1 Let the geopolitics begin! Lots of folks who used to see this region as their sphere of influence are not going to like this much.

2 Absolutely amazing when one thinks back to the Cold War. If the USA geta a Black Sea port Putin will NOT be pleased.

3 But you are trading Romania and Bulgaria for Germany and the UK. Do you know how much harder that is to talk your wife into taking those orders......

4 This is nothing more than a strategic move that recognizes the major new threat to security posed by Iran. I feel sure that Putin and the Russians were given assurances prior to any agreement for US bases in Romania. Iran is now the number one threat to world security. One cannot be sure what the madman who leads Iran will do, but the US needs to surface a couple of nuclear submarines armed with nuclear warheads in the Persian Gulf for the Iranians to see. And it should be made very clear to the Iranians that these missles are aimed at them just in case the Iranians get stupid and think they can target the US or its interests in the area without fear of a massive retaliation.

5 Putin is an idiot who should not spend one more day in office. He seeks to thwart America's efforts to fight terrorism while Russians are being murdered by terrorists, and turns a blind eye to the fact that Russian arms dealers are still supplying terrorists with weapons and explosives. He is just another of what my friend from Belarus calls an "unhappy old communist" who can't get over the fact that we won the cold war. He is taking Russia down a path from which there can be no return if things aren't done quickly to turn around. Russia is still hostile to foreign investment, corruption is rampant, Russians are emigrating as fast as they can, and the birth rate isn't even high enough to match the death rate. All these factors taken together spell the end of Russian history, yet Putin can't even bring himself to face reality and embrace the only nation on earth that can help.

6 Eventually all the slavs will kiss and make up with the Russians. Its only natural even given recent bad blood (exclusively associated with communism). Western Europeans never liked any of them anyway (and have an even longer history of bad blood with them). Our relationship with Russia is strange. Under the surface (table) it is a hell of a lot better than most realize. Russia may be down but in time may well come back. Post War W Europe has always been a collection of voyeur pussies. Soft and self-absorbed in their personal view of their social intellectual superiority and in their faded luxuries. The slavs (all of them) are tough hard earthy people and nothing at all like the W Europeans. As long as we don't go all Starbucks and Continental - we got a lot to work with and in common with those slavs. The future is not set - and a lot of people are looking for who to hook up with. Don't be surprised if the road to Eastern Europe leads to Russia with us on it - looking to hang out and pal around with people WE KNOW ARE NOT PUSSIES - and know how to party too.

7 Romania, don't.

8 Considering that the live birth rate in Russia doesn't match the emigration and mortality rate, Russia's future doesn't look good. Communism killed Russian culture, and destroyed any bonds of kinship that the people felt with one another, as well as creating an subculture of crime and corruption that permeates the entire society and every branch of government. It isn't possible to do business in Russia without paying massive bribes at every turn, and drug and alcohol abuse is so bad that the work force is incapable of meeting business needs. The glory of socialism wrought in full. Look at Russia and see the future of America if the liberals get their way.

9 Maxie All true but there is hope. Russians are tough people - and they do have a quality not found it the West save the US. A strong sense and pride in nationalism. Nothing wrong with nationalism (it can be abused like anything else). "They'll Be Back" - what form it will take - who knows. It will not be communism. Many there consider it a patheticly failed imported joke that did nothing more than undermine the true Russian sense of self-identity.

10 I hope you're right hondo, but the trends indicate a rapid circling of the drain. The infrastructure is dilapidated, the military is hovering near death, and the people just don't care. I would really hate to see one of the great European cultures disappear, but I'm afraid that's the way it will be.

11 I agree with Hondo. Russians are tough. They will be back. I see them as allies in the war against islamofacism.