>>2145
>navy due to its reach & nuclear capability
This is true, but you could also say this about America. I was trying to focus on uniquely Soviet things and tanks were what I came up with. The Tsar Bomba is definitely Soviet though, and Russia now claims to have built even bigger nukes than that.
>>2153
I think most people here would give a qualified yes to that. The Republic was obviously corrupt. But I don't think you could have picked a more politically imbecilic way of doing it than the CIS did, and maybe that was the point because we know the CIS and the Republic were run by the same guy. Having the guys who invaded a peaceful planet because they wanted more money talk about how they're taking a stand against corruption isn't going to go over well with the public. As far as the public knew, it was just the same corporate thieves experiencing severe buttrage because they failed at robbing somebody and wanted another go. It helped that the face of the Republic was the same "kindly old man" whose planet was invaded in their first attempt at robbery and became Chancellor because of it. If the CIS had been formed without the Trade Federation, it would have had a lot more support from within the Republic, but they may not have been able to represent a credible threat.