Divided We Stand - Redrawing the Map of America
Vitaliy Katsenelson passed on this graphic and article from the Wall Street Journal.
We are seeing new lows in USA-Russia relations. The new cold war is in color, as evidenced by the brightly colored map below.
Igor Panarin's map of the USA is used in support of his argument that the United States will split apart by 2010. The Kremlin has embraced his work because... well because anything that portrays the United States in a negative light deserves to be heard (and amplified up to 11). Panarin is now a "state-owned" media darling. One thing about propaganda is that it doesn't cost much to implement. All Panarin needed was a map and some crayons to get the ball rolling.
Just planting the seed of the USA splitting up will get people talking about it. I think Igor (who just happens to be ex-KGB) is swinging for the fences with his predictions. It is telling that he makes no mention of Siberia. If China gets Siberia they're a more logical influence on Alaska as well. I doubt the Kremlin will be promoting Tom Clancy's The Bear and the Dragon anytime soon.
Some commentators are pronouncing the USA bankrupt. There will be some unexpected developments in the near future and it would not shock me to see more regionalism in North America. Today, for example, the Globe and Mail featured a book review on the shift of power from Eastern to Western Canada. Jim Rogers has written about the southern USA reverting to Mexico - after all, the land was "stolen" from Mexico in the first place. We periodically talk of "Cascadia" in Western Canada/Montana/Washington etc. but Mr. ex-KGB completely left out Quebec which might make for a French enclave. As soon as there is a hint of economic trouble, regional interests do start to assert themselves but the redrawing of American borders by a Russian "academic" is going to be dismissed by most Americans. In Canada, we're happy to beat them at hockey and go about our business.
We are seeing new lows in USA-Russia relations. The new cold war is in color, as evidenced by the brightly colored map below.
Igor Panarin's map of the USA is used in support of his argument that the United States will split apart by 2010. The Kremlin has embraced his work because... well because anything that portrays the United States in a negative light deserves to be heard (and amplified up to 11). Panarin is now a "state-owned" media darling. One thing about propaganda is that it doesn't cost much to implement. All Panarin needed was a map and some crayons to get the ball rolling.
Just planting the seed of the USA splitting up will get people talking about it. I think Igor (who just happens to be ex-KGB) is swinging for the fences with his predictions. It is telling that he makes no mention of Siberia. If China gets Siberia they're a more logical influence on Alaska as well. I doubt the Kremlin will be promoting Tom Clancy's The Bear and the Dragon anytime soon.
Some commentators are pronouncing the USA bankrupt. There will be some unexpected developments in the near future and it would not shock me to see more regionalism in North America. Today, for example, the Globe and Mail featured a book review on the shift of power from Eastern to Western Canada. Jim Rogers has written about the southern USA reverting to Mexico - after all, the land was "stolen" from Mexico in the first place. We periodically talk of "Cascadia" in Western Canada/Montana/Washington etc. but Mr. ex-KGB completely left out Quebec which might make for a French enclave. As soon as there is a hint of economic trouble, regional interests do start to assert themselves but the redrawing of American borders by a Russian "academic" is going to be dismissed by most Americans. In Canada, we're happy to beat them at hockey and go about our business.