Matthew's Journal

I'm with you. I'm just about to turn (gulp!) 36 - but I don't feel this is 'approaching 40'. That'll be when I'm 38 or so ;)

I grew up with the Cold War, and I still remember just how far-reaching the effects of it were.

In some ways I contrast current political/inter-country climates with what I remember of back then, and it has marked differences. The current 'climate of terror' bears similarities but is also very dissimilar. The Cold War had more of a feel of being bounded by rules, by action and consequence, and to some extent you had a feel for the possible ramifications and what might happen. Terrorism is devoid of that 'playing by the rules, even if the rules aren't fair' feel. There are no rules, the terrorists have nothing to lose (except their own lives, and they see that as acceptable for the greater gain), whereas a nation has a lot more to lose (or win) and tends to act with greater consideration and forethought, in ways that will bring about what they want without being wholly isolated by the rest of the world.

I think it is interesting that some people react with 'gasp, but how COULD Russia behave like this' whereas to me it is more 'Russia is acting in a way that resembles the past, rather than the 'new Russia' that came about after the end of the cold war'.

There have been many changes in that region since the end of the cold war, some good, some not so good, and I am not surprised at the current turn of events.