ForumGarden

It's just Russia now, not the old Soviet Union. I'm inclined to regard it as just noise. Russia is having trouble with not being an empire any more. It takes a while....

It isn't good to try and rush-her. Although Putin is a macho kinda guy, the thing to remember about people like that is they love themselves too much to endanger themselves. Let him feel relevant and carry on a bit. I think thats all he's doing, quite honestly....but I'm no expert.

Oh, sorry - rather misunderstood you. I was taking your comment in old Cold War terms.

Agreed about the successor states of the old Soviet Union/Warsaw Pact. Not only are most of them thoroughly dodgy, they also have a near irrestible urge to poke Russia. Given what the KGB did it's not altogether surprising.

It's a bit odd as a Brit. We generally like the Poles and generally like the Russians. But the Russians and the Poles generally can't stand eachother. REALLY can't stand eachother. At least there seems to be some sort of idea that they've got to live together these days. Give it time and things will improve. If we get the time.

It was GW Bush that rekindled the fires of the cold war rather unnecessarily imo. Only a half wit would think a missile system in poland was a defence against iran and an even bigger half wit would think anyone would fall for it..