Bush has been in office for six and a half years now. How many summits with Putin has he held? I don’t advocate us elevating Russia to super-power level status, but I don’t think you totally ignore it either.
Shouldn’t we be talking to them? Shouldn’t we let them win a few little ones, then stand firm on major issues?
This isn’t an attempt to throw in the towel, but it’s just amazing to me that we haven’t kept Russia closer especially in light of it’s seeming inclination to tap the China tree.
When Putin made his first overatures to China, it could just as easily have been an attempt to wake us up. When we seemed to ignore that attempt, it seemed to drive Putin into China’s camp.
Aren’t we making a classic mistake here? Seems like it to me.
Iran will be a major issue soon enough. And as we wait, Russia gets closer with Iran. Two or three years ago, Russian defense said that it wouldn’t get physically involved in a US invasion of Iran. That will probably change.
S. Korea, U.S. verifying reports on test of new N.K. missile in Iran: source
http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1834307/posts
(4,000 kilometer range—will reach London and Rome—May 16th, 2007)
I’ll just wait, and when the time comes, watch the mushrooms grow from a remote area.
It is interesting, BTW, trying to have logical discussions with people whose nationalism is based on pride alone.
Putin, in his heart and soul, is a Soviet communist.