[cicero's_son]

Many EU leaders have been rather vocal about the need to balance the American hyperpower, perhaps we need Russia to balance the EU.

That would be rather like balancing a nasty hangover with a massive head trauma.

[fallujah-nuker]

Nations do not have permanent allies, only permanent interests. Our main interest in the old world is to avoid a consolidation of power on the Eurasian landmass. The 2 entities consolidating power on Eurasia today are China and the EU, both have potential conflicts with Russia. When the show was on the other foot we sided with China and the EU against the Soviet Union.

We need to be cold blooded in our foreign policy rather than sentimental. Chirac has not allowed sentiment over the liberation of France 60 years ago to play any role in the foreign policy of France.