Kursk? Has anyone heard of the USS Greeneville? At least the Russians only sink their own ships.

If it is OK for NATO to exercise near Russian borders then it is OK for Russia to exercise near NATO's borders.

Some people apparently need reminding that this is a reaction to the stupid renunciation by the US of the ABM treaty and the intention to install potential nuclear tipped missiles near the Russian border. Nuclear tipped you ask?

So far the only targets that the US can hit have homing beacons on, are launched when the Radars are expecting them and have no evasive capability. If the intention is to hit anything then they are going to get real warheads. Somehow this may be considered "unacceptable". How would the US like Russian nuclear tipped warheads in Cuba? Whoops, been there done that!

Jeff Larsen, Chch , NZ

Interesting article. The Russian "blue-water" navy has been playing catchup for 40 years EXCEPT for their "sunfire" surface to surface anti-ship missle ; which is a remarkable weapon. Although the Kursk was an embarrassing fiasco, at first blamed on the west by Russian admirals, that submarine accident belongs to another era. With proper funding , thanks to renewed oil money, the Russian navy could become a moderate danger to the west although quiet diesel submarines are more of a menace presently and are being trained for off the San Diego coast by the US navy today. Russia represents a one-dimensional economic threat today only thanks to the higher price of oil but with the destruction of Yukos their oil production is off slightly. After working in Russia, I can only say that they are friendly people but the national character of corruption will be their undoing unless they open to western ideals of commerce and morality; which I doubt they ever will.

bob , SPRINGFIELD, VA, usa

Fair enough! You continue telling yourself mantras about Russia falling apart, and we will continue building its economy, army, and navy.

Andrej, Edinburgh,