Posted on 05/10/2013 1:55:47 AM PDT by cunning_fish
Michael Hirsh, one of Washington's ablest commentators on foreign affairs, has a provocative piece in the Atlantic arguing that Mitt Romney got a bum rap during the election campaign when he declared that Russia is America's No. 1 geopolitical foe, a clear and present danger to our national security. Romney's observation created an uproar. Russian President Vladimir Putin observed, "“I’m grateful to him (Romney) for formulating his stance so clearly because he has once again proven the correctness of our approach to missile defense problems." At the same time, Romney was roundly mocked, including by yours truly, for indulging in cold war nostalgia rather than confronting contemporary realities. President Obama seized upon the remark to suggest that it demonstrated Romney was an utter doofus when it came to foreign affairs.
Fiddlesticks, says Hirsh. Romney, we are told, was on to an inconvenient truth about Russia, which has become increasingly truculent in its approach to America and the West. To the joy of former Romney adviser Eric Fehrnstrom, who has already tweeted about Hirsh's piece, his candidate is now being vindicated. The truth about Russia is in plain sight even if Washington policymakers are loath to acknowledge it. Russia is returning, under President Vladimir Putin's leadership, to a virulently anti-American stance, one that draws on imperialist czarist traditions to insert a pudgy thumb in the eye of the West:
(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...
Hirsh points to Putin's attempts to sanitize Stalin's image by depicting him as an effective manager who almost singlehandedly won World War II, while soft-pedaling the fact that Uncle Joe carved up Poland together with Nazi Germany. He points to Russia's possession of thousands of nuclear weapons and desire to check America around the globe. He points to Russia's intransigence on the UN Security Council. And he points to Russia's refusal to accede to American efforts when it comes to trying to create a post-Assad Syria.
The only problem for Hirsh's bold thesis is that Russia appears to be backing down on its refusal to cooperate with Washington on Syria. While the international conference that Russian foreign minister Sergei Lavrov has endorsed may not have tangible results—though it is too soon to know—it is a promising move, one that suggests that on the big issues perhaps more unites than divides Russia and America. Neither country has an interest in seeing Islamic terrrorists capture Syria or for it to succumb to its fissiparous tendencies and become carved up into various fiefdoms, with Islamic radicals establishing a beachhead in the country.
Russia and America may remain at loggerheads in the decade to come. Russia may well remain an adversary. But to suggest that this ramshackle nation, plagued by abundant natural resources and an inability to invest them properly, will exceed China in might and influence over the coming decades is unpersuasive. Romney's statement remains as bogus as it was the day he uttered it in September 2012.
Barack Obama is more dangerous to American interests than Vladimir Putin. That was shown in the recent unpleasantness in Boston.
So, after the author of this piece ridiculed Romney for pointing out that Russia is our enemy during the election, he uses the opportunity of Hirsh’s article to say maybe he was wrong. I would bet money the author knew Romney was right all along but couldn’t admit it publicly because he knew it might hurt Obama’s chances in the election.
Russians arent blowing up our children at sports events and flying into our buildings...
Willard is afraid of the Islamists...
he wouldnt admit that the Islamists terrorists are a clear and present danger...
Willard is a permanent kissup to our enemies...
I can’t quite say Russia is doing right.
But who could in clean conscience, advise the Russians they should support the things our revolutionary socialist government is doing?
*we send over idiots like Hillary and Kerry to give them assaholic lectures on how they should behave.
*Western central bankers are verging on insanity. So the BRICs are moving closer to a gold backed trade currency.
*They do not want our NGOs that aggressively push homosexuality.
*They do not want any of their orphans sent to EU or American homosexual homes.
*They oppose replacing generally stable middle eastern strongmen in Libya and Syria with Al Qeida.
*They see that the new Syrian government we are straining to create will slaughter Syrian Christianity.
*They want to export oil and gas to the EU, and drill everywhere they can, and not simply turn control of their production and distribution to the EU.
The Russians i’ve known all know quite well about Stalin, but they simply do not engage in the self flagellation over their past the way the Germans do about Hitler. They almost seem to view it the way Americans would FDR. Too far away to rule their life today.
But if you listen to them, and read their articles, there is a theme that keeps reoccurring. They roll their eyes at Russian communists now, and look at them the way we do illinois nazis. And they are amazed to see us supressing speech, engaging in internal surveillance extremes, siding with islamic radicals (yes,,including Chechyens) celebrating and uplifting homosexuality, etc.
Im not sure what part of the modern culture and our government i can fault them for not falling in line to support.
Hey, I have no problem if folk shake at night over the re-emergence of the old Soviet empire if that makes them happy in cold places, but do not ignore REAL dangers that are currently more capable than the Soviets at their peak. China has more nuclear weapons than they officially claim (does anyone really believe they have the 300 that most sources state), and while the real number will still not be as numerous as the Russia and American stockpiles it will be enough. They have an economy that, even with smoke and mirrors, is still significantly better than anything the Soviets could dream of. And, more importantly, the US is not nearly as sure footed as it was during the Reagan years.
But hey ...the Russians flew some old prop bomber near Alaska two months ago. That deserves mention, and don't worry about the story of the Chinese hacking and stealing all the F-35 data. That is not as important.
Barrack Obama is America’s biggest foe. Followed closely by Reid. Then Stretch. Then the MSM.
Do you know that Chinese government officially censoring high-budget Hollywood movie scenarios before they are approved for production? Movie companies are pushing for that to make sure their movies won’t be banned in a biggest movie market which China is. Chicoms often recommends to remove or add something and movie makers are following.
“Barrack Obama is America’s biggest foe.”
More like AMERICANS are America’s biggest foe. This marxist idiot is just the mouthpiece poster child, and our tabloid-sucking goons in this country wallow in it every day.
30% of the population better get busy. Otherwise we’re looking at another “King George colonial moment” coming real soon.
No, the liberals of both parties are our greatest foe.
Was Mitt Romney Right That Russia Is America’s Greatest Foe?
Russia warned us about the Boston Bombers. Benghazi, Fast & Furious, Obamacare, redistribution, gay marriage, abortion, amnesty for illegals,the 2nd amendment, etc. The greatest American enemy is the Obama administration and its communist/ socialist/ liberal agenda.
Whatever position a republican takes, the opposite becomes ‘undeniably true’ and the entire political,media, entertainment, education complex goes into ridicule mode.
Look at the Bush years. No matter what sensical position he took, the left took the opposite and the went into a persistant 24/7 attack to ‘prove’ he’s wrong. Even though our government under Obama holds the vast majority of the same positions.
Even the American flag and supporting the troops became politicized by the left.
Russia has its interests and we have ours. While there might always be some sort of friction, it will be nothing like the Cold War years. The Russians are turning into consumerists. The fact that millions of Russkies now go on trips out of their country, many to America, will do more for international relations than a ton of diplomats sucking coffee and tea around polished tables.
Wahussington is our greatest enemy and they aren’t just inside the gates, they have stolen the whole show. RT has better news than anything out of NYC and I’d trust Putin to run our elections before Obama. Hussein and his minions have already done more damage than all the terrorist.
My first thought was Satan, but I always think that way.
No Russia is not America foe anywhere, Russia is now a and capitalistic nation and more conservative then Usa ,
Number one enemy of Usa is Saudi Arabia but of course Romney does not the guts to admit that
Putin keeps John Kerry waiting for THREE HOURS during his visit to Russia for meetings over Syria
dailymail.co.uk | 5/8/13 | Daily Mail Reporter
Posted on 05/08/2013 3:03:27 PM PDT by ColdOne
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/news/3017202/posts
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