Originally Posted by crockett

They abandoned their strict commie ways and opened up to trade with the US and the rest of the West. Mother Russia wasn't exactly happy about this..but China has grown big and fat to the point they don't take orders from their mom anymore..

Lets just sit back and watch the two current situations and how they take place.

Ukraine was Russia's bitch and wanted to be friendly with the European powers to the West. Because it's next door to Russia, they were able to bitch slap Ukraine with military force. In 20 years people in Ukraine will be just as isolated as they are now and will be just as poor. Russia will do nothing to spur their economy. The people will be poor with the best option to leave for the West..

Cuba.. yet another old bitch of the USSR. However after the collapse Russia wasn't able to keep their thumb on Cuba's head to the same effect as they could in Ukraine. It didn't matter much though because the US didn't like Cuba so much..

The US finally decides.. hey WTF.. no reason to remain angry at Cuba after all these years lets be friends. There isn't much Russia can do to stop this as Russia is really just a regional power these days and Cuba is far out side it's realm..

In 20 years Cuba will be a booming economy as it was before it fell to the commies. Why? Because America will invest in them and the thousands of Cubans whom have done well for themselves in the US will also be spending money there or starting businesses.

On one had you have the Russia brand.. Oppression.. On the other you have the US brand which is Capitalism.. of course capitalism can not be perfect when people are involved but it sure as hell beats the pants off oppression..

edit.. I will say Cuba's future booming economy depends a lot on Cuba and their internal corruption. The US will invest in Cuba, but if internal corruption becomes to much as it did in Russia when the USSR fell then the US and our businesses will stop investing.

For US support to work, you need a functioning govt which isn't over run with corruption.. Example is Mexico. The US in the 80s tried to spur economic growth in Mexico by moving many factories there but Mexican corruption was too high so the companies stopped doing business there.. No one invests in shaky countries as long as Cuba plays their cards right they will be big..

Ukraine on the other hand will still be oppressed by Russia and that's why no one wants to drink Russia's koolaide.. Russia is like the jealous abusive boyfriend whom gets mad if his girl talks to anyone else. Those kinds of relationships only last so long they always end up with either the boyfriend killing the girl or the girl leaving.