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Look, this is all just talk:

from the original article that started this:

http://www.mosnews.com/news/2004/08/04/ … /iss.shtml

Russia will resume construction of a new section of the International Space Station (ISS) and will cease being a free “space carrier” for NASA, Aleksandr Aleksandrov, head of the test-flight service of Russia’s Rocket and Space Corporation (RKK) Energiya told ITAR-TASS.

This isn't RSA. This isn't Putin. This is a company guy in one department of RKK. He dosen't make policy.

Energiya mulls the plans of building a new module on the basis of FGB-2, which could be used not only for storing cargos and equipment but also as a place where the crew could work and rest, Aleksandrov noted.

Work and rest? They already have enough room for that for two people. This is for tourists.

FGB-2 was developed as a standby module for the Zarya bloc, the first Russian-built component of the ISS. Aleksandrov would not elaborate on the possible timing of the launch of the module, saying only that “everything will depend on financing”.

Everything depends on getting someone else to pay for the development, and deployment of this new module. They don't have the money for it.

Low inclination precludes Russian Soyuz launches, which means Russian space program can't launch tourists and can't stay afloat. They would be slitting their own throat for what?

Who is going to build the stabilization module? ESA? Where will they get the money for that given all their other priorities?

Russia isn't going to cough it up. Plus, Arianne may be capable of launching the modules (technically) but that dosen't change the fact that those modules were designed for Shuttle launch.

Unlaunched international modules still need to be launched by the Shuttle. Pretty big friggin hand if you ask me. 

The diplomatic poke in the eye would be to deny Astronaut transportation. in other words, US astronauts disallowed on Soyuz flights- including return.

Europeans will get caught in the middle of all of this, as this spat is really between Congress and RSA. It's the same chicken dance.

Unless we start paying the Russians in 2005 or 2006, ISS is a goner. . .

I don't quite follow. How is ISS a goner if we don't pay the Russians? ESA and Russia both have a vested interest in keeping her afloat. Russia needs the ISS just so it can keep selling Soyuz to rich people. ESA needs it to have a few astronauts to parade around for national spirit and their budget.

ISS can't be completed without the Shuttle, and in a game of chicken, we will win. We won't be working with anyone for the next 10 years on CEV- we only work with them on the ISS- and we have to keep the Shuttle going to finish the ISS. Push to hard, and we have an exscuse to walk from the ISS, retire the Shuttle immedietly, and develop CEV now.

I dunno, but what's the big issue here?

Last year, Russian space officials said that a Progress supply ship flight cost about $22 million and a Soyuz crew capsule was slightly more expensive. At least two Soyuz ships and three Progress ships are needed each year to maintain the station and rotate its crews.

So we spend a generation killing them, and two generations rebuilding and teaching-

We can finish up the "killing" phase much faster than that.

ISS/STS allows America to defer thinking about such issues and so long as we spend all our space budget on ISS/STS and robots, the Russians, French and Chinese can defer their anxiety about our lead in space.

I guess with the French you mean the ESA??

Well I hate to break it to you then but the Canadians (your close neighbours) are closely working together with the ESA on future projects.

If we win the cultural war here on Earth, and make the Chinese into good little Americans, wouldn't we still win?

If you can't win the race, change the rules of the game. 

My friend Doug's older brother Rob, an Air Force retiree, thinks national security, missile defense, surveillance, and national pride from showing our strength thru force projection and taking space for America is the only worthy thing to be done in space anytime soon, if ever. When we’ve secured space for US dominance, then we can explore, let entrepreneurs take us wherever they can, and worry about getting to Mars. But not before then.