Is a New Cold War Looming on the Horizon?

The Soviet Union was at the brink of its resources trying to keep up with US. Ronald Reagan’s, not so gentle shove, pushed it over the edge. Unable to pay its military, continue to operate, the Soviet Union went bankrupt. The Communists death grip on the many states conquered by Russia to form the Soviet Union and others behind the Iron Curtain was broken. The Soviet Union fell apart as one by one they declared their independence from Big Brother Russia. The states not part of the Soviet Union but were controlled by it, ran as fast as possible away from Communist Socialism, instituting what resembled (as much as possible for countries under the yolk for decades ) democratic states. The world felt that Russia was not ever going to be a major player on the international scene again.

Like a cancerous growth, ambitions of past hard line leaders were not removed but allowed to grow strong and powerful again. Under the guise of removing criminal elements (Russian Mafias became a real threat worldwide) the elected leaders usurped more and more power to the point that brought back a government more like a dictatorship than a democracy. To be fair this move probably saved Russia from rampant lawlessness and subjugation by criminal elements.

During the brief unrestricted capitalistic surge, private companies developed a petroleum industry and a banking system that improved the country’s financial situation. Now the leaders had enough fiscal stability to begin asserting more power, domestically and internationally. They took over much of the (mostly) free enterprises (many were run criminally) and built up their bankrupt military complex. Although the world economic downturn has had a dramatic effect on Russia’s economy, it has already established a large power base. Russia has established naval/military bases in Syria and Venezuela. Venezuela purchased billions of dollars worth of tanks, jets, missals, and other hardware, using cash obtained from oil revenues acquired mostly form sales to the U.S. Iran has been a client of Russia for a long time, buying equipment and expertise. Russia is a partner in Iran’s nuclear ambitions.

For all practical purposes, the Ukraine is under the control of Russia. In the waning second term of the Bush administration, Putin instigated unrest in part of the Ukraine, used its military power to overcome Ukraine’s meager armed forces, and now with the Obama administration’s lack of concern has full control of the country. Other former Soviet States are under the control or great political pressure from Russia.

In January of 2010, Russia made a deal for Libya to buy a $2.6 billion military arsenal. Not only does this bring much needed cash flow to Russia, this gives Russia another area of great influence. The Russian tentacles are reaching far and wide. This presence is a huge problem to America, not recognized by the Obama Administration.

The last cold war was not as cold as some would think. It was a hot war with both sides using surrogates. American and Soviet jets with other country’s markings engaged in aerial combat. Weapons of various new designs competed on the battlefield, each country trying out new war strategies. The Soviets did not take America’s lesson of fighting a determined, passionate, and dedicated gorilla enemy to heart, evident by their attempts in Afghanistan. This was the beginning of the end of the Soviet Empire.

The reason why both countries used surrogates was that they realized a direct conflict between them would most likely destroy most life on earth. Neither country was willing the take that chance since each wanted to survive.

A new cold war will be much more risky to the whole world. Russia is doing business with rouge nations whose leaders either welcome destruction, don’t care if it happens, or are oblivious to the possibility of world destruction. These nations are unpredictable and cannot be trusted. They have a long history of not sticking to agreements. They do business with groups that have no national allegiance and given the opportunity will use weapons of mass destruction with impunity.

This is becoming more and more of a danger to the civilized world. Iran, a client of Russia, China, North Korea, and even some western nations, has many time expressed its desire to eradicate a whole nation (Israel) off the face of the Earth. This would present the world with a huge conundrum. Will it allow the total destruction of a nation and its people? Will the world retaliate and attack whoever perpetrated this destruction? Whom will America consider its enemy? If Iran’s surrogates, Hamas and Hezbollah use a nuclear device on Israel, would we attack Iran. Russia, China, and North Korea are all accomplices to any success Iran will have in developing nuclear weapons. Would we attack any or all of these nations?

Europe and more so Middle Eastern nations would feel even more threatened then they are now when Iran succeeds in developing nuclear warheads. Nuclear weaponry and other WMD’s would be in demand by many more countries, increasing the possibility of a nuclear war of total destruction.

The Obama Administration has no plans or even desire to maintain military strength that would deter let alone put a stop to this new “cold war”, a war of great peril to us all. It is imperative we institute some major changes in America’s foreign policy and our development of current and future military strength.

The only way to accomplish that, is to change the balance in our congress this November and remove Obama in 2012. We need to vet new candidates, pick the right ones, and work hard to elect them.