As if Things Weren’t Bad Enough, Russian Professor Predicts End of U.S. – WSJ.com — I’m thinking this guy is merely thinking that the fractal dissolution of the CCCP would be reflected in the USA. Yeah, right.

For a decade, Russian academic Igor Panarin has been predicting the U.S. will fall apart in 2010. For most of that time, he admits, few took his argument — that an economic and moral collapse will trigger a civil war and the eventual breakup of the U.S. — very seriously. Now he’s found an eager audience: Russian state media.

In recent weeks, he’s been interviewed as much as twice a day about his predictions. “It’s a record,” says Prof. Panarin. “But I think the attention is going to grow even stronger.”

Prof. Panarin, 50 years old, is not a fringe figure. A former KGB analyst, he is dean of the Russian Foreign Ministry’s academy for future diplomats. He is invited to Kremlin receptions, lectures students, publishes books, and appears in the media as an expert on U.S.-Russia relations.

But it’s his bleak forecast for the U.S. that is music to the ears of the Kremlin, which in recent years has blamed Washington for everything from instability in the Middle East to the global financial crisis. Mr. Panarin’s views also fit neatly with the Kremlin’s narrative that Russia is returning to its rightful place on the world stage after the weakness of the 1990s, when many feared that the country would go economically and politically bankrupt and break into separate territories.

Found by Pierre Bourgeois.




  1. Winston says:

    Hey, wasn’t this splitting apart tried once?

  2. Esteban says:

    He’s exactly right, except for one thing: Missouri will become part of Switzerland.

  3. daav0 says:

    My favorite sci fi handling of the balkanization of the united states was in Robert Heinlein’s FRIDAY. The wealthy but politically insane Bear Republic (california and such) The rural Missouri states—think I will go reread it.

    By the way, personal gun ownership will never stop an invasion…not ever.

  4. jbenson2 says:

    The writer needs to add one more segment for the kookiest geographical section in the entire USA. The nutballs in San Francisco will be one of the first to secede.

  5. Angel H. Wong says:

    Actually, It’s not going to be called The Texas Republic. Instead it’s going to be called Redneckistan.

  6. Li says:

    All that needs to happen is the Chinese and the Japanese giving their ever shrinking pie to their people rather than the FED, and without their continuous foreign investment, the US would be bankrupt or hyperinflated beyond control within a few months. Shortly after the checks stop coming in from the FED, the US will dissolve.

    Frankly, let’s hope this prof is right, a clean break is far better than the civil/culture/race war that a lot of Americans would prefer in such a situation. And as an Ohioan, being a part of Canada doesn’t sound so bad at the moment.

  7. Ron Larson says:

    If this garbage is what passes as serious news analysis in Russia, then they have some serious problems. I’m betting the guy has never been to the US since he obviously hasn’t a clue as to what he is talking about.

    An example of how stupid this man is. He talks about Washington State going to the Chinese. Why? Because he claims that Seattle, the capital, is already full of Chinese. I mean this guy can’t even look up the state capital (It is Olympia, FYI) to get his basic facts rights.

  8. scadragon says:

    There was a game about 30 years ago that predicted this very same thing.

    http://www.sjgames.com/carwars/

    The USA had fragmented into 6 different regions, each had it’s own particular assets.
    Virtually NO GASOLINE anywhere except the gulf-states and the nation of Texas.

    Everyone else uses gasohol or the vehicles are battery powered.

    Fun game in a bleak future.

  9. bill says:

    Wait till Colorado and Wyoming find out they are in the Midwest!!!
    HA HA HA HA HA!

    Eh? comrade?

  10. Vlad says:

    To add more fun to it, certain circles in Russia are circulating a prediction of sort that very soon (like next year or two) US will change its currency to “amero” (as in American Euro) in order to dodge paying off the debt. Discussions of what the rate would be, how the new currency would look like and so on span multiple pages of eager analysts.

    As far as I understand all these predictions are attempts to further reinforce state propaganda and divert people from converting their savings into dollars, as trust in russia’s roubles steadily declines.

  11. Marcel Velásquez says:

    Looks like someone has been reading too much Phillip K. Dick. “The man in the high castle” was a good book, though.

  12. hhopper says:

    This is hilarious John. You should have waited to post it on the weekend.

  13. OvenMaster says:

    IIRC, Robert Heinlein mentioned a United States that had been broken up into separate parts such as the Republic of California, the Chicago Imperium, and others, in his novel Friday. 1985 or 1986, I believe.

  14. John Paradox says:

    RE: RAH’s FRIDAY. copyright 1982.

    Back in the 70’s there was a similar speculation in THE FUTURIST magazine, where they ‘divided’ the U.S. into sections based on the ‘cultural differences’ (e.g. S. Cal, AZ, NM having large Hispanic populations, etc.)

    J/P=?

  15. tridentgumlover says:

    I was looking around on google earth.
    I think I want to reside in the section that
    gets Kings Bay Georgia.

    Check out the cool bunkers at…
    30 46 59 09 North
    81 32 06.64 West
    Wonder whats in those babies ???

  16. GF says:

    What the hell as long as were we’re on an LSD trip let’s consider the possibility that Obama will want to truly be an imperialist nation. First we take back lands that were ours like the Philippines and Cuba – sorry no independence for you. Next we tell Japan and Mexico that since they lost their wars with us we are now taking them over too – best shut or their is a JDAM in your immediate future. Next we take over Iraq and Afghanistan without using these sorry ass puppet governments and destroy all resistors. Next we take over most of Europe because, hey we liberated them from Nazi Germany. Then onto to the great bear Russia cause damn it it’s there. As far as Africa who really wants it.
    Anyway, I’m available for speaking engagements and bar and bat mitzvahs. I take cash only please.

  17. brm says:

    This guy has never been to Texas or Arizona. Texas controlled by Mexico? Arizona controlled by China? Yeah, right. Talk about sticking your hand into a badger hole.

  18. SeaninSeattle says:

    @31. I agree regarding the term ‘marriage.’ I am perfectly happy calling something a civili union. And to all the others mocking the idea that the US union could break up (over anything), name me a previous empire in history that did NOT break up. Stuff happens. For a variety of causes.

  19. Rick Cain says:

    Just watch the TV series “Jericho” to see one possible outcome.

  20. Mr Truther says:

    Virtually NO GASOLINE anywhere except the gulf-states and the nation of Texas.
    Ever hear of the illinios oil basin. We do not buy oil from the arabs in the midwest. We do it the old fashion way pump it and refine it. No furiners involved.

  21. Cap'nKangaroo says:

    #49 Nuclear Subs, don’t know offhand wether they are attack subs or nuke missile subs based there.

    You may also want to check out Whiteman Air Force Base near Warrensburg, Missouri. I believe all of our B-2 bombers are based there.


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