10 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

I see only one country referenced with the word “insidious”  in the survey. 

 

How many do you see?

Maybe you only see one country named simply because Russia was the subject of this survey. Nobody said Russia was the only threat. Learn to understand the English language before you start spouting off

I do not see Russia as an insidious threat to the west.

Russia whether you like it or not is a Global Power as are Britain, France and others

The USA is currently the only military Superpower

Japan and India are growing in wealth and Military strength

All of these Countries project their vision for the World through different means.

When it suits they promote Democracy and openness. Other times they too undermine Democratic Countries and topple Leaders they do not see as Sympathetic to their views.

Russia is no worse than many others.

Vladimir Putin sees himself as the new Tsar of Russia and as such wishes to Control that territory formerly known as Tsarist Russia.

As under the tsars Russia also was seen as a Global threat.

In 1888 so fearful of Russian expansionism many British Colonies installed Coastal Guns to thwart the dreaded Russian invader.

Who by the way never came nor do I believe did they ever intend to.

The West has always treated Russia as "Different" and as such never truly engaged openly with Russia.

Who knows saner People may One day run this World and Our enemies may be the friends we had never met

10 hours ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Who is saying that they alone are a danger to world peace?  Never heard it, people are always talking about Iran, N.Korea, USA, Israel, UK, etc.  who is claiming that only Russia is a threat?

I have decided to take my post away as I think it is off topic.

I dont trust America or Russia and you can add the UK to my list. All of these country's and the other biggies lie and feed us false information to garnish whatever support they need or to make us believe that they are holding firm in a dangerous world on our behalf. 

29 minutes ago, Kiwiken said:

I do not see Russia as an insidious threat to the west.

Russia whether you like it or not is a Global Power as are Britain, France and others

The USA is currently the only military Superpower

Japan and India are growing in wealth and Military strength

All of these Countries project their vision for the World through different means.

When it suits they promote Democracy and openness. Other times they too undermine Democratic Countries and topple Leaders they do not see as Sympathetic to their views.

Russia is no worse than many others.

Vladimir Putin sees himself as the new Tsar of Russia and as such wishes to Control that territory formerly known as Tsarist Russia.

The West has always treated Russia as "Different" and as such never truly engaged openly with Russia.

Who knows saner People may One day run this World and Our enemies may be the friends we had never met

 

Quote

When it suits they promote Democracy and openness. Other times they too undermine Democratic Countries and topple Leaders they do not see as Sympathetic to their views.

Russia is no worse than many others.

Russia never promotes democracy and openness, does that not make them worse than those who sometimes do?

 

Quote

As under the tsars Russia also was seen as a Global threat.

In 1888 so fearful of Russian expansionism many British Colonies installed Coastal Guns to thwart the dreaded Russian invader.

Who by the way never came nor do I believe did they ever intend to.

I suggest you read up on the Franco-Russian alliance, the threat was very much real, France was obviously a threat, I am sure you at least aware of that, and they was doing their utmost to form an allegiance with Russia, they failed to do so and France went on to confront the British in North Africa alone, very nearly leading to the first World War, if Russia had of joined forces with France we wouldn't have had a chance.

11 hours ago, Bluespunk said:

Insidious is invading a country under the pretence of a falsified nuclear weapons threat. 

Insidious means: proceeding in a gradual, subtle way, but with harmful effects. https://en.oxforddictionaries.com/definition/insidious

 

Consequently, it is not limited to invading under a false nuclear threat.  So being insidious can encompass many actions; like hacking an election.

No, China is more of a threat, but they're very clever and do things "in the background" so not as noticeable. 

Russia’s mantle as a rogue state has come about as a result of America’s determination to extinguish it as a competitor for world dominance. Putin’s Russia, as dangerous as it is, is in response to the West’s actions and particularly America’s toward it. 

You reap what you sow and now we have to deal with it. 

I don’t like Putin. I think he is dangerous but he is there for a reason and the reasoning is not all of his own making. Meddling has been a two way street but this doesn’t make it right or acceptable it creates tension, danger and unpredictable responses. 

Will we ever learn? Probably not. As a pawn, as we all are, I sit back and watch this jockeying for power by a self imposed righteous few. Ultimately we are the ones who will pay for their actions. F*#k them all. 

1 hour ago, Bundooman said:

Maybe you only see one country named simply because Russia was the subject of this survey. Nobody said Russia was the only threat. Learn to understand the English language before you start spouting off

The ultimate, pompous a$$ insult. Accuse people of not speaking English.

Troll post and reply removed.  

1 hour ago, Kiwiken said:

I do not see Russia as an insidious threat to the west.

Russia whether you like it or not is a Global Power as are Britain, France and others

The USA is currently the only military Superpower

Japan and India are growing in wealth and Military strength

All of these Countries project their vision for the World through different means.

When it suits they promote Democracy and openness. Other times they too undermine Democratic Countries and topple Leaders they do not see as Sympathetic to their views.

Russia is no worse than many others.

Vladimir Putin sees himself as the new Tsar of Russia and as such wishes to Control that territory formerly known as Tsarist Russia.

As under the tsars Russia also was seen as a Global threat.

In 1888 so fearful of Russian expansionism many British Colonies installed Coastal Guns to thwart the dreaded Russian invader.

Who by the way never came nor do I believe did they ever intend to.

The West has always treated Russia as "Different" and as such never truly engaged openly with Russia.

