Quote:
Originally posted by J'sdude@Feb 10 2004, 01:13 PM
The Russians were a super power and had a shit economy. Their huge military has gone and the cold war is over because they imploded, not because we won it.
But having said that, their superpower status was never questioned because of their military might.
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As you said, "the Russians
were a superpower". Exactly. You said it in past tense for a reason.
When the Soviet Union collapsed it lost it's superpower clout largely because it lost it's political power. The nation was no longer able to rule over the Baltic states. The satellite nations declared their independence. The threat of communism spreading in central and South America abated. Many nations around the world abandoned the Russian system. They turned to the US for military training, aid and sales.
Dozens of nations which only a few decades ago were communist nations because of Soviet influence now have free elections.
Russia is a power in the same way that France and Japan are but none are superpowers.