Right now, the Russians are our only link to the Space Station. Then just take the risk of sending up a shuttle with a minimal crew and no payload, retrieve our personnel, and kiss the ISS good bye. It is not worth it. We'll build our own. If our real friends, the Brits and Aussies, want to collaborate, fine.
It is not worth it. We'll build our own. +++
DO you know how much it will cost? Today ISS costs like $100 bln and includes many russian vital modules.
If US goes alone she needs to develop those modules from scratch. I think it will up overall costs to 200-300 blns.
It is huge indeed.