Theory: Putin doesn't want war -- he's selling Russian hardware

Vladimir Putin continues to rattle his saber at the western world with bomber flights, naval deployments and the movement of troops within Russia. Some fear the world may be on the brink of a new cold war with the old superpower.

LOS ANGELES, CA (Catholic Online) - As Vladimir Putin takes his seat at the G20 summit in Australia, a Russian flotilla takes position off the coast of Queensland, just outside of territorial waters and just out of sight. Still, the fleet is close enough should anything happen.

Over the past several months, and even the past six years, Russia has returned to old habits that were long thought broken with the fall of the old Soviet Union. Russian bombers flirt with American airspace and overfly Navy ships. Russia fleets sail into tropical waters on exercises designed to show that their navy is capable of operating fearlessly, far away from home.

Pray for peace in the world, for we already witness too much war.

Within Russian territory, the nuclear arsenal is quietly upgraded, a drone base is established within range of Alaska, and troops and tanks move into Eastern Ukraine with impunity.

The overall sense is that Russia is flexing its military might and is asserting itself as a global superpower once again.

The most likely theory is that these military gestures are bids to increase Russian bargaining power at the political negotiating table. From trade deals to talks about topics such as NATO expansion and Ukrainian sovereignty, the Russian moves serve to intimidate potential threats and to keep western rhetoric and maneuvers at bay while Russia increases its power within its sphere of influence.

This is most visible in Ukraine where the Russian military is now believed to be openly helping pro-Russian rebel separatists in the Eastern portion of that nation. 

The bold moves put Obama on the defensive, but Obama and the other western leaders might not back down in the face of such overt Russian aggression. Instead, they may respond in kind, sparking a new cold war. Nuclear arsenals could be refurbished and upgraded, new orders for ships and planes can be placed, and troops could return in force to parts of Europe where their presence has been minimized.

There's another motive for Russia's military posturing, this one a bit more practical. Some think the Russian display or power, particularly in Asia, gives the nation a chance to show off its military hardware to potential customers. It could inspire nations like Malaysia, Vietnam, and Indonesia to purchase Russian-made equipment over that produced by the West.

Nobody believes the Russians seek an open conflict with the West, but as long as Russian bombers and ships threaten the world, the chances of miscalculation and danger increase; the sword itself incites to violence.

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