How soon we forget the impetus behind the Red’s success. Russian Nationalism. Do we think that this Nationalism has been tamped down by a sudden influx of cash? Bah! They have been exhibiting it since the late ’90′s.

Buddy, when did we send over the tech help on their oil exploration and extraction methods? Can’t remember..

They do not believe that this is some small little fiasco. They believe in the long run. Just as the Chinese do. China has tied their economy to ours (including funding the Iraq War, to our detriment). Russia has distanced themselves from the West. As our Eastern Front has moved into the Russian’s former sphere, they have dominated the European energy market. Taking out the EU’rps economy with a few SCADA commands financially cuts their cash, but it won’t take long before they have the EU’rps begging. This effectively neutralizes the new NATO and pre-NATO countries ambitions vis a vis normalization with their EU’rp neighbors.

The economic route to recovery of the Caucasus is alternate pipeline and shipping – only if Russia stays in theater.

The diplomatic route we’ve handed to the EU’rps, headed by a Frenchman. Take what you will of that and look into the future…

Militarily, Wretchard as usual, has tied it into a neat ball for us. Turkey. Without logistics, it’ll never happen.

I still try to look into the near future and see what this does to the inevitable plans for Iran. I can’t get it out of my mind that this is the start of a chess match ending somewhere around Tehran. Too many other “hot spots” for this to not to be interconnected….