[@Taeryn]Actually, I thought of them expanding into space and while not becoming a major power by a longshot they'd do pretty decently considering these factors.
I think of them as a variation/extension of the Neo Hungaria factions I made for the post-WW3 NRPs.

EDIT: 
http://www.roleplayerguild.com/topics/88098-our-unstable-world-post-ww3-rp/char#post-3123507
Kinda like this but probably without the rest of the nations conquered/assimilated.

BTW, can you give me a quick rundown on tech? What is plausible in this neo cold war?
There's alien tech for FTL, sure. But aside from that what else we can expect?