Exxon

At the beginning of the decade, when I first argued that Russia was moving toward an alliance with China, this was met with derision. One American scholar -- close to the Washington neocon faction then confidently gearing up to export its particular version of "democracy" to the world -- assured me that Russia was so afraid of China that it would be compelled to seek a military alliance with Washington, and this under virtually any terms the Americans dictated. Quite amazingly, these people still have jobs!