There's a Bear in the Woods

George W. Bush's single greatest miscalculation in office was looking Vladimir Putin in the eyes believing he understood his soul. After their first meeting, Bush believed Putin to be straightforward and trustworthy. In reality, he has brought the bear out of hibernation.

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall, Russia has become strong thanks to its oil based economy. At home, our economy has weakened--a slave to foreign oil. Democrats in Congress fight against allowing Americans to drill here, drill now. As our economy sags, and democratic leaders decide windmills and solar power are the solutions, the bear is ready to roar. Russia is rebuilding, and those who doubt there is a new cold war are fools.

Americans haven't paid attention to Putin's nationalization of over 50% of the oil and 89% gas assets in Russia. Putin has placed loyalist and former KGB members to run these assets, and he has been successful in building wealth that didn't exist after the Russian Revolution. Putin has used KGB tactics to seize these assets, including intimidation, harassment, unjustified investigations, and unfair taxation, resulting in the arrest and imprisonment of the owners of these assets. Do you have doubts now ?

British Petroleum learned the hard way not to trust the new Russia. Earlier this year, in a joint effort with Russia's third -largest oil company, BP officials underwent harassment and were forced to flee Russia.

The United States isn't the only place that's regretting poor energy policy. Western Europe is drunk on Russian energy like its vodka. Their security is compromised from the dependence on Russia, and it plays into Putin's goal of rebuilding his CCCP (USSR for you laypersons). Putin isn't fond of the friendships we have developed with former Warsaw Pact nations. He threatened to point missiles at Poland if we set up a missile defense system in Poland. Our eyes should focus on all of Europe. This time it may fall because we allow environmentalism to shape domestic policy allowing unfriendly nations to control oil supplies.

Putin's vision is scary considering they have learned from the mistakes of their failed communist state. As our economy struggles, Russia's focus is on building strength economically, militarily, and through alliances around the world. Obama’s defense policy is flawed for this new world and shows that he doesn't realize the dangers of the awakened bear. Obama wants to cut research into weapons needed to silence the roaring bear. Like it or not, there’s a new arms race coming, and we are forced to play along. Putting off the unavoidable will cost us dearly.

Putin continues to build alliances with known enemies of the United States. Most recently, the Russian Navy ships sailed to Valenzuela. Hugo Chavez looks for military cooperation with Putin, who will resume full power in January. Putin has also agreed to sell Chavez weapons.

In Iran, Putin has supported the Iranian military buildup. Putin warned the west against an attack on Iran, specifically aimed at their nuclear weapons development facility. Both Israel and the United States have let Iran get too far while allowing them time to develop bonds with Putin.

Now we have the rock star President, void of substance in matters of foreign relations and world conflict. His young supporters never lived with the Soviet threat. For all we know, it might not even appear in the revised history books, or it's just a video game reference for them. Communism and totalitarianism are not the buzzwords that they were when I sat in Mr. Jeffries social studies class in seventh grade fearing the reality of The Day After. The world is a dangerous place and real change is happening, but not the change those who don’t understand these buzzwords are ready for.