[Blind Eye Jones]

I agree with you that it is a mess and mistakes were made. A lot of the arguments I've read portray the Russians wanting the prestige of the former Soviet Union and wanting satellite states loyal to Russia rather than members of NATO. I don't know how much of this is true — I would think certain aspects are true in the sense that Russia wants to protect it's sphere of influence and sees America as an unwelcome, meddling foreigner, just as JFK saw Russia doing the same with Cuba — but there is also a huge history of tension between Russia and Georgia that has nothing to do with the United Sates. I hope Putin helps Bush with Iran and things work out for the best. The US went into Grenada out of American interests during the cold war to protect it's sphere of influence but should all parties return to these cold war, realpolitik conditions? Hopefully not. Expansionism, I hope, isn't on Russia's table and more good can be done with the US as a partner.

[pgkdan]

hope Putin helps Bush with Iran and things work out for the best.

Are you kidding??? Things are at an impossible impasse in Iran because Russia has spent the last 4 years running interference for them. We've allowed them to thwart us at every turn.