While Our Heads Are Buried in The Financials, Russia Swoops Into Our Backyard!

The financial news this week has been frightening to say the least. However, hidden deep behind the financial news is an even bigger threat that has gone undetected in it's entirety by the American public and most politicians. While we have our eyes on Wall Street, Russia has it's eye on us.

On September 8, Russia announced that it will send a naval squadron and long-range patrol planes this year to Venezuela for a joint military exercise in the Caribbean. On September 10, two Russian strategic bombers landed in Venezuela. Both countries say that they were holding joint military exercises over neutral water before the planes return to Russia. This is a direct response to America's defense of Georgia. The US currently has ships off the coast of Georgia delivering aide supplies.

This week Russia took it's aggression a step further agreeing to an arms deal with both Iran and Venezuela. Russia is sending anti-aircraft systems to Iran despite objections from the United States. Russia is offering to send it's S-300 surface-to-air missile system to protect Iran from a possible attack on it's nuclear facilities by either the U.S. or Israel.

Russia also disclosed that Hugo Chavez and crew have requested anti-aircraft systems, armored personnel carriers, and a new fighter jet that will be in production in the next few years. Russia has increased it's own military spending this year by 20-25% above it's 2007 military expenditures. We have had our eye on Iraq and Afghanistan for so long that we are missing an even bigger threat creeping into our own backyard.

I have watched Senator Obama's response to the financial crisis in the past few days. He didn't take a stance on whether we should be bailing out these institutions until the Bush administration did it for him. He says he has his own plan on the issue, but won't share it until he reviews Henry Paulson's plan. How long would it take him to make a decision on our national security?

Also in the news today, was the announcement that Governor Palin had been uninvited to a rally in support of Israel. Senator Clinton was originally schedule to attend, but withdrew from the event after Palin was invited. After Clinton withdrew, Obama supporters, if not the campaign itself, pressured the Jewish groups holding the event to uninvite Palin.

If the Democrats and Senator Obama cannot reach across the aisle on something both sides agree with, how will they reach across the aisle to deal with bigger conflicts? We need someone who will put politics to the side and deal with these growing threats head on.

We must get our heads out of the ground and start watching all of the threats against us. It doesn't help that Russia and China just bought up half of our country in the past few weeks while we were worried about the almighty buck.