In all the turmoil over Middle east. Iraq and currently Iran. Are we missing something huge happening in the background of world politics ?
Russia - formerly USSR - for no apparent reason is 'threatened' and is militarizing again. I just read this news on CNN that Russia announced that it is sending warships to patrol Arctic waters for the first time since the breakup of the Soviet Union -- the latest move to increase the country's global military presence.
30% of Russian army personnel were contract servicemen at the end of 2005. And, they are planning for volunteer servicemen to compose 70% of armed forces by 2010 with the remaining servicemen consisting of conscripts. Defense expenditure for Russia has quadrupled over the past six years. Currently, the military is undergoing a major equipment upgrade with about $200 billion on procurement of military equipment between 2006 and 2015.
For the first time since the break-up of the Soviet Union, heavy military hardware was featured in the Victory Day parade (9th of May, 2008) in Moscow.
Have we forgotten these old giants ? Are these signs of something big that is about to happen ?
