Overzealous Russians

One thing we can all agree on, as we each individually overzealously prosecute our pet issues (Desert Fox: Hockey and Heath Ledger, GreatOne: Gretzker, the Budget, and being an Independent, etc.), is that the Russians are playing a hilarious, if ill-advised, game of political hooky. The definitive geopolitical post on the subject, in my mind, comes from the spectacular Geographic Travels with Catholicgauze blog.

Now Canada has rushed into the thick of things as well, sending my favorite Canadian Prime Minister ever to assert sovereignty. Since many believe him to be more frigid than the Arctic Circle, this my have the effect of reversing the alleged warming going on and putting the chill on overzealous Russian claims to the region based on the most noble of "tectonic" shifts along with a hint of Vodka and maybe a pinch of desperation-- and all designed to cause uncertainty (this is a must read link).

The politics will play out similarly to, but perhaps faster than, the Spratly Islands dispute. In the vacuum of a real power (the UN handling either of these is such a joke), it will take time, money, and power to resolve both.

Who will be more overzealous? Russia or Canada? I propose an ultimate hockey death match, like the 1956 Olympic water polo match between Russia and Hungary, to find out. (Only, well, Russia didn't back out after they lost... hmmm.)