[gcruse]

But isn't your first question based on this exact premise?
 Decide which point you want to debate from before you ask for answers.

What premise?  I asked if we would object to Russia doing what we are doing in Eastern Europe, ie, establishing bases in countries in their back yard over which they have no control.

[flashbunny]

...your premise being that we still have some sort of cold war animosity left over between us and russia - which is also a theoretical question based on the false assumption that they are something other than the militarily weak (except for nuclear) power that they now are.

So you pose a question based on two false premises - that there is some sort of cold war still going on, and that russia actually would be able to put some credible military force near our borders. Then someone comes up with an historical analogy, and you say, hey, no fair, that's old news - while all you're doing is trying to start a debate on facts that are no longer accurate. Sorta like having your cake and eating it, too, but not exactly.

And what the hell does it matter what russia thinks? We would be putting troops in sovereign countries - they no longer hold any power over these former bloc countries. Maybe that's what they're afraid of - a final nail in their coffin of former 'greatness'. The only question is why are you afraid of it, and why do you give a damn what russia thinks?

[dfwgator]

Poland doesn't even border Russia anymore, it borders Belarus.