It’s not often

that one agrees with everything that President Putin says. But in yesterday’s address at a high level security conference in Munich, he said, among other things, that the US was acting as the world’s sole superpower in a unipolar world, that it was exercising an almost uncontrolled use of military force to get its way, that it was flouting international law, that it was making the world a more dangerous place, that it was inspiring terrorism and forcing smaller countires to seek weapons of mass destruction for their protection.

In other words, that US policy is having the precisely oposite effect from what was ostensibly intended.

I would say the speech should get a 100% accuracy grade. Using the US’s (then) military supremacy to achieve dominance in world affairs, correct me if in error, was precisely the neocon’s agenda, as made specific in the writings emanating from the wood-panelled right-wing think tanks, in the early years of the Bush administration.

‘Surprising and disappointing’, was the State Department’s reaction. I’ll bet. ‘An unnecessary confrontation’ said someone. “If Russia wants meaningful relations with the West…” pompously began the overweight, superannuated Republican John McCain. It might actually be a case of things being the other way around.

‘Back to the cold war?’ posed the Babbling Broadcasting Corporation.

No, none of these things. Just a (re)emerging power flexing its muscles, and laying out a few, long overdue home truths. The US would be well advised to listen.