Cold War Redux
Many of the neocons may be gone, but their influence remains strong in the form of the Bush administration's support for missile defense systems. A persistent feature of the neoconservative agenda over the years has been the staunch advocacy of the Strategic Defense Initiative---aka Star Wars. An influential group, including Paul Wolfowitz, Richard Perle, Don Rumsfeld and Dick Cheney have another thing in common, they all cut their teeth in the campaign of opposition to Kissinger's policy of detente and the Anti-Ballistic Missile (ABM) treaty with the Soviet Union. As a matter of fact the ABM treaty, signed by Nixon, was an early casualty of the Bushies, who withdrew in December 2001 after decades of respecting missile caps. This giant lurch away from arms control was orchestrated by the aforementioned "public servants" and rammed through Congress with little fanfare at a time when the Nation's attention was focused on the events of 9/11.
Today the Russians are players once again and the relationship between the two countries is souring. The space-age hobby horse of the neocons is primarily fueling the fire. At this week's G8 Summit, Bush and Putin tried to put a good face on the growing divide, but in the end they agreed on little other than to stall; the leaders shied away from confrontation citing instead the possibility of progress later this year when Putin visits Bush's Maine home. Sure.
With every passing day our country becomes more isolated geo-politically because of the hubris of the Bush administration. This development is nowhere more evident than in the deteriorating relationship between the US and Russians. Putin and his crew are no angels either, in fact Russia has lately seen the restriction of civil liberties and sinister doings linked to the government. And while the Iranians might have the capability to lob a nuke into a neighboring country in a decade from now, the Russians and Americans, on the other hand, could easily destroy the world times over today. Who is more dangerous? Let's just hope Vladimir likes lobster.
This page tracks the rising bellicosity between the two nations:
Putin lashes out at 'wolf like' America
Putin hits US over unilateral approach
Putin cites third reich in veiled criticism of US
Gorbachev Criticizes US empire
Bush talks tough on missile defense as summit nears
Echoes of cold war in missile arguments
US missile shield alarms czechs
Putin warns europe on missile row
Russian wants freeze on US missile plan
Putin raises new option for US missile system
Bush calls for action over Kosovo
Viewpoint: Russia's missile fears
US confirms missile shield plans
Venezuela strikes submarine deal with Russians
Russia warns Nato on arms treaty
BP sells stake in russian gas fields
Russia holds successful missile tests
Russia shuts US-funded media group
Russia claims huge chunk of oil-rich north pole
Trying to revive bond with a bolder Putin
Selling the threat of bioterrorism
Russia issues warning on missiles
US and russia vow further cuts in nukes
Russia suspends arms control pact
Russia sends warning to the west
Be seeing you...