Leaving It On the Table

Thanks a lot for your email. US-Russia relations are
already immensely strained - as Putin and his inner
circle see it. This Caspian summit was vastly
significant for both Russia and Iran. It opened the
way for Iran to join the SCO. And it reinforced
regional powers' sway over Central Asia - which the
Bush admn. virtually "lost". Not to mention
Azerbaijan as a base for attacks on Iran (and for
rattling Moscow's nerves).


For all their autocratic tendencies Putin and his
circle see the cold war as always ON. It is easy to
understand their point. The SCO will be bigger and
bigger - the NATO of the East... And it will cement a
very important strategic partnerhsip uniting China,
Russia and Iran under the same umbrella. I wonder what
a Hillary admn. would do to revert the confrontational
approach of the Bush admn. The Russians are taking no
chances - even with an attack on Iran "only" on the
table. They remain infinitely wary of all US designs
east of the Urals.
All the best, Pepe