But six years on down the track things have changed dramatically; Russia has once again instigated growing concerns at the display of its military muscles being flexed. Under the leadership of the uncrowned tsar, Vladimir Putin, Russia has been transformed from its weakening status into an emerging superpower willing to compete for supremacy on the global scene. The Russian nation is drenched in oil money, and President Putin has declared that a staggering amount of $250 Billion will be invested to expanding its military infrastructure over the next few years. The question however is, who is this military build-up being aimed at? The underlying motivation behind the increase in military expenditure is to increase Russia's ability to compete for global supremacy. As far as global opinions, only three superpowers exist, being comprised of the United States, China and Russia. However Putin has turned China into a strategic compatriot through the Shanghai Cooperation Organization, which recently conducted a war game located in the Ural Mountains involving 6,500 Russian troops. It was the first time in Russian-Chinese history that combined Russian-Chinese military war games was held on Russian soil.

The Shanghai Cooperation Organization have been in existence for eleven years, and has often come under intense scrutiny from the West being labelled as a “club of dictators” - its members also include the authoritarian governments of former Soviet republics Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan and Uzbekistan. Sceptics from the U.S. government have likened it to the former Warsaw Pact that is aiming to act as a counter balance to NATO. Washington's request for observer status within the organization was ceremoniously dumped by the SCO, while it welcomed Iranian participation. The SCO “is an incipient counterweight” to the U.S. and NATO, Kupchan says. “If they spike it with Iran, you've got something ugly.” Russian President Putin has forged alliances with China and Iran whom can collectively easily counter U.S. supremacy. A new era has dawned.

Likened to the Cold War from the past, Russia has becoming increasingly drastic in order to display their newfound assertiveness to the global community. On August 17 2007 Vladimir Putin announced to the world, Russia was to revive Soviet-era practice of sending bomber aircraft on regular patrols beyond its borders. "We have decided to restore flights by Russian strategic aviation on a permanent basis. Today, August 17 at 00:00 hours, 14 strategic bombers took to the air from seven airfields across the country, along with support and refueling aircraft ... From today such patrols will be carried out on a regular basis." Putin told reporters after inspecting joint military exercises with China and four Central Asian states in Russia's Ural mountains.

Western military leaders alleged that during the past few months Russian flights near their airspace were becoming much too frequent after a long quiet period spanding nearly 15 years since the fall of the Soviet Union. Western military officials expressed their growing concerns regarding the flights as "a little bit of chest-pounding, trying to let people know Russia is back in the game".

As Putin spoke to reporters and television cameras regarding his announcement, four Russian military helicopters appeared and hovered in the background as Russian tanks trundled behind him, even though the military exercises ended a long time before. Is Russia preparing for a war?

During the Cold War, Russian long-range bombers having the capabilities to carry strategic nuclear weapons were frequently playing games of cat-and-mouse with Western air forces. Early August, Russian air force generals boasted their bomber crews were capable of flying near the Pacific island of Guam, the location of a major U.S. military base with U.S. pilots having to scramble in order to track them. On other occasions in July, two Russian TU-95 “Bear” bombers made unusually long sorties over the North Sea, leaving Norway and Britain to scramble fighter jets in order to follow them. Western forces have not witnessed such a resurgence from Russia since the collapse of the Soviet Union.

With Russian-U.S. relations on the verge of collapse over the U.S.' amibtions on implementing a missile defense shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. Putin warned that Russia would position its rockets close to the Polish border and point missiles at U.S. bases located throughout Europe if Washington continued in their aspirations to install the missile defense shield. The Bush Administration however reemphasized that the missile shield is to protect Europe against rogue missile attacks from nations such as Iran and North Korea, however Russians remain sceptic believing the missile shield to be aimed towards Russia. Russian deputy prime ministir Sergei Ivanov whom is the favorite to replace Putin as President in the 2008 elections, made it clear that Russia will be “forced to respond” should the U.S. continue.

"If our proposal is not accepted we will take adequate measures. An asymmetrical and effective response will be found," he said. This response would include basing "new rocket forces in the European part of Russia" in the enclave of Kaliningrad, he said. The Russian missiles would be able to "parry the threats that will arise from the [US] missile defence system," he added.

Mr Bush's answer, however, was decidedly lukewarm. Although the president praised Mr Putin's offer as "innovative and strategic", he made it clear that Washington was likely to go ahead anyway with its missile shield in Poland and the Czech Republic. "As I told Vladimir, I think that the Czech Republic and Poland need to be an integral part of the system," Mr Bush said.

