Russia and Putin himself. We didn't break up the Soviet Union, we didn't start the 'Color Revolutions', we didn't start the Maidan protests and we sure as hell aren't building up over a hundred thousand troops on the Russian or Ukrainian borders.
So screw Russia and whatever bullshit excuses they come up with to justify an invasion of Ukraine.
I'm also tired of hearing about how over hundreds of years numerous countries have invaded Russia. Welcome to the club! How about France, Germany and pretty much all other European countries that have been repeatedly invaded over the last couple hundred years? Or better yet how about places like Poland and Finland, along with more than a few others more recently to include Georgia and Ukraine, that have been repeatedly invaded and occupied by Russia.
Finally, the other myth I'm sick of hearing about is how we promised not to expand NATO to Russia's borders, which is nothing more than a fiction created by Russians upset about losing the Cold War. While it was a proposal, one of many, during negotiations with the USSR concerning the reunification of Germany and the attendant withdrawal of Soviet troops from East Germany it was never agreed to either verbally or formally.
There is no one to blame for this crises other than Russia and Putin himself. We didn't break up the Soviet Union, we didn't start the 'Color Revolutions', we didn't start the Maidan protests and we sure as hell aren't building up over a hundred thousand troops on the Russian or Ukrainian borders.
So screw Russia and whatever bullshit excuses they come up with to justify an invasion of Ukraine.
As part of a multi-national coalition, the US did fight on Russian soil against the Red Army. You may think it is insignificant but I doubt if they think so.
Interesting to read Kori Schake today - sounds like she wants to send troops to Ukraine- and back to Afghanistan as well.
Opinion | America’s Russia Policy Has a Biden Problem
The real problem with the administration’s Russia policy is the president.
