It would be smart politics to make a limited deal with Russia — we don’t need them as enemies at this point. Crimea means nothing to us, let them have it. Most of the people there are in favour. Make it clear that we won’t take the same position on the Baltic states or the rest of the Ukraine, but that we want good relations and a common front against Islam. Re-assess who we back in Syria, we got that wrong and Putin got it right.
Then move on. We have common enemies and common challenges. Anyone in the west who thinks we have any spare time or energy to bring more freedom to Russia is wasting their time. We need to bring more freedom to our own countries.
Having the academic orthodoxy death wish creeping out into mainstream society is far more dangerous than a few Russian threats that amount to nothing but whistling past the graveyard. The problem is becoming this — we ARE the graveyard.
You make a good point in post 6. I wonder, though, if it isn’t too late for that given the economic situation Russia is in. Too many mindless war-mongers are gleefully celebrating and consequently raising the anger level in Russia. There is a point conflicts get to where revenge becomes the number one motive.
You are a fool. Anti-Americanism is a hallmark of the Mad Vlad’s nationalism and patriotism. Rewarding a country for invading another is always wrong, but pretending we should be the ally of evil is just dumb all around.