It's Not Really A Game Is It?

Recently it has struck me how it is openly spoken of by everyone except the people in power (in any country making a 'geopolitical' play) as to why they are supporting financially and/or militarily this group or that group as part of a strategic national interest.

The two most obvious candidates are the Russians and the Saudi Arabians.

The Russian goal is to insure that the Ukraine at the worst is a neutral country whose foreign policy is controlled by the Russians.  I am not commenting on whether or not this is a rational goal, nor suggesting that it is only the Russians engaging in subversive actions in the Ukraine.  I am merely stating the Russian goals and outlining what they are doing to achieve said goals.

For despite the rhetoric that emanates out of the Kremlin is is clear that the Russians support the Russian separatists and will continue to do so as a means of applying pressure on the Kiev government until they accept Russian demands.

Then I move to Iraq where the trail is somewhat murkier but there too the Saudis, who are still fighting a war of succession over who is in charge of the world's Muslims which started almost 1400 years ago, are stirring it up to try and maintain their grip on the Middle East.

Now I know the US does it as well and so it is unfair of me to highlight these two luminaries, but the US has been the villain of choice for ever so I don't feel obligated to drag them into this discussion, especially because recently, for better or for worse they have put their mouth where their money is and sent US troops to try and impose their geopolitical vision as opposed to the current paradigm of surrogates doing a country's dirty work.

I am appalled by the way they all, but recently especially the Russians and the Saudis take the old adage that war is just the continuation of politics by other means, and apply it so literally.