Who knows saner People may One day run this World and Our enemies may be the friends we had never met

 

Russia promoting democracy and openness? Do tell.

Nothing in your post actually supports the premise of the opening line. Other countries being this or that is not necessarily relevant to the question of whether Russia is a threat, as far as the West is concerned.

How soon we forget the behind the scene view during the Olympics.

Russia is without doubt a huge threat, pulling the strings of its orange puppet brings a further threat.....but there are many other threats too

It is the first time that I have voted in a TVF poll.

I have gone for option 2.

4 hours ago, bristolboy said:

I absolutely agree.

What better way to judge a nation than by how well it hosts a sporting event.

Just like those fantastic Berlin Olympics of 1936 showed the truth about Germany.

 

 

Interesting, but what is the "truth" about any country????   Is Trump the truth about the US?  Is Mrs May the "truth" about Brexit?  Is Hitler to be damned for building the autobahn? Is Mussolini to be condemned for making the trains run on time?

Above all, who can intelligently say what is the truth about Thailand?

1 minute ago, blazes said:

 

...
Is Hitler to be damned for building the autobahn? Is Mussolini to be condemned for making the trains run on time?
...

Classic fascist B.S.

But but but Hitler did some good things.

Amazing you have the cajones to post such garbage. 

Russia is winning.  There propaganda horse is spot on. They have everyone beat. Especially those looking for cheap free retirement. 

Yeah, there the enemy. They have been super successful in casting blame. 

1 minute ago, NickJ said:

Russia is winning.  There propaganda horse is spot on. They have everyone beat. Especially those looking for cheap free retirement. 

Yeah, there the enemy. They have been super successful in casting blame. 

I agree that Putin has been very successful so far. But I don't get your mention of cheap retirement. What's the connection. 

1 hour ago, Kieran00001 said:

 

Russia never promotes democracy and openness, does that not make them worse than those who sometimes do?

 

I suggest you read up on the Franco-Russian alliance, the threat was very much real, France was obviously a threat, I am sure you at least aware of that, and they was doing their utmost to form an allegiance with Russia, they failed to do so and France went on to confront the British in North Africa alone, very nearly leading to the first World War, if Russia had of joined forces with France we wouldn't have had a chance.

Just a mild correction:  the Franco-Russian Alliance lasted from the early 1890s to 1917, and was partially responsible for the events that led to WW1 in August 1914.

So, France and Russia did team up in WW1, but the Russians bowed out after the Revolution and the French army either collapsed or mutinied.  Leaving the British Empire (as it then was) and then, finally, the Americans , to face up to the Germans.

16 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

Classic fascist B.S.

But but but Hitler did some good things.

Amazing you have the cajones to post such garbage. 

 Your anger is affecting your brain, sir.

3 minutes ago, blazes said:

 Your anger is affecting your brain, sir.

You're defending Hitler. Enough said. 

12 hours ago, nontabury said:

There has definitely been a great deal of anti Russian sentiment in the U.K.media.

Justified or not, I do not know. However what I do know is, this negative publicity has resulted in fewer English supporters traveling to Russia for the World Cup. And from what we now know from those supporters who have actually travelled there, these scare stories where completely unwarranted.

As a Brit, I consider we only have two enemies, the hated E.U. and their treacherous supporters in the U.K

So the EU has poisoned and killed more than three people ( the Polonium 210, used to murder spy Alexander Litvinenko in 06, included here) and poisoned but not killed, more than the two, who remain in the hospital fighting for there life, like RUSSIA has.

Wow! I am  always the last to know.. Those evil Euros
.

4 minutes ago, Jingthing said:

You're defending Hitler. Enough said. 

ThaiVisa forums are home to a variety of styles and opinions, but none so tiresome or loquacious as this, I would aver.

1 hour ago, duanebigsby said:

Muslims over ran Europe in 1939 did they?

 

that was then. this is now...the peaceful majority are still irrelevant 

 

 

 

1 minute ago, blazes said:

ThaiVisa forums are home to a variety of styles and opinions, but none so tiresome or loquacious as this, I would aver.

But you did. You can't undo that. 

I trust Russia, just like  Alexander Litvinenko did.

As an American citizen, it's been painfully clear for a couple of years now that the most dangerously existential threat facing the country is internal, and related only indirectly to Russia.

 

We have met the enemy, and he is us.

Amazing all these experts here making OPINIONS not facts. My guess is over 50% have never stepped foot in the country or bothered to read one of may books on Putin to get a basic understanding of who he is, main stream media opinion is Murdoch marked. Me, I have been there 3 times in 3 years; great place very rustic and basic not like the plastic western world. People are friendly.

Russia is an enemy, but a minor one. The real problem is with China. Put Russia on the backburner and concentrate on the Chinese.

I voted YES, but with the caveat that I consider that a YES for the current Russian government under Putin.

 

I don't think Russia by nature or de facto has to be an enemy of the West or democracies. But under Putin, that's clearly been the case.

 

If the country and its citizens were allowed to freely choose their leaders, the outcome might well be different, or maybe not.  But I always judge countries and governments on what they do, not who they are.

 

 

BTW, that's also not saying Russia is the only or worse threat/enemy to the West and democracies. There certainly are others out there, and I'd probably put Trump into the same basket as Putin when it comes to threatening the West and democracy in general. Not to mention Muslim extremism and perhaps China as well.