Condi Rice finally found a use for her Cold War expertise that has been basically worthless since the end of the first Bush administration: promising everyone that we're totally not in another Cold War.

Our Secretary of State is in Russia to try to iron out a couple disagreements about Kosovo, US missile defense installations in eastern Europe, military deployment treaties, and the fact that Putin called us all Nazis the other day.

Despite this, and despite the fact that Russia is once again ruled by an autocrat and power-consolidating state apparatus, this is totally not a second Wold War. It's still kinda the first one.

The US has promised to deal with the Russia situation in the manner that showed the greatest 20th century success: shooting Americans into space, strategic deployment of rock and roll, and Patrick Swayze movies.

No 'New Cold War,' Says Rice in Russia [AP via NYT]