Since the Cold War ended in 1989, Russia and their young democracy has struggled along during the 1990s. Since President Vladimir Putin has assumed the role of Russia’s second president, Russia has slowly been drifting back to a moderate form of centralized decision making by President Putin.

In recent weeks , Russia has alarmed NATO by making fly overs with Russian aircraft near the tip of Norway. This has been alarming to some, especially the former Communist Soviet Union states such as Estonia, Poland, Lithuania, and other NATO allied nations.

Putin continues to support American opponents in the Middle East, and Russia’s continued connections with Iran is very disappointing . Russia has sold out to the Islamic Fundamentalist regime in Iran, and has sold billions of dollars worth of military air planes, weapons, and other munitions. Putin’s Russia, has also aided in helping the Iranians build a nuclear power plant for what they claim to be for peaceful purposes.

Does anyone really believe that Iran is looking for a means of peaceful energy from nuclear fuel, when they hold a large percentage of the worlds oil supply underneath their patch of sand? Russia is in it for the money, the persona of being an equal to the United States, and for political posturing purposes.

In order to be fair to Russia, we need to look at it from their point of view. They are stuck in between the NATO alliance nations, China to their southwest, and have Iran to their south east. Russia has been a financially weak economy during the 1990s, the Ruble (currency in Russia) is worth lots less then the American dollar, English pound, or the Euro.

In order to show strength, Putin has decided to puff out his chest and stand up against the America in order to present a strong Russia. It is being discussed that Russia might be slipping back into old habits and going the way of a communist style government once again.

It would not be surprising. President Putin is a former KGB head, and communist party member back in the 1980s. Even though his presidency is set to expire 2008, some are contemplating that he might remain in government. It is suggested that he could maneuver himself into the Prime Minister position, and keep control of is influence from that office.

If Russia continues to help our adversaries; sell technology and weapons to Iran and Venezuela’s Hugo Chavez, it will be unavoidable not to be able to compare tensions to that of the Cold War during the mid-20th Century.

In order to avoid conflict with Russia, we need to use diplomacy. Diplomacy got us through the last Cold War. If we don’t have the quality of leadership and diplomats in position, I fear that we might not have the same results.

Americans need be assertive in what kind of world we want to live in, and how much we want to interact with it. The United States still has vast influence in how the world is shaped. We as citizens need to take a stand, and be leaders in this young 21st century.

Thanks to Kyle Schwartz and the Ohio Valley Conference, The Daily Eastern News has a podcast with Eastern football coach Bob Spoo from the OVC Teleconference. The Panthers take on the Skyhawks for Homecoming at 1:30 p.m. Saturday at O’Brien Stadium.

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