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2008-02-11 Caucasus/Russia/Central Asia

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Posted by Steve White 2008-02-11 00:00|| || Front Page|| [3 views ] Top

#1 SPACEWAR/TOPIX > RUSSIA NOT SEEKING CLASH WITH WEST BUT WILL PUSH/USE ITS WEIGHT YO AHIEVE ITS AGENDA.

Posted by JosephMendiola 2008-02-11 02:00|| 2008-02-11 02:00|| Front Page Top

#2 Don't automatically dismiss this, despite the usual Russian perfidy. Because Russia also acts heavily out of self-interest, it also has no problem with preventing nuclear proliferation, for example; but it has a very different approach to things.

For example, the US wants to prevent Iran from getting nuclear material to begin with. This is problematic, since Iran has uranium mines, and the only thing preventing them from enriching their own is technology, and the threat of war.

From the Russian point of view, the US's approach is unrealistic. So their attitude is to give the low level uranium to Iran suitable for nuclear fuel, but on condition that Iran give back its depleted fuel, and the small amount of plutonium it contains.

By Russian logic, this would deprive Iran of any reason to enrich its own, and the Russians could easily tell if they were trying to cheat. It would also save Iran so much money that there would be internal debate on "wasting" it to enrich their own, instead of spending it on other things.

And while the Russians think that the US in stepping on its toes, resulting in the Iranians wanting to enrich their own, just to snub the US; the US's attitude is that Russia has been too generous with the carrot, undermining the US with its stick.

Recently, however, there might have been a change in the Russian opinion, because the Iranians are making and testing missiles suitable for carrying nuclear weapons. This changes everything, and the Russians are becoming far less trusting of their Iranian "friends".

And while, at times, Russians can be quite friendly, they do not take to being double crossed very well.

Posted by Anonymoose 2008-02-11 09:36|| 2008-02-11 09:36|| Front Page Top

#3 Crap. How about you guys stop selling designs to anybody with two rubles to rub together, huh?

Posted by mojo">mojo 2008-02-11 11:08|| 2008-02-11 11:08|| Front Page Top

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