A Nirvana of Pacifism and Cronyism are Just one more Arms Sale Away

Behold, the Axis of Weasels rides again, only the usual European outlook which inflates its' global importance is calling it "a New Power Alliance."

Moscow is flush with cash from energy sales and arms producers in France, Italy and Germany are happy to take large chunks of it. They are busily selling Russia advanced weapons, sensitive dual-use systems and military supplies. All this indicatesunprecedented Russian openness about (and need to) buy advanced weapons systems. Moreover, Moscow-based experts say privately that the Kremlin hopes the arms deals help revive the Russian-French-German axis that began to emerge in 2003 in opposition to the US-Iraq war.

Which was all about high-minded human rights and whirled peas, if you were gullible enough to take them at their word.

Recent military sales include a record-breaking deal signed on June 17 between France and Russia. Moscow bought two French Mistral-class assault ships/helicopter carriers worth more than $1.4 billion, and it has options for purchasing two more. This is the largest deal between a NATO country and Russia since the alliance's inception and the largest defense sale from a Western power to Russia since the World War II-era land lease.

Which, without one shred of conscience, included NATO shared technology. Abiding by the lack of principles that Russia historically exhibits, would have been in Qaddafi's hands if this happened earlier.

You might recall that the French are at war with Qaddafi, and that too is about high-minded human rights and whirled peas too.

On the same day, Germany's leading producer of military technology, Reinmetall, signed a $398 million contract with Russia to develop a "combat training center for Russian ground forces."

Which must giver German militarists, all three of them, a woody knowing that they will sell Russia a combat training center, and probably also run it, while the nation of pacifist fantasies is dismantling a military that's already too understrength and poorly trained to deploy anywhere effectively.

You know the drill. Repeat after me: these are your "allies," America! All of that "smart diplomacy" will do its' magic in no time flat.

The United States has remained remarkably quiet on this issue, but outgoing Defense Secretary Robert Gates and others in the Pentagon have tacitly objected to these and other deals. Nevertheless, the Obama administration decided against going to bat against such arms sales. At this point, Washington and its key NATO allies can ill afford another spat that may compromise its near-term operations, like those in Afghanistan and in Libya. And, of course, should Washington raise vocal opposition, it might jeopardize the "reset," the ultimate objective of Obama's Russia policy.