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So what about the German right-wing conspiracy that got busted? On one hand, they seem pretty crazy with conspiracy theories and actually believing that the German people would support a coup. On the other hand, they don't seem like random nobodies but the kind of people you would want on your coup if you were to do a coup.
Link to news story: https://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-63885028
Some random thoughts:
Was this conspiracy realistic? Or was it just a big larp? (Are all coups big larps?)
How strong were the Russian connections? Are the arrests a blow to Putin?
Why do the conspiracy thing when you can just do normal politics in AfD and actually get power the true and tried way [insert reference to well-known, democratically successful German right wing leader]. Or if you insist on conspiracy, you can at least march trough the institutions, it seems like the better option? And if you really need power nownow, why not just take the exit option (e.g. move to Russia and make your own auth-right comune there?)?
I'd be happy for someone who has an actual take or an interesting perspective on this to create their own top level thread.
Your auth-right commune might get sent wholesale to siege Popasna or reinforce the line near Bakhmut or whatever. Alternatively, denazified via prison rapes or set on fire by Chechens. Also the climate is terrible. Other than that, a decent idea.
This isn't the first time Europeans bust a conspiracy with a surprisingly competent military prepping and an inane, politically doomed premise. I guess it's a package deal – if you really reject democracy, you cannot recognize how it recruits people to defend itself.
Would anyone who accepts Russian citizenship be delusional enough to think they'd not get mobilized in case of war ?
Also, would authorities care to suppress a bunch of foreign weirdoes who move to some rural area, bother nobody, engage in no political activity and pay their taxes ? It's not really something threatening. Or would it be that e.g. police would try to shake them down for bribes, and if they don't play ball try to set them up as subversives ?
Yes. No matter how rural the area is, there will be local authorities there that see the weirdoes as rich foreigners, their new cows to milk. And if they try to avoid interacting with the authorities, they're a great target for the FSB. Moving further into the forest? Sounds like trying to locate a secret military base!
I'm not saying it can't be done, but I've seen this work only in literal Siberia, where the FSB isn't willing to brave the clouds of mosquitos/metres of snow to investigate some religious nutjobs.
Given the SANCTITY OF GOF, you want literal Siberia. And hunting rifles and potatoes.
Hunting rifles? Might be hard to get your hands on one if you're an outsider.
If you're a Russian citizen, aren't they shall-issue ? Do they make special rule for people who have immigrated recently ?
Also, if you live in the ass-end of Siberian rural area, buying illegal weapons and keeping buried in the woods for those true emergencies is probably fairly low risk.
Citizebs need to own a shotgun license for five years before they can apply for a rifle license. Both require a background check and a psych evaluation. Non-citizens can bring their firearms with them from abroad for organized hunts, but can't buy firearms in Russia unless they promptly export them.
Rural Siberians own unlicensed rifles for poaching, but I doubt they will sell them to trad nutjobs.
Would depend entirely on relationships. Also, money speaks. Trad nutjobs who generally wouldn't be seen and who treated the locals with respect, didn't make any trouble and had money from remote work might persuade e.g. some guy who aged out of poaching to sell weapons.
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