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  Since the day five years ago when President George W. Bush first looked into the eyes of the Russian leader Vladimir Putin and saw someone he could do business with Russian-US relations have steadily deteriorated. In practical terms, this translates to the US placing obstacles in the way of Russia’s WTO membership, while Moscow blocks Washington’s objectives in the UN Security Council. The Cold War may be long over but there is a definite chill in the air nowadays. 

  The schism first came to light when Putin told his nation that the collapse of the USSR was “the greatest geopolitical catastrophe” of the 20^th century and said Russia would decide for itself the pace, terms and conditions of moving towards democracy”.

  Putin’s comments were even more strident during his State of the Union address earlier this year when he stressed the need for Russia to bolster security and resist political pressure from overseas. “We must always be ready to counter any attempts to pressure Russia in order to strengthen others’ positions at our expense,” he said, adding “The stronger our military is, the less temptation there will be to exert such pressure on us”.

  “As the saying goes, Comrade Wolf knows whom to eat, it eats without listening and it is clearly not going to listen to anyone,” said Putin in what has been viewed as a direct jab at US foreign policy. “Where is all this pathos about protecting human rights and democracy when it comes to the need to pursue their own interests?”

  To investigate the causes for this renewed antagonism we need to look back at recent history.

  The toppling of the Berlin Wall on November 6, 1989 signified not only the demise of the Soviet Union but also the Cold War between the USSR and the West. A year later, Mikhail Gorbachev had clearly read the writing on the shards of that wall and cemented his process of liberalization by restoring religious freedoms and allowing private citizens to possess property. In 1991, the USSR was officially no more.

  Little did Gorbachev realize that by loosening the repressive chains throughout the Russian empire, a spirit of open discussion and independence had been unleashed that quickly sped throughout the Union and eventually became unstoppable. The result was the Great Russian bear had been de-clawed almost overnight, downgraded from a superpower into an impoverished country struggling for economic survival in a morass of confusion.

  The US and Europe could not believe their good fortune and wasted little time in wooing Eastern European countries that were former members of the Soviet bloc economically, culturally and politically. Many of these were quickly subsumed into the EU and NATO.

  Suddenly the traditional foe of the US had been wiped out without a shot fired. America – the land of the free and the brave, a bastion of human rights and civil liberties - became the world’s sole superpower. Those who had been fearful of a nuclear Armageddon relaxed for the first time in decades. Peace on Earth became an achievable reality. 

  Seventeen years on, Russia once again stands strong. Its coffers are overflowing with revenue from oil and gas, its oligarchs have been stripped of most of their powers, and its President Vladimir Putin, a no-nonsense former KGB head, is generally respected by his people.

  Russia was unrecognizable from its days as master of the old repressive Soviet era. All should have been well but there was a further shock in store.

  America, once welcomed as the world’s benign policeman, grew fangs, leaving Russia and its allies vulnerable.

  The formal dissolution of the USSR in 1991 offered new opportunities for the US, seized upon ten years later by President George W. Bush and his cabal of neo-conservatives intent on maintaining American global hegemony over land, oceans, sky and space.  Never again would another military power like the Soviet Union be allowed to emerge.

  But first the US needed to flex its muscles and show who was boss, so a new enemy had to be found. That enemy showed its face on September 11, 2001 when 19 radicals attacked America on its own soil. The “war on terror” was born.

  Russia’s new impotence was highlighted when the US invaded Afghanistan - a land the Soviets had earlier been chased from - and against Russia’s interests and wishes waged war on Saddam Hussein. According to published neo-conservative doctrine Syria and Iran were slated to be next on the list.

  At the same time, the US twisted Russia’s arm to allow it to set up bases in the Caspian – Russia’s sphere of influence, and sent its carpet baggers and rabble-rousers into Russia’s long time allies such as Ukraine, Belarus and Georgia to support pro-Western liberal movements.

  Russian officials accuse Washington of fomenting the so-called ‘velvet revolutions’ that have taken place in those countries expressly to undermine Russian influence.

  Last winter, Russia turned the screws on the Ukraine, which had voted for a Western-friendly leader, by putting the price of Russian gas up from US$50 to US$230. Kiev said the five-fold increase was politically-motivated and unfair, while Moscow claimed Kiev’s political choices implied the end of Russian energy subsidies. In other words, Ukraine could not enjoy its Western cake and enjoy cheap Russian gas at the same time.

