Putin, The Russian Magician

Russian prime Minister Vladimir Putin has displayed the skills of the KGB apparatchik par-excellence that he is. With the Russian invasion into Georgia, Putin has accomplished several important strategic goals with one move.

It is obvious that Putin is exerting direct pressure on Georgia and the other former Soviet states in Eurasia that have embraced the west. What is less obvious is that he has caused the eyes of the west to divert from the more serious problem of nuclear proliferation in Iran. Russia has always stymied in imposition of tough United nations sanction against Iran and now the world's focus has shifted to Georgia.

Is Iran near some nuclear nuclear milestone that would be make it impossible to prevent the development of an atomic weapon? With Georgia drawing all the attention of a new pole-dancing stripper, might the more important but uncovered story be Iran, Israel, and nuclear weapons?

Don't be surprised if Putin feels he can fully exploit other areas of geopolitical strength during this period of United States weakness. And don't let the magician's misdirection tricks fool you.