A passing of a cold warrior, Leonid Vladimirovich Shebarshin

This post by Milt Bearden over on Foreign Policy caught my eye this afternoon as I was browsing the web. While probably not the most positive way to restart this blog, it does maybe bookend a chapter in history that in a somewhat very vague way is a repeat of past history. I can't help but wonder as another chapter closes on Afghanistan, what new challenges faces us? Clearly the US Government believes the its future focus lies in the pacific rim. Maybe it does, but with all that goes on in Central Asia and the near abroad, I can't help but wonder if our attention will be drawn back there. Will it be a repeat of the Cold War? Doubtful, but one still wonders what challenges for the US and Europe will emerge as the old "frozen conflicts" continue in the warming, flowing waters of the modern world. Sphere: Related Content

Yep, still, alive! Just been really busy. Over the next few weeks expect to see posts on the upcoming elections, sochi, the stans and maybe a thing or two on the Russian military. If your looking to pick up some swag, check out Steve Levine's blog over at FP and get in on the bidding for the next prez of Russia. Sphere: Related Content

2012 Elections news

LA Times story on Putin's latest moves toward the 2012 elections. It seems he's out and about on a psuedo campaign. With a higher profile now, it may be the start of him attempting to retake the presidency in two years. Time will tell.

Contrast the LA Times story of Putin's activities with this clip from the current president that he posted on twitter. I'm sure Medvedev has done alot more (I've been very behind on my russian news) but it sounds like Putin may have the lead on him in terms of dealing with the recent disasters in Russia and portraying himself as the more able leader.
Sphere: Related Content

Busted!

Woke up this morning to the report that the FBI had (or is) arrested 11 members of a russian spy ring operating on the East Coast. According to the new reports, all were "illegals" operating under a cover provided by the SVR. Oleg Kalugin is quoted as being surprised that the SVR had so many "illegals" operating here in the states.

So the question stands that as to why now? What will the impact be on US-Russia relations. As to the why now, I don't know, but it will be interesting to see when and how the Russians drop the other shoe in Moscow. If anything, the spy ring may have made some critical advance in it efforts to There is most likely an interesting backstory to this that we will not be privy to for several years. What will the impact be on relations? Probably none as the Russians have begun to tilt a little more westward. Sphere: Related Content

President Medvedev hits the Twitter...

Prez D Medvedev has gone and gotten a Twitter account just in time for the G20 conference in Toronto. I'll have to say he's not doing a bad job of tweeting. But based on his tweets you can see where he is pushing his international agenda with his Twitter that

The #G8 and #G20 were productive. We discussed important issues for everyone: drug trafficking, the environment, nuclear safety and finance.

Although I think he needs to get the word out more. He does trail Prez Obama by about 44 million followers. Sphere: Related Content

Russia wants to build new US air refueling tanker?

Saw this interesting report on CNN this morning. While it will most likely be DOA in the US Congress for several reasons, it was interesting to read this. While the Russian side of the story focused on the economic aspects such a deal, such as broader access to foreign markets, the reader can't help to wonder about how it ties in with Russia's military modernization efforts. Russia is still pushing forward with its purchase of an amphibious ship from France and UAVs from different countries. So I think in the end, this proposal represents two efforts by the Russians, an attempt to gain better access to various markets based their competition for the refueling tanker and more access to western technology and the acquisition process. Sphere: Related Content

This is a follow up of sorts to my post on "Operation Sapphire", which was the US operation to remove a large amount of highly enriched uranium from Kazakhstan.

The Washington Post today has an online pictorial and story by Philip Pan that describe the results of Soviet nuclear weapons testing in Kazakhstan and the current struggle to control access to uranium in the country. Pan does a good job looking in depth at the issues of uranium access that cross borders from Russia, to Japan, North America and Europe. One note on the online pictorial, some of the images of the people affected by the radiation from the testing can be rather graphic and stark, so consider yourself warned before you click on the link.

What should be of concern in who ends up with control of Kazakh uranium are the regional concerns as Iran looks to develop its nuclear program. While it looks like there is no direct outright connection between Kazakh uranium and Iran's nuclear program has been acknowledeged officially that I know of, the geography of the area makes the possibility of a connection a little more real.

David Hoffman, a Washington Post contributing editor, has released a new book, Dead Hand, that explores the history of the US/USSR arms race during the 80s and 90s. In it, he devotes a few pages to Operation Sapphire in which he does report a connection between Kazakhstan and Tehran. His reporting only makes the concern of a connection between Central Asia and Iran's nuclear program a little more real. If you don't have time to get the book, take a listen to Terrry Gross' interview with Hoffman on her NPR Show Fresh Air.

Thanks to the Perry Castaneda online map collection at University of Texas for the map of Central Asia. Sphere: Related Content