Russians.

This is coolbert:

Three recent blog entries, concerning military and military related developments in Russia, when taken just by themselves, were and are significant. When taken together, however, the sum takes on a much, much greater significance [synergism!!].

These items include:

* The relative unhealthiness of Russian young men.

* The testing of a hypersonic, steerable reentry vehicle for the Topol missile.

* The continued development of genetically engineered, "chimeric" bacteriological weapons. [as suspected by Dr. Ken Alibek.]

President Putin in his latest "state of the union" message to the Russian people this May, addressed in the speech the demographic problem facing the nation he rules over.

For some time now, the Russian populace is declining in numbers. Unhealthiness of the population seems to be the culprit. Has and will have severe ramifications. This general unhealthiness stems from:

* Drink too much alcohol.

* Smoke too much tobacco products.

* Eat a poor diet.

* Lack of adequate health care.

* Environmental degradation.

The life expectancy of the Russian male is declining markedly. NOT too long ago, the life expectancy of the Russian male was ONLY 59 years [compared to 79 years for a U.S. male!!]. By the year 2050 the life expectancy is expected to be ONLY 53 years!! This is very shocking and disturbing.

"The realistic note was sounded when Putin turned to Russia's dramatic demographic decline. The current Russian population stands at 142 million. As a consequence of low birth rates and a high mortality rate that has brought average life expectancy down to 53 years for Russian males, some projections foresee that by 2050 Russia's total population will fall below 100 million."

It should be obvious to even the most casual of observers, that the Russians, now, and in the future, WILL NOT HAVE A SUFFICIENT MANPOWER POOL OF HEALTHY, PHYSICALLY AND MENTALLY FIT AND ABLE YOUNG MEN TO PROVIDE A LARGE ENOUGH MILITARY FORCE TO DEFEND THEIR STILL VERY LARGE DOMAIN!!

Threats will emerge from within Russia [probably from the increasing Muslim population [how do they increase while the Russian does not!!??]], and from revanchist elements within China.

China, in particular, will need raw materials and resources for expansion as it becomes a world power to challenge the U.S. Siberia offers such resources. And land for growing too. I am not sure what lebensraum [living space] is in Chinese, but I bet there is such a term!!

A series of Chinese Emperors had to cede Siberian lands to various Russian Czars. Revanchists within China have ALWAYS maintained these land "giveaways were the result of unequal treaties that were "unfair" and should be declared null and void. This is a huge potential problem in the future for Russo-Sino relations.

"re·vanche - - n. The act of retaliating; revenge"

A usually political policy, as of a nation or an ethnic group, intended to regain lost territory or standing."

How can an enfeebled Russia deal with the Chinese threat?

Perhaps by threatening to use bacteriological weapons for which there is no known defense, delivered by mobile missiles and a hypersonic reentry vehicle for which there is no known defense??

Makes sense to me.

Perhaps Russian scientists right now are even working on the "ethnic" bomb. A biological weapon that attacks only certain ethnic groups [Chinese], while leaving others [Russians] unscathed!!??

Only time will tell!

coolbert.