Russia: America's new friend

New best friends: Vlad and George bonded in Texas

By BBC world affairs correspondent Paul Reynolds

Vlad and George have just spent bonding time in Texas. Wars make such a difference. They create enemies, obviously, but they also create friends.

In this "war on terrorism", it is Russia which has emerged as a new friend of the United States and President Putin who has advanced on the chess board of international power and diplomacy.

Russia is used to this and perhaps that is why Mr Putin has played his hand so well.

In the Second World War, the Allies cosied up to the Soviet Union against the common foe and made a friendly figure of Uncle Jo Stalin. Somehow we have been here before.

Putin's support has brought its political reward - Russia is now a welcome guest at the American table

Vladimir Putin got off to a flying start. He was the first foreign leader to reach George Bush on 11 September when the US president was zig-zagging across country, unable to return to Washington for fear of further attacks.

He supported a Security Council resolution authorising American action and kept silent when Nato, for the very first time, invoked its Article Five and declared that the attack on America was an attack on all.

New Great Game

Mr Putin offered (and has probably given) the use of Russian intelligence about Afghanistan and the international network of Osama bin Laden. He supplied equipment to the forces of the Northern Alliance which has now marched into Kabul.

But, as on the chess board, no sacrifice is made without purpose. And Mr Putin had a purpose.

He has strengthened the Russian position and will emerge as one of the winners in this new Great Game, the name given to the struggle between the British Empire and imperial Russia for influence in Afghanistan during the 19th Century.

By aligning himself with the war on terrorism, he has got the Americans and others to accept that the rebels in Chechnya are terrorists as well. After all, he argues, they blew up blocks of flats in Moscow. The West has suddenly gone quiet about Russian "human rights abuses" in Chechnya.

Chechen 'terrorists'

He has found that his friends in the Northern Alliance are in possession of Kabul and an Islamist regime which supported his opponents in Chechnya is on the run. This in turn will lead to greater Russian influence in the region and among the "stans" which used to be part of the Soivet Union - Uzbekistan and Tajikistan especially.

Missile defence is just a "difference of opinion" now

Mr Putin has, above all, seen a change in American attitudes. The United States was so wounded by the attacks of 11 September that any sign of friendship was rewarded with deep gratitude.

I met an American the other day who wept as he recalled the playing of the Star Spangled Banner outside Buckingham Palace the next day.

Arsenal slashed

Mr Putin's support has brought its political reward. Russia is now a welcome guest at the American table.

And the fact that, at last, Russia is enjoying stable economic growth does not harm its case either. It has ceased to be a problem and is now an asset.

Mr Putin has also seen President Bush announce the slashing of the American nuclear arsenal. This, in fact, was what Mr Bush promised during the election campaign.

The fact is that the United States does not need so many missiles. But it was tied to Mr Putin's visit and the Russian leader can present it as a success.

There remains the problem of missile defence. But, in the new atmosphere, this is reduced from a potential crisis to just a difference of opinion.

Wars have that effect.