Serious question: Is the eagle looking both ways a nod to Janus?
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Janus
Edit: nope but I’ll note the fates are usually pictured in East-West orientation.
This concept came from the Byzantine Empire, where the emperor was both the head of state and the defender of the Church. In Russia, this has transformed into the idea of a symphony of the power of the Orthodox Church and the Autocratic Tsar/Emperor.
One head looks to the West (Europe), the other to the East (Asia). This symbolized Russia’s role as a vast Eurasian empire, a bridge between two civilizations and a power with interests and responsibilities in both directions.
Hi thanks so much! I’d hoped to nap after writing that but circumstances conspired against that happening, so I looked it up. The thing is, your explanation is more concise which makes the point more clear. Everything else is icing.
The U.S. lost Russia when they bombed Belgrade in 1999. They lost China when they bombed the Chinese embassy in Belgrade in the same year.
They lost India during the Afghan-Soviet War (1979-1989), when the U.S., through Pakistan’s Inter-Services Intelligence (I.S.I.), channeled financial and military aid to Afghan mujahideen fighters, including Islamist groups. This support empowered radical Islamist elements within Pakistan and Afghanistan, leading to the emergence of groups like the Taliban and Al-Qaeda.
RT, but I’ll play along for this one…
Trump POV realizing he’s third-wheeling for Russia and China’s longtime bromance:
