to John Samford
about putin scared by Bush:
dont put your hopes that high:

what i heard from people in Moscow: today’s republicans are even better suitable for moscow strategy because they are easier drawn into straight forward conflicts in the hot places in the world and because right wing has lots of antisemitic sentiment still motivating them and because NO ONE WILL SUSPECT THAT REPUBLICANS ARE HELPING KREMLIN

it is a complicated subject, but let me suggest that you analyse:

who is ms RICE and what is it that she accomplished in the government