Moves on a Chessboard – Russia and Current World Geo-Politics (Energy Essay #11)

Preface: It is said that hindsight is 20 / 20. Events unfold in complex and confusing ways which can only be truly understood after the fact, when placed into the context of history. Yet care must be taken when consuming the tales of history, for the winning sides have always taken care to ensure that the public account of what happened sheds a favorable light upon their actions. I will give you my interpretation of recent history, and ask that you read it with a critical eye. Do not accept my word as truth; rather, use it as a springboard of exploration from which to investigate the events on your own, until you reach your own personal understanding of what has happened. In this age, information is much more readily available than in years past thanks to the internet. Yet here too, you must use discretion, and cast a critical eye at your sources of information. Do not accept one view or the other blindly; read accounts from all sides of the issue, and form your own synthesized view. The following is my understanding of events.
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