We have previously blogged about the effect of the current financial crisis on the influence of western countries and whether the crisis will change current power balances. Today’s NY Times has a good story on how the financial crisis, as it slowly makes its way into the real economy, affects countries like Russia, Iran and Venezuela – countries that have recently grown increasingly assertive. On the back of in particular high oil prices these countries have over the last couple of years gone on to assert themselves politically and military both internationally and regionally. However, as oil prices are now…