"Toughness of Russia, in turn, allows the KGB veterans to get the ear of Putin and co. and convince them that the US is out to occupy Russia. "
We did not get tough with Russia till the Ukraine Election scam - and thats when oil mysteriously plummeted to $38 - IN DECEMBER!!! Clearly, your thesis defies the laws of the space/time continuum.
Romanov, a simple "Straw Man" retort!? You are capable of far better spin than that. Would you care for a do over? How about something along the lines of straw dog or reducio ad absurdum? You have not tried that in a while.
HA! "We" - you have never been tough on Russia - just in rhetoric. Puhleeze, you have grabbed at the wrong "straw" for years and now are apopletic. And, as usual, you miss the big picture. Of course had I spent most of my life following a KGB agent and declaring him the second-coming I'd be a bit disappointed too. You still have time to redeem yourself.
Funny how Romanov become the main Kremlin apologist on FR after jb6 got a ban. Before he posted rarely and now we can read his excuses for them and “neutral explanations” why they are good guys in every Russian thread. He took all the "responsibility" for this apologism on own shoulders.