Are we headed toward renewed conflict with Russia?

Russia's name is popping up all too frequently for comfort - allied against the US. What have we got? Well, we have Russian made weapons in Iraq. We have Russia standing by Iran (and purportedly giving them nuclear advice). We have Russia voting against the US actions and plans in Iraq on the UN Security Council. And now we have this report by Richard Ehrlich US Selling High Tech Missiles To Thailand (Scoop, 11/06/03).

BANGKOK, Thailand -- The U.S. is supplying Advanced Medium Range Air-to-Air Missiles (AMRAAMs) to Thailand because of "an imminent threat" posed by Russian rockets offered to China and Malaysia, according to weapons monitors.

...

"The Bush administration told Congress earlier this year that Beijing's ability to relocate the missiles, and Russian offers to sell Adders to Malaysia, create an imminent threat justifying AMRAAM deliveries to Thailand and Singapore," Arms Control Today reported.

Under the new arrangement, Singapore could receive up to 100 AMRAAMs while Taiwan may receive 200 AMRAAMs, according to weapons monitors.

A Russia-Malaysia weapons deal, worth an estimated 900 million U.S. dollars, was clinched during Russian President Vladimir Putin's visit in August to Kuala Lumpur, the report said.

Mr. Putin agreed to supply 18 advanced combat aircraft, known as Su-30MKM jets, to Malaysia within the next few years, it said.

"An educated guess would be that Russia will sell AA-12s to Malaysia to arm the planes," Mr. Boese said.

So what is up? Is Russia lining up allies? Allies such as China - a long term adversary? China who is apparently allies now with Pakistan since they had joint naval exercises? Pakistan who allegedly exported nuclear weapons technology to North Korea and now Sudia Arabia? Or how about Iran- a long term region of contest between the US and Russia? And now that reach seems expanding rather rapidly.

Are we going back to Russia and the US fighting each other through intermediaries while waving nuclear annihilation under each other's noses? Of course what is now spreading across the globe between old enmies, new enemies and questionable allies is that same nuclear weapons capability. It makes me feel all warm inside knowing that the world is a "safer" place now that we have ar global war on terrorism, and everbody grabbing whatever weapons they can, and even France going both nuclear and preemptive. Yep, I feel a whole lot safer. It also makes all the conflict-based companies and those they support (you know, the military - industrial - congressional complex) feel like they are secure fore the foreseeable future as well.