Time to stop the nicey-nice with Putin

I started warning back in September of 2004 that we needed to be extremely wary of Russia. Now it appears that Russia is turning into the arms dealer of choice for nations that wish harm on the United States. They are behind many of Iran's new toys, and now they are helping arm Venezuela:

Venezuela has taken delivery of three Russian-built military helicopters - the first of a total of 15 it has so far ordered from Moscow.

President Hugo Chavez said they would help to protect Venezuela if the US ever mounted an invasion.

Mr Chavez also repeated that he was ready to buy Russian fighter jets.

Owen is correct in pointing out that Venezuela is a growing threat in this hemisphere. That threat will likely be projected in South America first through the strong arming of Venezuela's neighbors. The ease at which nuclear technology is acquired in this day and age means that it is a short jump from Chavez credibly threatening South America to him credibly threatening the entire hemisphere. And Russia is the hand behind this puppet.

I've been really hammering on the Iran situation lately, and now this, but I don't want anyone to think that I'm just another alarmist. I'm really not. The game of international power is an often times bloody chess match, and I'm concerned that we are already three moves behind in this game. While our focus has been on the war on terror (and rightly so), China and Russia have tightened relations while stirring the pot in North Korea, Iran, and Venezuela. It is time that we started playing those two nations off each other again while isolating their neuvo-satellite states.