Did you see that a former KGB analyst has predicted that the USA will split into 5 separate republics.?

I am irritated that the story reads "Russia predicts end of the USA". No. Just a lone man thinks that. Hardly a whole nation.

Most of us Russians call Igor Panarin "mad, crazy".

The CIA and the KGB have been both saying for years how the others country will collapse.

I have a feeling that both countries will be around for awhile yet. The people love their land and will keep it up.

I think he is far too optimistic. When the dollar collapses, which is inevitable due to the enormous deficit we now hold, the entire structure of the government will collapse. I don't think any state is currently capable of holding an alliance together in the large sections that he predicts. I don't see Alaska actually reverting to Russia because there are some huge US bases there with weapons enough to keep them from taking over for a long time. I think the other sections will be smaller and composed of states that have control of resources, like Texas has oil and gas, California has much of the produce market, etc. The only thing that has been keeping Mexico afloat for the last umpteen years is oil and its dependence on the US to support a large portion of their citizens. With the fall of oil prices and the collapse of the US economy, their economy will collapse as well. China is the biggest threat. They have the biggest military and the most money and can stave off collapse longer than any other country. But as infrastructure collapses worldwide, they will lose their economic base and eventually fall with the rest of us. I see more of a return to city/states, since this will be the largest area that will be able to be controlled under the new circumstances.

Yes I did see part of that story.

I don't know were someone from Russia gets off making predictions about the United States but if by some unlikely reason that did happen, we would deal with it.

Texas is a great state to live in. I doubt that any of us would live in a theocracy.

That would take a king or dictator to make you live where you didn't want to.

On the other hand it might be nice not to have NY and CA in the union.

They seem to be more liberal than the other states.

I would have guessed more.

1: The south.

2: Texas will be independent. With all that oil, why would they share?

3: Florida is more diverse than the rest of the south, and will stand alone.

4: New England & the Mid-West.

5: Hawaii.

6: Alaska.

7: California, Washington & Oregon will be a liberal left coast.

8: Western States, generally conservative.

9: Utah, because no one else wants them.

None of this is likely. Even if things broke down, and they won't, the South would not be a theocracy. Think of America in 1880. Many of the views that cause your fear were prevalent then, but it was not a nation governed by the religious leaders. Oh, there were some laws we would find distasteful, but that was the worse of it.

Each region desperately needs the other. We will never fracture, as long a sane minds prevail.

The Republic of the Red United States would lose all the money that gets funneled to them now from the Socialist Blue Democracy of America. How will the Republic survive without all that subsidy? See the Republic is really more socialist than they are willing to admit. They are feeding at the federal trough way more than they contribute. Edit: Could you provide a link to the data that shows it debunked. I would like to check it out. Thanks.

Reader.erin needs to proofread her writing.

Quebec has not held ANY "reformations." What they've held is two REFERENDUMS.

(Or "referenda" if you want to use the correct term derived from the Latin.)

As for that map, it's a hoot. I don't think you have much to worry about, Gorgeous. The US may not be the superpower it once was but it still has more and deadlier weapons than anyone else, therefore no part of it will be going anywhere anytime soon.

One could support his ideas with the assassination of Obama, that would create a civil war in the USA, then the political ambitions of a wide number of groups would surface, but if that scenario does occur the whole planet might be engulfed into a third world war.

Dear, Texas becoming a theocracy is highly unlikely , Although Texas is highly conservative, It's not highly conservative in the far right wing religious sense, So I doubt you will ever see that. People in Texas are far right wing republicans but not particularly religious ones. God bless.

About as believable as a CIA report on George W. Bush's desk.

Happy 2009 Common Era