Here is another oddball piece of news out of Russia in regards to the belief the US is trying to confront Russia:

http://www.washingtontimes.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20071216/FOREIGN/91073427/1001

I am never really sure if statements such as this are the result of paranoia or simply a means of rallying the public at home. One never should lose sight of the fact that Russia is approaching its elections shortly and this type of saber rattling appeals to a certain segment of the public that feels a certain loss of face as a result of the Soviet Union's collapse at the end of the Cold War. Pride is a good thing to have but when it is misguided pride it really does no one any good…least of all a nation that is seeing its democratic institutions rolled back and its free market being turned on its head.