Obama: 'Russia doesn't make anything,' West must be firm with China

Russia makes AK47's, tanks, jets, bombs, and missiles. These are sold all over the world. And if Obama continues to sit on hs hands as the world continues to spin down the toilet, Russia can use the few things it makes to take the things it wants.

Russia is wealthy in natural resources. Russia is not a export production economy. Russia can say almost the same about US.

Mr. Obama. We have been loosing jobs for quite some time. You had a perfect opportunity to reverse that when you were elected in 2008 You didn't and became worse with recent corporate tax hikes.

More comedy from the empty chair. He must believe his own drivel.

Russia takes NASA astronauts to and from the US built space station. This is laughable ousted the US. I wonder if Putin will say "we don't pick up your guys" "they stay in space"!

I don't trust Russia. Soviet Union was a lying, cheating and oppressive nation. The name changed some oppression reduced the people are the same.

He seemed like a smart guy before he became president. Now he's spouting stuff to rivial GW Bush for stupidity. Do they have lead pipes at the White House?

Mr. President, you are under estimating Putin's determination and power. Putin will come back with something to divide Europe's opinions into two within a year.. He is not backing down too easily.

“Immigrants aren’t rushing to Moscow in search of opportunity. The life expectancy of the Russian male is around 60 years old. The population is shrinking,” he said.

Ouch.

Obama: 'Russia doesn't make anything,'

....but big news (!) All Major Western News Agencies have "something" about Russia/Putin almost daily !

True on both points, SuperLib, and likely to get worse. Still, I think it's unbecoming of an American president to speak in such a tone. I would have preferred if Obama had left it to others to reveal the obvious.

"Russia makes AK47's"

"47" denotes the year the gun first appeared. And it hasn't evolved very much in over half a century. LOL. That's Russian "cutting-edge" manufacturing for you. The other hardware you mention is vastly inferior to America's. It's fine for the Ethiopian Army, but not for first-world countries.

"I haven't seen Made in the USA on anything except trinket toys for Patriots."

I guess you don't use airlines, eh? Did you sail across the sea to get here?

"Russia takes NASA astronauts to and from the US built space station."

The Russians once tried make the US Space Shuttle after copying its design. They failed.

Russia is similar to Saudi Arabia in that it is an oil rich country. Unfortunately, being oil rich tends to make them lazy in terms of producing things because all they have to do is drill holes in the ground to get money.

Good observation, stormcrow; it's known as the "oil curse" (though it isn't limited to oil - see southern Africa with gems and SE Asia with hardwoods). It even extends to certain states in the US such as Texas. The unfortunate results are that education,infrastructure, and other basic needs of the populace are neglected, cronyism and income inequality flourish - and ideological reasoning for these situations arise. Very sad.

Our pres is suffering from foot in mouth disease. This is something that should not have been announced publicly. At least show some respect and better diplomatic tone. Russia and China are good countries being run by bad people (not unlike here in the US, but at least we have a better chance at improving our situation).

The whole mess of being firm with China started when Sec of State Hilary mouthed off that South China Sea is part of USA's national and security interest. That firmness is the cause of China going nuts in SCS.

So being firm lit a fire under the Chinese and they are about to take over the entire SCS in a few years. I don't think firmness is the point. I think the lack of a coherent policy in the interest and fairness of all sides are the triggers that led to China not giving a damn about us.

Take Japan for example, Abe was pretty firm, and look whats happening. No one will say Japan is in a better place with China now than 10 or 15 years ago. No one. With all the added military expense, and now space army, how is Japan going to pay for them? Its a rhetorical question, you guys, the Japanese will pay for them with higher taxes. But I'm sure you won't mind because you are all patriots.

Oduma is a socialist with the odumacare and his liberal povs. He's already a lame duck in the process or being impeached. I doubt anything he says matter at this point.

Russia makes a ton of stuff. Aerospace, military, energy, agricultures, natural resources (extracting, refining, pipelines, distributing), a huge financial complex, some of the best engineers on earth...etc.

So yeah, they make a few things. A few things are more than "they don't make anything". And the entire Europe and China depend on Russian energy, wheat, oats, gas, engines, turbines...etc. And most importantly, Russia makes Vodka and pretty girls. Russia is definitely winning against Oduma.

“Immigrants aren’t rushing to Moscow in search of opportunity."

What about Snowden?

And most importantly, Russia makes Vodka and pretty girls.

Definitely agree on the pretty girls part. Russians and, in general, Eastern European girls (Czechs, Slovakians, Hungarians) are hot!

Serrano, I think everybody knows Snowden is just some MOLE for the CIA, NSA etc...but maybe it is a bit too much to say that Russia does not make anything, but come on, how many shoes?? shirts? computers? beef? say MADE IN RUSSIA?? I have never seen anything except for Vodka! and if we compare CHINA???? Now almost EVERYTHING and ANYTHING is MADE IN CHINA! So back to Mr.Obama, I think he is just getting a bit upset with all the mess going on in the Ukraine and my guess is that Mr.Obama does NOT want to go down in history like that wimp JIMMY CARTER!!

Oduma is a socialist with the odumacare and his liberal povs.

Whoa. Well, I hope Russia succeeds in making journalists from bloggers; from yesterday, every Russian blogger who attracts more than 3,000 viewers is now considered one - and wouldn't you know it? - Journalists must be licensed in Russia, and such bloggers are now legally responsible not only for their own content but also for comments posted.

I also hope they are adept at producing servers, as from 2016, any Website which stores data on Russian users (Google, Facebook, Youtube, Twitter, etc.) must do so physically inside the country.

Obama spoke too much, but he spoke the truth. The only saving grace is that Russia's downhill slide into obscurity will be so rapid that no one will notice - as long as they keep the energy flowing.

stormcrow Russia is similar to Saudi Arabia in that it is an oil rich country. Unfortunately, being oil rich tends to make them lazy in terms of producing things because all they have to do is drill holes in the ground to get money.

Russia has population about 145 millions

Most of them are NOT involved in oil industry

Definitely have to be as tough as possible with China. "Keep a cool head and maintain a low profile. Never take the lead - but aim to do something big" translates to: "we are going to be as sneaky and underhanded as possible".

@Olegek

My comments were more about the Russian government than the Russian people, who I'm sure are just as hard working as people anywhere else. As with Saudi Arabia, oil is the backbone of the Russian economy even though the majority of Russian people I'm sure are not to be found manning the drills and working on the oil wells. Actually, Laguna, whose comments directly follow mine about the "oil curse", are more in line with what I would have liked to have said. Also, as Laguna correctly pointed out, this problem extends elsewhere around the globe including parts of the US and other countries involving other natural resources.