It is believed by most experts that Russia will take an active military stance as a countermeasure to the U.S.' European missile shield. This includes the targeting of U.S. military bases throughout central Europe with Iskandar missiles based in Kaliningrad. Russia is also busy in several phases of upgrading its nuclear missile arsenal, and are expected to deploy more missiles and mobile launchers to its borders while its fleet of nuclear submarines are all ready operating in the North Pole.

Tensions between Russia and Canada are also appearing to be spiralling downwards over the much disputed North Pole. An area rich of oil known to contain one third of the world's oil reserves under the sea bed, are claimed by both Russia, Canada including other nations such as Denmark and Norway. However during a recent Russian expedition in early August, Russia planted a titanium flag of their nation on the sea bed deep beneath the icy glaciers claiming the disputed territory for themselves. This caused an enormous upheaval amongst the global community, while Canada have announced their aspirations to open two military bases in the region to strengthen their bid for the territory. A day after the North Pole was claimed by Russia they wasted no time in conducting military drills throughout the region, causing a further outcry from environmentalists. Russia has made it clear that they are back, and here to stay.

To the south Russian Navy Chief Admiral Vladimir Masorin announced Russia's desire to boost their military presence throughout the Mediterranean by opening two naval bases in Syria. It is the first time since the fall of the Soviet Union that Russia will be opening military bases abroad outside of their nation.

"The Mediterranean Sea is very important strategically for the Black Sea Fleet," Masorin told journalists in the Crimean port town of Sevastopol, the home of Russia's Black Sea fleet despite being on Ukrainian territory. "I suppose that, with the involvement of the Northern and Baltic fleets, the Russian Navy should restore its permanent presence there," RIA Novosti quoted Masorin as saying.

The development has already startled Israel, where the Yediot Aharonotcame out with a front-page headline, "The Russians are Coming." Israel fears that Russia could use the bases as intelligence centres to share information with countries like Iran.

Masorin revealed that Russia has also ordered key components for the Bulava-M missile, designed for a new generation of nuclear submarines. These intercontinental missiles were successfully test launched June 29 from a submarine in the White Sea to the Far East Kamchatka. This move served to boost a key component of Russia's strategic forces was immediately interpreted as a response to the U.S. plan aiming to install 10 missile interceptors in Poland.

In a separate development, meanwhile, the S-400 Triumph missile defense system went into combat alert in the Moscow region, Alexander Selin, Commander in Chief of Russia's Air Force, announced Monday. Designed to destroy aircraft made with Stealth technology, small cruise and tactical missiles, and warheads, the S-400, which operates from the town of Eletrostal, is intended to protect Moscow from missile threats. Combined, the new moves showed that Moscow was taking its words regarding an asymmetric and effective response very seriously.

We are facing the growing pains of a war of colossal effect, Russia is preparing for a war they are expecting while the world stands by in idle witnessing with blind eyes and deaf ears not wanting to believe the new reality. Armageddon is knocking by the door.

Since April 24, 2003, North Korea openly declared that they have manufactured nuclear weapons to “protect” themselves from the United States. Once their power was declared, they withdrew from disarmament talks. No one could convince the North to dispose of their nuclear plants and missiles.

North Korea's leader, Kim Jong Il, is the one responsible for its Nuclear power and production of nuclear weapons. There are as many as 22 nuclear facilities in 18 locations in North Korea. Most facilities are located in Yongbyon. Most weapons are produced in these facilities located in Yongbyon, although, as stated by globalsecurity.org, “[By April 18, 2004,] North Korea had shut down the reactor.” Reasons for the reactor's closing may be because North Korea wants to reprocess spent fuel rods into weapon material and reprocess spent plutonium into weapons fuel. Once these rods and plutonium were reprocessed, they reopened the reactor. This fuel and newly processed weapon material has greatly increased Kim Jong Il's power. These actions have made him into a greater threat.

During these last few years, Kim Jong Il has made many statements and speeches about North Korea's power. He has been trying to induce fear by threatening the world. Primarily, he targets the United States with these “threats,” which is what his speeches are meant to be.

