Some commentators, saddened by the victory of Donald Trump at the polls, have extended their projections regarding global economic and military matters. I have tended to disagree with the notion that Russian will be a net gainer in military terms. Everyone knows that in terms of the economy, Russia remains a basket case with few prospects for improvement in the coming years.
The issue of Russia achieving global military dominance is untenable. Short of nuclear brinkmanship, which anyone with ten nuclear warheads can engage in, Russia has consistently relegated itself to be a third world economy. These are defined as countries which, like Nigeria, earn most of their income by selling raw commodities like crude oil and gas. Hence the Russians cannot afford a conventional arms race with the US and China. That is why Putin keeps beefing up Russia's nuclear arsenal despite the existing Arms Limitation Agreements.
The Russian economy is tiny compared to China's, not to mention the US. No matter what happens in the US economy in the aftermath of Trump’s surprise election, the big winner is China on all fronts. As it is, Russia is almost an economic vassal of China, with its position becoming more dire as it wastes more money that it doesn't have on its military - Ukraine, Syria and any other stupid front Putin's may want to open.
It has taken China the better path of a century to regain respect for itself among the comity of nations. I do not see China relinquishing it's hard won position to Russia in the name of world communism. Russia is in soup, and will remain there. Trump will not be of much help despite the rhetoric.
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