[nuconvert]

pong

[airborne]

Time to make some popcorn.

These threads are always interesting.

[M. Espinola]

With Putin greatly assisting the most dangerous, barbaric Islamic dictatorship in the Middle-East with a nuclear weapons programme, how can Moscow be trusted regarding anything else?

The unstable tyrant of the most dangerous, barbaric Islamic dictatorship in the Middle-East

[plenipotentiary]

Here's what a perfect scenario for the Russians would look like.

The Russians have lots of oil and natural gas.

Most of the rest of the world depends on Middle Eastern oil and gas.

If the Middle Eastern supplies became unavailable, Russia would be in a near monopoly position, and would be able to extract whatever price it desired, both monetary and political, for its oil and gas.

How to deny the Middle Eastern supply of energy?

First create and encourage conflict.

Support The Saddam Hussains, and the Assads, and the Ayatollahs, and the Arafats.

Encourage hatred of the West and Israel.

If possible engineer a situation where a Middle Eastern country, hostile to the West and Israel becomes nuclear capable.

Help (secretly) those countries to become nuclear capable.

Endevour to construct circumstances where Israel, or the West strike the first blow against a potential nuclear power in the Middle East.

The above is not essential, but it looks better if Iran or Iraq are portrayed as the "innocent" parties.

Light touch paper and stand back.

[Wiz]

ping