Zhirinovsky's Russian Empire

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Bookmark1995

Banned
In the trailer that Pellegrino published, he indicated that Saudi Arabia may break apart.

I think I know what events could end triggering that:

ITTL, the oil bubble Zhirinovsky created seems ready to pop. But the collapse of energy prices ITTL (which may surpass the OTL oil slump) could easily drag Saudi Arabia with it.

The other is, Dubai, which is controlled by migrant workers who were abused by the Arab monarchies. They could easily sew dissent among the migrant workers in Saudi Arabia proper, enough to bring the House of Al-Saud to its knees.
 

James G

Gone Fishin'
Bookmark1995 said:
In the trailer that Pellegrino published, he indicated that Saudi Arabia may break apart.

I think I know what events could end triggering that:

ITTL, the oil bubble Zhirinovsky created seems ready to pop. But the collapse of energy prices ITTL (which may surpass the OTL oil slump) could easily drag Saudi Arabia with it.

The other is, Dubai, which is controlled by migrant workers who were abused by the Arab monarchies. They could easily sew dissent among the migrant workers in Saudi Arabia proper, enough to bring the House of Al-Saud to its knees.
Click to expand...

The Saudi government by this point should be aware of what not to do if they don't want a repeat of Dubai. Pride, arrogance and a sense of superiority are one thing but I doubt they will be so stupid to create such a situation themselves. However, Pellegrino is always showing us how outside events and Z cause things that shouldn't happen so maybe!
 

Bookmark1995

Banned
jimmygreen2002 said:
The Saudi government by this point should be aware of what not to do if they don't want a repeat of Dubai. Pride, arrogance and a sense of superiority are one thing but I doubt they will be so stupid to create such a situation themselves. However, Pellegrino is always showing us how outside events and Z cause things that shouldn't happen so maybe!
Click to expand...

The OTL behavior of the Saudi Arabian monarchy convinces me they will not learn from their mistakes.

But we'll see.
 

Pellegrino

galileo-034 said:
I've just come to wonder how France is reacting to the crisis in Dominica. We saw reactions from USA, UK and UIS, but since the island is sitting halfway between Guadeloupe and Martinique, two French departments that are legally paramount to metropolitan soil, I don't see how it wouldn't affect France, not only because of safety concerns, but also on account of possible refugee crisis. Also, I remember Chirac was convicted in 2009 for matters relating to Congo, but has he won in 2002 or is the socialist Lionel Jospin the current president?
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I think it is safe to say that France is very concerned about what happened in Dominica and may be pushing hard to get the Russian expats out while at the same time not pushing to hard. First, there is a possibility we may see in the upcoming updates where the Dominica Russian government might start talking about turning Dominica into an Overseas Dependencies of Russia, in an attempt to force Lebed's hand. This could put France in a very uncomfortable position. I think the US and U.K. will be loudly calling for the removal of the Russian expat government whereas France, although just as strongly opposed, taking a less vocal stance.

Also, Chirac won over Le Pen in 2002 (very similar to OTL) and wasn't convicted until 2008, so it's safe to say he is still in power in France.
 

Pellegrino

5000 Cows said:
Somehow when I kept seeing this timeline show up in my Watched Threads I kept thinking it was people just talking about it. Had no idea it was actually being continued.
I loooove details you pepper this timeline with; the whole tie in with Dominica of all places to the UIS and to Bush's reelection campaign of all things is brilliant.
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Thanks @5000 Cows, and welcome back! Obviously this won't be updated as rapidly as it had been before, and I'm trying to restart Bleeding Florida also, which slows it down as well. But I hope to keep things steadily posted with some new developments from the dystopian world we've grown familiar with here.
 

Pellegrino

Bookmark1995 said:
In the trailer that Pellegrino published, he indicated that Saudi Arabia may break apart.

I think I know what events could end triggering that:

ITTL, the oil bubble Zhirinovsky created seems ready to pop. But the collapse of energy prices ITTL (which may surpass the OTL oil slump) could easily drag Saudi Arabia with it.

The other is, Dubai, which is controlled by migrant workers who were abused by the Arab monarchies. They could easily sew dissent among the migrant workers in Saudi Arabia proper, enough to bring the House of Al-Saud to its knees.
Click to expand...

jimmygreen2002 said:
The Saudi government by this point should be aware of what not to do if they don't want a repeat of Dubai. Pride, arrogance and a sense of superiority are one thing but I doubt they will be so stupid to create such a situation themselves. However, Pellegrino is always showing us how outside events and Z cause things that shouldn't happen so maybe!
Click to expand...

Bookmark1995 said:
The OTL behavior of the Saudi Arabian monarchy convinces me they will not learn from their mistakes.

