I mean, lets play back the events of oil the last two years.

Russia aids in the ukrain liberation. The us overproduces oil and drops the value of oil. The rupel, completly supported by russias oil production goes into free fall. This continues until American refineries are at maximum capacity. All the while, the oil oligopoly of opec does not adjust their production to alter the price in their traditional fashion.

The production slows, we find ourselves at war with isis. Isis uses black market oil to fund itself, and we see the same thing happen again.

Usually the price of oil spikes because of wars. We are using oil production to harm our enemies.

@Frog - this is the problem with resource based economies, they cannot thrive forever. Russia had the chance to move into tech, but VP killed it and innovation stalled - look at Japan - they have no resources to speak of, they rebuilt there country with industrial innovation...look at oil rich MidEast....no innovation there...what will they do when the party ends...

Russia is with us in spirit in ME, they have been suffering from terrorism for years - I'm sure Putin was completely perplexed by our stance on Syria.

Because they stationed a bunch of troops near Russia, causing the Russian aggression.

The cold war changes the nature of warefar between powerful nations. They don't send armies to fight. They use money to fight.

Traditional wars don't make money for anyone accept the people prodoucing the weapons. Traditional warefare destorys capital.

It is already there, a soft war, where Russia through poxy moves forward, Ukraine, Georgia, Armenia...etc.
They subsidise anti EU/Nationalist parties in Europe.
They are very sneaky and being European I see them as a major threat. Russian nationalism runs high, people are nostalgic of the greatness of the USSR and it allows their leaders to highjack democracy to re-establish an authoritarian and imperialist regime.

They're fighting proxy wars against each other almost everywhere. A direct war won't be possible because the ramifications would be far worse than what history has witnessed.

chernobylplayground that would be a catastrophe for the world but I think there is more mutual understanding now between Russia and the united states although I am a bit sceptical of putin and the games he plays I think the likelihood of this occurring very slim though the only thing that does cause me alarm is the thought of numpty trump in the white house and putin still in the kremlin

Nah - Russian presidential election in 2018..they only fight with little guys so they feel tough

very likely if NATO wants it enough

NATO?????????????

All depends on NATO.

Agreed , Mrs :(

:/ trump in office equals impending wars imo

I suppose that would depend on where one would live.

Why do you think NATO would want that?

Smiler, I'm in agreement of what you said ... I don't trust pooty ...and Triump , well, that just gives me nightmares ...oh gawd he picked a VP ...oy vey * has gas now * 😱

Great way to make more MONEY!

Unfortunately , you are correct ,bare

Makes sense to me ....

:/

Yes, fwoggy * sigh*

Ha! Big bullies ...