New York Times: Reports that in many respects that Russia has give a blank cheque to Iran to developed in Nuclear Bomb. The NYT reports that the President of Russia, Vladimir Putin has stated that force should not even be mentioned. In other words Iran and its government should be allowed to develop the bomb. I think the West will look back at the end of the USSR and the coming of President Putin as the golden years of the relationship between the West and Russia. What we are seeing is a New Great Game, this is not about ideology as in the Cold War, this is about power and its use, something we who look at International Politics can understand, Russia is not a Military threat as in the " those good old Cold War Days " its aims are more subtle the use of its natural resources to gain influence and bend nations to its will. I like to to think that the new elite in the Russian Government understand that they have no hope in hell of developing a military threat, the USA would bankrupt them to hell and back, Reagan did once another President can do the same. Russia is looking to those nations in the Middle East, Iran and Syria and in the Southern America's to help show that Russia still is a power. The next few years should be interesting as long as those in Russia understand that the showing of an image, a powerful Russia with influence around the World is a less than reality. The Image only works if it never tested, if tested it will fail, sending old military planes to UK so the RAF have to escort them out is irritating but that just irritating, the only worry is that Russia might fall for its own illusion then the New Great Game will became very cold at best or worse very hot in some places.
