Despite a recent boom in the Russian economy, especially due to rising oil prices increasing the value of Russian oil revenues, Russian President Vladimir Putin continues to ramp up the same old Cold War type tensions between Russia and the U.S., all too similar to the old days of the Soviet Union.
Russia for example, warned Ukraine that it would be willing to take "adequate" measures if Ukraine decides to become a member of NATO. Certainly this could involve more oil or natural gas cutbacks to this former state of the old Soviet Union, or other economic isolation or military tension measures.
Putin further has resumed strategic bomber flights,sometimes very close to American or NATO state soil, as well as increased nuclear armed submarine missions that test American or NATO state borders as well as promising more development of new nuclear weapons to counter any "threat" to Russia. Russia has deployed a hypersonic nuclear cruise missile for example, that is able to out fly current U.S. antimissile technology.
Any peace dividend after the fall of the old Soviet Union has given way to a new and dangerous high tech nuclear weapons arms race between Russia and the U.S., with the huge new oil revenues of Russia helping to fuel this dangerous new menace to world peace.
On one hand, Russia wants to be a major player in world oil markets and expand it's local economy, which should be the desire of any modern state, but on the other hand, dark old fashioned militarism seems to be creeping back into Russia as well, with a strengthened new Cold War ethic growing just as fast as the Russian oil economy.
Russia really is having a serious new identity crisis. Is it a modern player in the major world economy like other states in Europe? Or is Russia merely just the same old neofeudal state that spurred both czars as well as Stalinism while other states in Europe grew into democracies. World peace really hangs on Russia coming to terms with who they really are as a nation.
Comments (1)
Paul..Russia is still our old cold war rival and not a friendly one. I really don't think it should be in the G7- now G8..This a fascinating story I read today about its Western friends that Putin really prizes.
1. Posted by Steve Crickmore | January 28, 2008 12:43 PM
Posted on January 28, 2008 12:43