What to do - the economy or the Israeli's or Gazprom

Its not too long ago that the western "democracies" of Europe were held ransom by the rising oil producing nations of the middle east and the UK and others vowed never to be so energy dependent again on one supplier. So when we now find that Europe, thankfully not including the UK, has tossed all of its apples into the Russian Gas basket and been royally shafted by the Russian government we can only look on incredulous.

Any argument that the former Soviet state has changed its ways or is now dependent upon the west for its economic success and will behave, or that we can do business with these people is madness. Thankfully the oil producing middle eastern states have turned out to be a far more honest broker than the Russians ever will. Russian actions and Russian diplomacy are no more than the machinations of the playground but on a far grander scale.

For contemporary examples of their values look no further than the BP conflict last year where in effect the state government intervened to pervert an investment in favour of Russia's finest bent oligarchs.

Look also at the invasion of Georgia, designed to prevent the "defection" of states to the Nato or EU umbrella.

Or perhaps look at the murder of Litvinenko.

We as a nation should not entertain the notion that Russia is a changed place or that Putin is a person you can deal with. He represents no more than the sick face of the same clique that has dominated Russia for the last 90 years be it under communism or the new model, the bottom line is a self interested cabal in power protecting only their own interests.

Even at a basic level the row with the Ukraine over the gas price, a year on year increase of 100%, is a direct state sponsored mission by a "private company" (a cash cow extension of the corrupt Russian leadership) to prevent the Ukraine from joining Nato. Putin has more in common with Mugabe than any other political leader as he and his cronies bleed the Russian state for all it is worth.