This is the Cato Daily Podcast for Tuesday, September 2nd, 2008.

I'm Caleb Brown.

A resurgent Russia is less willing to accept the slights handed down by the United States, just as the U.S. needs Russia's

cooperation to execute a war in Afghanistan.

As Cato Institute Research Fellow in Foreign Policy Studies, Stanley Cober says

U.S. paths to Afghanistan are dwindling.

It would seem that we had every reason in the world to, at least over the last eight years develop a very

credible positive relationship with them. Condoleezza Rice a certified Russia

expert but it just didn't happen. Why not?

They think they really tried and it didn't happen And I think they don't see how it looks from Russia's point of view.

They honestly do not see that taking a military alliance and pushing it forward

should antagonize anybody in good faith

because they do not see it as putting a military alliance forward.

They see it as spreading democracy who could object to spreading democracy except tyrants.

And they really believe this. It is quite striking to me.

Our experience in Afghanistan began in 2001.

Did President Bush Afghanistan began in 2001.

Did President Bush, Secretary Rice, these people who were actively involved in this war

there, did they recognize really at any point before the last year that Russia's cooperation

could end up being a very key part of success in Afghanistan? I think to a certain extent Russia's

cooperation has been taken for granted. For example, when people point out that we need Russia's cooperation in Iran, the response is,

well, Russia does this for its own interest, the implication being that we don't have to give anything

...