But we'll see.
Click to expand...

I don't want to give away to much here, but I will say this: Dubai will come into play but there is a "ripped from the headlines" feel to this TL and Saudi Arabia will fall into that category. Keep in mind, unlike OTL Iran is an established and legitimate regional power with moderate ties to the West (excluding Israel) that also can claim Saddam's ouster on their resume. That boosts Iran domestically, but also puts Saudi Arabia on the defensive and creates even stronger fear in the House of Saud as to how much of a threat Iran is.

Now with that being said, and not giving away to much of what is coming later...


Think of something that rhymes with Soothy.
 

Bookmark1995

Banned
Pellegrino said:
I don't want to give away to much here, but I will say this: Dubai will come into play but there is a "ripped from the headlines" feel to this TL and Saudi Arabia will fall into that category. Keep in mind, unlike OTL Iran is an established and legitimate regional power with moderate ties to the West (excluding Israel) that also can claim Saddam's ouster on their resume. That boosts Iran domestically, but also puts Saudi Arabia on the defensive and creates even stronger fear in the House of Saud as to how much of a threat Iran is.

Now with that being said, and not giving away to much of what is coming later...


Think of something that rhymes with Soothy.
Click to expand...

Oh. ooooooooooh.

I get it.
 

Bookmark1995

Banned
After re-reading the story, I've been meaning to ask:

In the posts about the 1992 election, you mention how Pat Buchanan's moment of glory was robbed from him by the Zhirinovsky.

Instead of Buchanan who lit the fire under George HW Bush, it was Harold Stassen, who campaigned against the US making ties with a fascist. He even got to speak at the 1992 Convention. Instead of a polarizing demagogue who earned the ear of the Republicans by screaming "culture war", it was an old fossil from the moderate past of the Republicans who simply spoke out against the excesses of Zhirinovsky.

What legacy does that have on the GOP? Obviously it made Republicans very anti-Russia, but does it also explain how the party is more welcoming to Latinos and other minorities than OTL?
 
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Steve Brinson

Steve Brinson

Pellegrino said:
Zavidiya: I have no idea if anyone hacked into your government’s computer. Maybe it was the KGB. Maybe it was the CIA. Maybe it was a thirteen-year old boy from Singapore who was bored.
Click to expand...
Donald Trump said:
I mean, it could be Russia, but it could also be China. It could also be lots of other people. It also could be somebody sitting on their bed that weighs 400 pounds, OK?
Click to expand...
 

glenn67

Got my popcorn ready and looking forward to reading about the one week civil war in Dominica. If I were a Russian in that country, I would make sure that Eastern Orthodox church is protected from vigilantes.
 

fraa Jad

Still, they influence the political processes in ways not quite normal. But yet again there's also refugees from Ukraine who sort of balance things.
 

Dementor

Banned
fraa Jad said:
It's kind of scary in Bulgaria right now with regard to Russian colonists, in the same way it is in Dominica ITTL.
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A bunch of mostly pensioners buying vacation homes is not even close to being colonialism. And if there's any Russian influence (considering the abysmal failure of Russia to make Bulgaria do anything in its interests anytime recently), it isn't connected with them, since unlike in this timeline they're not functionaries of a former regime trying to build their power anew.
 

fraa Jad

Dementor: still, but by some estimates there are 300 thousand people with former USSR citizenship ATM resident in Bulgaria. Their children (included in that estimate) are mostly assimilated, that's true. Some of them I would call friends.
 

Dementor

Banned
fraa Jad said:
Dementor: still, but by some estimates there are 300 thousand people with former USSR citizenship ATM resident in Bulgaria. Their children (included in that estimate) are mostly assimilated, that's true. Some of them I would call friends.
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Do you have a source for these claims? I find this figure highly unlikely, even if we include the mostly assimilated children of mixed marriages (the greatest source of Russian immigrants). Also, former USSR citizenship includes other countries beside Russia.
 

KACKO

Dementor said:
Do you have a source for these claims? I find this figure highly unlikely, even if we include the mostly assimilated children of mixed marriages (the greatest source of Russian immigrants). Also, former USSR citizenship includes other countries beside Russia.
Click to expand...
300 000 claim is offen apearing in Bulgarian media but is very likely grossly exaggerated. App 12 000 Russians are residing in Bulgaria.

However 60000 properties in Bulgaria are owned by Russians. Theoretically if there is one property per one Russian and they come with their families for vacation all in same time. You can have 300000 Russians in Bulgaria. Som e 600000 Russians visited Bulgaria I believe last year.

Interesting reading on Russian influence in Bulgaria.
http://europeanreform.org/files/ND-report-RussiasInfluenceInBulgaria-preview-lo-res_FV.pdf
 
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