Hi, hope all's well. This stood out in the weekend news.
" Latest Developments Russia, Iraq to Sign $40B Deal
(AP) - Russia and Iraq are preparing to sign a $40 billion economic cooperation plan, the Iraqi ambassador to Moscow said Saturday. The pact was likely to strain Moscow's relations with Washington as the United States considers a military attack against Baghdad. The five-year agreement envisions new cooperation in the fields of oil, irrigation, agriculture, railroads, other transportation sectors and electrical energy. "
Putin/Russia haven't lost their international ambitions, nor should we believe they are anything but rivals even if they've helped open their oil supplies post 911.
Imagine this scenario... whichever way Hussein's reign of power goes Russia is moving into the Iraqui oil fields. The Russian reserves are huge, combine that with a political and economic presense in Iraq then one can see a new super power arising on the world scene. I believe this is Putin's long term ambition, having abandoned the possibility of competing with the West in military might, they can regain equal world influence by gaining control over a large portion of the oil reserves. |