On Monday, October 9, 2006, Kim Jong Il announced he had carried out his first nuclear bomb test. Confirmed by U.S. Intelligence, by detection of a seismic event, and Russia, saying they witnessed the test. As stated by CNN, “[The blast] was equivalent to about 500 metric tons of TNT, which a senior U.S. intelligence community official said was unusually small for a nuclear blast.” President George W. Bush made this comment as quoted by BBC News: "The United States condemns this provocative act; The transfer of nuclear weapons would be considered a grave threat to the United States; Today's claim by North Korea serves only to raise tensions.”

Since the blast, all talks and attempts to persuade Kim Jong Il to dismantle his weapons and shut down all nuclear facilities have failed. Kim Jong Il refuses to dismantle his weapons. Several meetings revolving around dismantling these weapons have not moved the North Korean leader. A few talks have been made between United States negotiators and lesser power North Korean government leaders. One talk has made much progress. CNN tell us that Christopher Hill, the chief U.S. negotiator with North Korea, met with Vice Foreign Minister Kim Kye Gwan. Hill claims that the talks outlined denuclearization in return for $300 million in energy and financial aid. Hill and the United States remains optimistic about the denuclearization of North Korea.

Although these steps are being taken with the United States, North Korea is performing heinous acts against other countries. North Korea is currently abducting Japanese citizens. Reasons for these abductions are due to Japan's aggression towards North Korea between 1910 and 1945. They colonized the Korean Peninsula. Talks to resolve this issue are continuing after a one year break.

Talks in Washington D.C. are showing signs of North Korea moving closer to nuclear disarmament. February 13, 2007, the United States, China, Russia, Japan, and North and South Korea, the United States agreed to take 30 days to resolve its issues with a Macao bank as part of the nuclear disarmament plan in North Korea. March 14, 2007, Christopher Hill arrived in Beijing promising an early resolution to the issue.

The Macao bank had cut its ties with North Korea after being charged with laundering money and distributing counterfeit money in North Korea. This money was used for trading purposes. The United States' claims caused the bank to freeze all North Korean accounts. Now, North Korea refused to commence with negotiations until their accounts were unfrozen.

On March 22, 2007, talks revolving around North Korea's nuclear program ended with no progress towards disarmament of North Korea. Negotiations had lasted for four days, ended by the frozen bank accounts. A quote from Kim Kye-gwan states, “Our delegation went home because there was no progress on the promised transfer of the funds.” The money was to be transferred to the bank of China. The bank needs time to process the money and overcome legal issues too before transferring North Korea's funds to the bank of China. Christopher Hill stated that the money transfer should be overcome quickly to continue negotiations with North Korea.

I believe that the situation in North Korea will be resolved. I have hopes that Christopher Hill and other negotiators will succeed in the disarmament of North Korea. Although, Kim Jong Il is a stubborn man, he will have to give in to disarmament eventually. He is in a very negotiable position in which he could achieve and gain a higher power.

In my opinion, Kim Jong Il will give into disarmament in exchange for the offers made by the negotiating countries. Most offers involve giving financial aid and oil in exchange for reactors and other nuclear facilities to be shut down. So far, Kim has excepted the deal to close the Yongbyon reactor, but will not shut it down until their money from the frozen accounts has been received. Progress is being made to achieve disarmament and the progress we've made gives me confidence that disarmament of North Korea will be successful.

• 600-1000 active fighters (with 3,000 - 5,000 available and 10,000 reservists)
• 10,000 - 15,000 rockets

Katyusha

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• Country of Origin: Was first built by the Soviet Union (beginning of the World War II) (Russia Now) and developed by the Nazis
• Accuracy: Low
• Owned by: Hezbollah, Taliban, and some Iraqi Groups
• Range: 5.4 KM
• Diameter: 88-132 MM

Fajr-3

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• Country of Origin: Iran and later on developed by Hezbollah
• Length: 5.2 Meters
• Range: 25-45 KM (max 45 km)
• Weight: 407 KG
• Owned by: Iran, Hezbollah, other Military Groups in Lebanon, Syria

Fajr 5

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A more developed type of Fajr-3

• Country of Origin: Iran
• Developed by: Hezbollah
• Range: 50-75 KM; 333 mm (4-round)
• Owned by: Iran, Hezbollah, Syria

Zelzal:

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Very effective, accurate, long-ranged!

• Country of Origin: Iran
• Range: 210 KM
• Length: 16 M
• Diameter: 0.61 M
• Weight: 3545 KG
• Owned by: Hezbollah (30 missiles), Iran