In practice there is a Euro-Russian partnership over gas and, increasingly, over a wide range of other goods and services as well.

But do the Americans realise this? They didn't realise the development of the EU from a "free-trade" zone to a confederal entity until it was too late to block it, after all. And most of the positive EU-Russia relations take the form of commercial deals (which American agit-prop may have indoctrinated them to view as 'apolitical') and takes place in funny languages like German and Russian. Meanwhile, the 51st State of the Union (complete with its state press) is busy telling everybody how Euro-Russian relations are going to Hell in a handbasket.

It wouldn't be the first time the Americans drank their own koolaid.

- Jake

If you only spend 20 minutes of the rest of your life on economics, go spend them here.