Greece's Tsipras heads to Moscow

[cromwell]

And are not the Russians trying to do a deal with Cyprus for use of one of its naval bases?

They are already using them Os. The deal was done in 2013.

Ooops. My mistake, the deal was signed in February of this year. Russia gave Cyprus some "debt relief" in return for using its ports.

[Workingman]

In times of peace naval vessels can use international waters unhindered. That means the Russian Black Sea fleet can pass through the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Gallipoli into the Aegean and then into the Med. Having "use of" a port 70 miles neared home than its proper purpose built naval base in Tartus is neither here nor there.

[Suff]

NATO has always been comfortable with the route through the Bosphorus, Sea of Marmara and Gallipoli into the Aegean and then into the Med for USSR and Russian naval vessels. It is seen as a serious bottleneck and a massive threat to their ability to sortie vessels into a safer theatre of action.

Russia is currently bringing it's entire military to a higher level of activity. Gaining ports in Greece and Cyprus can only be seen to be an escalation of that as it repositions the Russian navy in a much more favourable light (to Russia), in the south.

Doing a little bit of lateral thinking right now makes for highly interesting outcomes. During the 80's America, led by Regan, started an arms race which lead to the virtual bankrupting of the USSR which led to the breakup of the USSR and the fall of (western) communism.

Today all of NATO is up to their eyes (or over their heads) in debt. Most are drawing down on their military expenditure and looking to reduce their forces around the world. China is a massive industrial powerhouse who's economy is rapidly coming up to USA/EU size and Russia is energy rich.

I find it quite interesting that Putin has chosen this time to significantly increase his military force readiness and that his advisors are talking about their nuclear "capability" rather than deterrent. I doubt very much that port facilities for Russian naval vessels will be seen by NATO as anything other than a further escalation of that trend.

So, back to Greece. If this happens then the EU has absolutely nobody but itself to blame. The IMF argued heavily against doing what they are currently doing to Greece. The IMF has been dealing with this kind of issue for many decades, the EU has been dealing with it for less than one. Yet the EU And the ECB are, of course, correct.

There is nothing good that can come of what is happening in Greece today. Except for those who quietly fixed their own mess at the expense of the PIIGS....