I agree with you factual statements.
I agree with much of your rationale. So, we have a lot of agreement there, except the final conclusion. But, it’s just a matter of degree.
IMO unless Putin changes or they can better perspective and leave their “rogue state” foreign policy agenda, Russia will be a player as a chaos nuisance.
China has been smart enough to manipulate capitalism so they can build a technological path to a professional tech oriented military. I fear them as a serious competitor and superpower challenge in the future. In addition, they are already acting with extreme belligerence in the South China Sea, by taking disputed territories that they have little if any claim to.
“Russia will be a player as a chaos nuisance.”
That’s all they have ever been. But they are now opening the door for other nations to become the same and so far aimed their public hatred at the US. And we buy into it by trying to appease those new threats Russia is creating by, again, trying to get into things we should have left alone. An example of that is the treaty with Iran that has forced other countries to release the millions of dollars that were frozen in foreign banks so Iran can fund their nuclear program.
We are just as stupid as Russia is smart. They sit in the ante room and wait for something to happen so they can continue to make us look stupid and gain more support. And they don’t have to do a damn thing but let their little attack dogs nip at our heals while they are laughing at us.
Now in comes Trump with ideas he can’t get accomplished because the libs are stalling using the chaos theory you pointed out to create unrest and public confusion. And this is going to continue until the conservatives are voted out and it will go back to what it was and worse. Oh, he’s making changes and has told a few countries to fix it yourself without our nickle or people. But so many past screw-ups, and so little time.
And the only way I see to stop it is tell the libs to $hit or get off the pot. Either prove something or shut up and help the voters that put Trump in there. You’ve got no ideas to help, only hinder. You are not in power. So, soldier, as one of your past leaders from the army, Patton, said, “Lead me, follow me, or get the hell out of the way” It needs to come to that.
rwood