That article is interesting. I looked up the interviewee, Andrei Illarionov. He's with the CATO Institute now, which is generally anti-interventionist, making him even more credible -- and it more likely that Russia did just stepped into a trap.
Here's an article that when I read the title, I thought the author must be completely nuts -- until I read it & checked out the author's credentials. "Russia Should Have Been Part of NATO" Think that you might find it interesting.
You know I hate what the U.S. did in Serbia. Really really stupid all the way. So I am not a USA no matter what thinker. I am also sure there are lots of great Russian people and there have been many accomplishments there too. On balance though I think the US has done great good in the world and Russia has done great wrong. So there is where my biases lie.
Mikhail Gorbachev Quote from 1987"Gentlemen, comrades, do not be concerned about all you hear about Glasnost and Perestroika and democracy in the coming years. They are primarily for outward consumption. There will be no significant internal changes in the Soviet Union, other than for cosmetic purposes. Our purpose is to disarm the Americans and let them fall asleep. We want to accomplish three things:
One, we want the Americans to withdraw conventional forces from Europe. Two, we want them to withdraw nuclear forces from Europe. Three, we want the Americans to stop proceeding with Strategic Defense Initiative."
Quote by: Mikhail Gorbachev (1931- ) General Secretary of the Communist Party of the Soviet Union, the last head of state of the USSR (1985-1991) Date: November 1987 Source: speech to the Soviet Politburo, November 1987
Russia's "Friendly Democracy" phase may not have been all that it seemed.
If Russia were part of NATO, would we have had to come to her defense when Russian peacekeeper in South Ossetia were attacked?