As long ago as November 2000 ICPS discussed: Indo-Russian Relations: Perspectives

Q: The US is using terrorism to engulf Russia, India and China. It is not keen on cooperation in this field. Hence it is imperative for these three countries to develop cooperation in this field.

R: I don’t think the US is using terrorism as an instrument of manipulation to counter Russia, China and India. There are other instruments of manipulation available like IMF, WTO, and World Bank.

Q: Is Russia looking for any strategic partners? Does India play role here?

R: In the wake of NATO expansion, Russia does see the need for strategic cooperation. However, it is uncertain about whom it can cooperate with. It has listed India and China as its strategic partners. But the triangle is a badly conceived idea. The three together cannot face the threat from the US. The three countries have very little convergence of interests. Further, they have signed separate bilateral agreements with the West to gain some concessions. Besides, there are contentious issues between India and China which would hinder effective cooperation.

Q: We use the term ‘threat’ in different contexts. What is Russia’s threat perception?

R: Russia’s threat perception is inherited from the Cold War. The Democrats in Russia view US as a force threatening its territorial integrity and thus endangering democracy and the future of its political development. The Communists view NATO expansion as a major threat. They also perceive the US as hindering the Russian State from its revival to extract resources from the region. However, the current levels of threat perception do not extend to a nuclear attack.

BossKitty has seen this coming for over a year and written these OpEds:

America has been the epitome of self-justified consumerism for decades. America must accept that their place on the consumer, self-consumed tree of life is dropping a few branches. China and India are clambering for the top branch. The Sino-Russian alliance is reshuffling world economics. India is its own boom town. The emergence of ‘middle class’ in these countries is toppling the middle class in America. Why? Americans have become soft and impractical. Americans are consumer robots that are mesmerized by ‘image over substance’. That is exactly where America’s marketing geniuses have brought us. Some Americans are waking up to a world known by their grand parents and great grand parents. Frugal is no longer a ‘quaint concept’. Gas prices and their effect on food and necessities is the slap in the face we need to come out of the hypnosis we have been enjoying. … America has been hitting the snooze alarm too long.

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For those not paying attention, the baby steps of a serious economic and political alliance within this huge region (Asia and SouthEast Asia) is unfolding. The keystone here is Russia. With the Sino-Russian Treaty that followed the 911 attacks, Russia and China sought to strengthen their geo-political positions out of concern for US reactions. They saw the US opportunity to expand its “sphere of influence” for security reasons. They were correct. This was the impetus for Trans-Siberia Pipeline which includes the Eastern Siberia-Pacific Pipeline. Enter the opportunity to embrace the Iranian economy and promote the IPI pipeline. Russia encourages Ahmadinejad to step up the diplomacy within the region. The Sino-Russia-Iranian empire will naturally include India, Pakistan and dip into the entire South East Asia region. We are looking at an economic alliance that will rival the EU and anything the US may do to unite the Western Hemisphere.

The next President of the United States will have to deal with a very powerful economic force. The rhetoric of attacking Iran because we are “pretty sure” they want nuclear weapons because they hate Israel, threatens more than just Iran. The majority of the world population is not going to allow these threats to materialize without response. Much of this world is hungry and fears for its own future. The US has alienated many of these cultures. The hand of Ahmadinejad offers hope for sustenance in a shifting global economy.

America must choose its next president carefully. The arrogance that America’s way is the ONLY way will be its doom if the rhetoric and posturing continues. We must not forget that the Third World is much larger and more desperate than the First World.

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It appears that Russia and China are only compatible when it comes to protecting their interests with Iran. However, mixed signals about this odd couple warrant closer scrutiny. Both countries are definite about opposing western interference in places where they have material interest. This administration has done too much to push these giant countries together. Their differences are shrinking as the US becomes a bigger thorn in their security.

The more America behaves as a proprietary empire, countries will view us as a common menace. Those countries will put aside their differences to unite in a protective coalition of their own. As we see happening right now, China and Russia will stand to protect their investments and economic stability. America is creating enemies bigger than we are. Arrogance is not sustainable. Paybacks are hell …

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While we were sl