My dear friend, Vlad.

Why is it we have to keep meeting like this?

I offer you a joint Arctic development deal with Canada and you decide to plant a flag on your own, in your country’s name, of course.

Is it Sarkozy or Hillary that has your feathers ruffled?

Is the great Russian bear feeling shackled by his own political ambitions?

Large gas reserves and a huge land mass.  What else do you want?

Lucky for me, I have undeveloped acres of land available nearby in which I can find a few wild, untamed beings to observe and say to myself, “There is something more important than little, ol’ me.”

The KGB is no more but the CIA lives on.

Let’s put the bottle of vodka on the table between us and throw down a few nightcaps.

You may have many “comforters” waiting for you in your bed.

I tied myself to a promise of monogamy long ago.

We are who we are.

Tell us what’s really going on in your thoughts.

Old political polemics went out of fashion with poets like Pushkin.

We will all profit from new ventures.

But you already know that.

Here’s to you, comrade.  Bottoms up!