re: Unpopular opinion: Putin has a legitimate gripe

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Don't come crying later when the Chinese and the Russian take over the world

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Russia couldn’t take over the world or even come close to it. Even at the height of the USSR their relative power was severely overblown.

And for all the propaganda, China is only marginally more dangerous. They’re like a teenager with a sports car they burn through cash building empty cities and I’m convinced Xi has ADHD considering often he changes his mind on what he wants.

Do you think either of these countries can truly mount a meaningful threat to actual US or or Western European sovereignty or immediate interests that the average citizen would give a damn about?

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Russia couldn’t take over the world or even come close to it.

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They won't try nor need to. I don't think you understand how geopolitcs work.

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And for all the propaganda, China is only marginally more dangerous. They’re like a teenager with a sports car they burn through cash building empty cities and I’m convinced Xi has ADHD considering often he changes his mind on what he wants.

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Downplaying their threats much ? Really, is that your reason for saying China is no threat ? that XI probably has ADHD ?

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Do you think either of these countries can truly a meaningful threat to actual US or or Western European sovereignty or immediate interests?

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Yes. I think so. A great evidence of that is that Russia is literally invading a neighboring country with tides to western Europe and all leaders are chickenshit powerless to stop him.
Also, Putin has fricked the entirety of Europe by rising gas prices. And that was him being mild. And enabled by Biden.

Our foreign policy would be infinitely better if we applied the 'do unto others' principal to our decisions.

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Russia couldn’t take over the world or even come close to it. Even at the height of the USSR their relative power was severely overblown.

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Agreed, but they’d still be the hardest enemy to inflict force upon since WW2.

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Do you think either of these countries can truly mount a meaningful threat to actual US or or Western European sovereignty or immediate interests that the average citizen would give a damn about?

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I think most definitely, particularly when you add unconventional methods involving economic, infrastructure, cyber, etc. Those areas are probably where they could cause us some very serious problems.

I don’t see what Ukraine has done which would legitimize over 100,000 Soviet troops I’m sorry, Russian troops to be mobilized. What provocative saber rattling has their neighbor done which would warrant such an action? This really does smack of Germany in the 1930s taking proactive steps to invade another country.

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However, their increasing ability to project power, especially in Africa, is absolutely significant.

They don't ever have to directly confront us to be a pain in the arse.

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Beyond "be concerned", what are we supposed to do about that? Bribe the African countries with slightly less defective infrastructure?

The United States does not have some god-given birthright to be the only country allowed to cultivate or project influence in other countries.

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We hear all the time about foreign cyber activities here involving elections or our power grid or whatever, but rarely if ever about similar activities we’re involved in abroad. Considering how shady the US has been over the years around the world I find it hard to believe we’re missed the boat on those types of covert incursions.

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To me, this situation alone indicates that we are probably very very good at it.

I don’t doubt that we have equal if not superior capabilities, but the question is what damage we could and would suffer on route to ultimate victory. Infrastructure/power grid is the area that concerns me most, if what’s often said about the vulnerable nature of our grid is to be believed. EMP weapons and such.