The message to the West is clear: The days of dismissing Russia as a spent force are over. Bolstered by the cash from sales of oil and gas and President Putin's steely determination to re-establish the country on the world stage, the Russian military machine is back in business.
Various theories have been offered for the dramatic military expansion, not least the need to appeal to nationalists in the run-up to forthcoming parliamentary and presidential elections. The real reason, however, appears to be that Russia has taken offense at what it regards as the West's insulting indifference to its very existence.
Intelligence sources say Washington and London have been taken aback by just how seriously Russia has viewed the perceived slight and concede that in concentrating so heavily on Iraq and al Qaeda, they took their eye off the ball.
This sounds like a case of the Great Russian run amok. However, it might not be at all. AS I have said before, Putin studies and believes in Ju Jitsu. Stop and think about that for a moment. Then consider that he might have just been waiting for this moment to rearm. It's really too bad that the Russians are taking this route to try to confront the West again. I've already blogged my disappointment with Russia. Right now, with all that oil revenue coming in, Putin ought to be out digging out the corruption, building infrastructure, and making people's lives better; after all Moscow is the worldest most expensive city to live in. He has no current or near term threats. Why not do what the US did during the 19th century and invest the helloutta everything?
*sighs*
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