Yeah; thats why I thought it odd they are so eager to unify their military operations. I think; Russia has the largest stores of oil outside the middle east. China needs oil. We stepped into Iraq to secure the middle east oil reserves for us. This event must have precipitated this re-alignment of alliances. Putin is a guy who is going to be independant and he wants to show the world this. This is my thinking; I no longer read political blogs because they are all full of caca. Right and left. So don't blame anyone but me.