Sparking Debate

The Russian-Chinese military exercises expose a significant change in how Moscow can direct foreign policy from the Soviet days. Back then the Kremlin could do what it wanted and the public be damned. Putin may pine for those days but when Russia gets cozy with a growing giant, not all Russians are content to let Putin build up such an obvious potential threat to a still-shrinking Russia:

But the exercises have sparked debate in Russia over how closely the nation should cooperate with China, which many Russians see as a potential threat because of its size, economic might and proximity to sparsely populated, resource-rich Siberia.

Gee. Ya think?

The Russians need to get over the Soviet empire. It's gone. Time for them to look around and see the true threats to their well being. And see who their potential friends are.

I hope that debate in Russia kicks in pretty quickly.