  Russia briefly closed the tap and when European supplies dried up, Moscow accused Kiev of filching gas destined for EU states. Due to heavy European and US pressure a compromise was subsequently worked out.

In response, the US and some of its European allies are trying to prevent Russia’s takeover of Western oil and gas companies, and are influencing energy giants to re-route pipelines through Western-friendly nations, bypassing Russia.

  Ukraine’s defection was perceived by Russia as a huge blow especially since NATO is now creeping up alongside Russia’s back door. Such insecurities are thought to have prompted Russia into greater militarization and weapons development.

  We do know Russia’s reaction when George Bush unilaterally cancelled the ABM (Anti-Ballistic Missile) Treaty early in his presidency and vowed to erect a military shield to protect it and its close allies. In response, Putin committed Russia to “augmenting” its nuclear forces without regard to treaties currently in place by “mounting multiple warheads on our missiles”.

  On the surface, Russian-US relations remain cordial but Russia has been working hard to oust the US military from Uzbekistan and Kyrgystan and is out to strengthen the hand of the Syrian government as well as the Hamas-led Palestinian Authority.

  Following the Hamas victory last January, Russia was one of the first countries to invite Hamas leaders to Moscow and was accused by an Israeli minister of “stabbing Israel in the back. I wonder what Mr. Putin would say if we invited the Chechens here and talked to them”, he added.

  Strengthening its global clout, Moscow has been forging links with Tehran and Beijing and refers to both as “strategic partners”.

  Both Russia and China have thwarted US-led attempts to bring Iran’s nuclear file before the UN Security Council under Chapter 7, and both countries have signed economic, trade or energy agreements with Tehran. These moves have left Washington with little choice but to reluctantly get on board an EU diplomatic initiative, designed to quell a dangerous stand off.

  Miraculously China and Russia have managed to resolve sensitive territorial disputes, while Chinese investment is being welcomed by Moscow along with Chinese workers. This cooperation has extended to joint military exercises.

  According to the Guardian, “Russia and China are to hold ‘regular security consultations’, a relationship that China does not have with any other country”. Russia is also said to be actively helping China with its plans to launch a man into space, a move that NASA finds threatening because any improvement in Chinese rockets could translate to enhanced nuclear-missiles.

  Russia has also taken advantage of Venezuela’s frosty relations with the US to sell the Venezuelan government, led by the fiery Hugo Chavez, Russian AK-103 rifles, while Chavez says he intends to purchase Russian-made Sukhoi fighter jets to replace the country’s current stock of US planes. A Stockholm International Peace Research Institute report indicates that Russia was the world’s greatest exporter of weapons during the period 2000-2004, with the US and France lagging closely behind.

  Putin no doubt realizes that the glorious days of the Soviet empire are never going to return and the only way to gain power is to band with other like-minded nations to form a strong alliance that will counter the US and its so-called “coalition of the willing” as well as the European Union.

  To this end, Putin seeks to strengthen Russia’s alliance with Brazil, India, China and South Africa (BRICS) in the hope this emerging bloc will be able to stand its ground both economically and militarily.

  It is little wonder, therefore, that Washington is actively trying to bring Brazil and India over to its side with closer economic cooperation, and in the case of India, nuclear technology for civilian purposes. Both, Brazil and India, are seeking a permanent place on a future enlarged UN Security Council and cannot afford to offend either Russia or the US, both current incumbents with the power of veto.

  At the G8 Summit scheduled to be held in St. Petersburg mid-July, Russia hopes to sign the protocol cementing its membership of the WTO. Currently the US is the only member of the world’s most industrialized nations not to have approved Russia’s entry ostensibly due to human rights concerns and Russia’s rules relating to foreign investors. In reality the more likely reason is Russia’s continued stance over the Iranian nuclear program. If Russia decided to throw Iran to Comrade Wolf, the doors to the WTO would likely swing open.

  As for the Russians themselves they are divided over what sort of relationship their country should have with the US. Many have gained a new sense of patriotism and pride, emotions that were weakened after the collapse of the USSR, while others decry Putin’s control of the media, re-nationalization policies and authoritarian rule.

  Whatever the future holds there is one thing for sure. If Bush looked into Putin’s eyes today, he would see a strong determined individual out to gain respect for his nation and bring security to his people even if this means waking the Russian bear from a 17-year-long period of hibernation.