Cold War Melting With money tight due to continued Cold War spending, the Soviets gradually stop subsidizing their Eastern European partners, and even cut military budgets. The meltdown of a major nuclear power station is another indication that the Soviets are simply losing their grip. Soon after the Berlin Wall event, other Soviet client states decide to withdraw from the Soviet Union.

	Russia Reduced The map shows the reduced footprint of the new Russian Federation (RED), which replaces the old Soviet Union. The portions inside GREEN dotted lines are areas no longer under Russian control, including Ukraine and all of Eastern Europe. Also missing is a large chunk of non-Russian-speaking Muslim countries that had voluntarily joined the Soviet Union, but no longer want to remain (the right-most GREEN area). This region includes oil-rich regions (marked with oil derricks) .
	Here Come the Yanks When Iraq grabs the Kuwaiti oil fields, President Bush is at first inclined to just let Iraq keep the oil. Britain's Iron-Lady, Margaret Thatcher, is alarmed that this will give Iraq control of too much oil, and persuades President H.W. Bush to put together a 53-nation UN coalition to push Saddam out. US Warplanes take out Iraqi command centers, leaving Iraqi commanders wandering blindly in the desert. Meanwhile, Muslims and Christians fight it out for control of Bosnia, formerly part of Soviet-leaning Yugoslavia.