> thus supporting the West's economic recovery. He's also been extremely
> accommodating re the US ABM treaty violations and the present unilateral
> annulment. His economy is doing well, too. So I don't see why US banks would
> deny him what he needs to cash in on the pipeline deal.
Eurobanks, not US banks -- 70% of Russia's foreign debt is owed to German banks alone. Putin doesn't give a damn about the ABM because (1) everyone except the US Regency knows it's a perfectly idiotic Cold War boondoggle which will only enfeeble the US economy further, and (2) the real action is, how soon does Russia get to join the EU. At least four countries will join in 2004, maybe more, and most of Eastern Europe will be in by 2010. There's a good summary of what the acquis involves at:
http://europa.eu.int/comm/enlargement/docs/newsletter/latest_weekly.htm
-- Dennis