Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

We Poked The Bear
The American Conservative ^ | 3/17/22 | Doug Bandow

Posted on 03/23/2022 5:45:17 AM PDT by JonPreston

Long forgotten is Vladimir Putin’s conciliatory speech to the German Bundestag more than two decades ago. He explained:

No one calls in question the great value of Europe’s relations with the United States. I am just of the opinion that Europe will reinforce its reputation of a strong and truly independent center of world politics soundly and for a long time if it succeeds in bringing together its own potential and that of Russia, including its human, territorial and natural resources and its economic, cultural and defense potential.

He went on to declare: “One of the achievements of the past decade is the unprecedentedly low concentration of armed forces and armaments in Central Europe and the Baltic. Russia is a friendly European nation. Stable peace on the continent is a paramount goal for our country, which lived through a century of military catastrophes.”

However, his attitude changed as NATO advanced. Despite the mass amnesia that appears to have afflicted the Cold War’s victors, they offered numerous assurances to Soviet and Russian officials that NATO would not march ever eastward to Russia’s borders. For instance, reported George Washington University when it released a trove of declassified U.S. documents: “Secretary of State James Baker’s famous ‘not one inch eastward’ assurance about NATO expansion in his meeting with Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev on February 9, 1990, was part of a cascade of assurances about Soviet security given by Western leaders to Gorbachev and other Soviet officials throughout the process of German unification in 1990 and on into 1991, according to declassified U.S., Soviet, German, British and French documents posted today by the National Security Archive at George Washington University.”

(Excerpt) Read more at theamericanconservative.com ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: hewontwin; madenatostronger; putinbots; russia; ukraine; war; yawn
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-72 next last
We can now add the lives of Ukrainians to the death toll of two decades of unnecessary war, spurred by Washington’s arrogance and myopia.
1 posted on 03/23/2022 5:45:17 AM PDT by JonPreston
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | View Replies]

To: JonPreston
It amazing with the sheer gutlessness being screamed daily by Putin's fluffers in Conservative inc that the US ever managed to win the Cold War.

I really thought Conservative Inc knew better then to copy Chamberlain and the failed 1930s Appeasement dogmas.

2 posted on 03/23/2022 5:56:57 AM PDT by MNJohnnie (They would have abandon leftism to achieve sanity. Freeper Olog-hai)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

America, in the evaluation of the great Russian bear, had always given ‘permission’ for the Bear to make the 1st move on the geopolitical chessboard.

The Bear has already made, more than one move! The board oeened, with Crimea. America was off playing checkers.

Now, the Bear has moved a knight, a bishop, and castled.

And, once more, America is off, not playing checkers, but the game of ‘go’.


3 posted on 03/23/2022 5:57:51 AM PDT by Terry L Smith
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

Very interesting, bookmarked.


4 posted on 03/23/2022 5:58:18 AM PDT by Navy Patriot (Celebrate Decivilization)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

Please blame the unwarranted Zelensky adoration on Neocons and their twisted, anti-American foreign policy urges. Thank you and carry on!


5 posted on 03/23/2022 6:00:00 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Terry L Smith
Russian bear, had always given ‘permission’ for the Bear to make the 1st move on the geopolitical chessboard.

Demented Joe waved them across the Ukraine border with his "small incursion" remark.

6 posted on 03/23/2022 6:01:56 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

Poor frightened little Putin. We forced him to invade Ukraine.


7 posted on 03/23/2022 6:05:39 AM PDT by McGavin999 (To shut down the border tell the administration the cartel is smuggling Ivermectin )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

BEWARE QANON: MISPLACED TRUST
“A new world order is born before our very eyes,” is how Putin described the relationship in a statement published at the start of the war.”


8 posted on 03/23/2022 6:06:38 AM PDT by UMCRevMom@aol.com
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: McGavin999

The article argues that NATO forced him.


9 posted on 03/23/2022 6:07:20 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: UMCRevMom@aol.com

Please, no Q here. Take it elsewhere.


10 posted on 03/23/2022 6:08:18 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 8 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

The NYT is totally “in the bag” for Ukraine (meaning the NYT is totally “in the bag” for Soros, Col Vindman, the New World Order (aka unelected all powerful centralized government and economy), etc).

The NYT also hates us and wants us dead.

Why would any of us be on the same side as the NYT?

The enemy of your enemy is your friend.


11 posted on 03/23/2022 6:10:55 AM PDT by Prolixus (In all seriousness:)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Prolixus

Yes


12 posted on 03/23/2022 6:15:07 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 11 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

yeah, and when I was a kid my brother used to blame me for a dish he broke. That’s childish. Nothing forced him to invade Ukraine, nothing. Nobody “made” him do it, he chose to do it. He chose to destroy the lives of millions, ruin their businesses and obliterate their homes. He is completely destroying Russian speaking areas, the very areas he claimed to be defending. He is killing thousands of them.

He is a liar and if you choose to believe him that’s your prerogative, but no way will I believe that crap.


13 posted on 03/23/2022 6:21:14 AM PDT by McGavin999 (To shut down the border tell the administration the cartel is smuggling Ivermectin )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 9 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

Appeasement did not fail.

Guaranteeing Poland did.


14 posted on 03/23/2022 6:22:18 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Who saves the nation breaks no law)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Terry L Smith

We have no more interest in Russian domination of Ukraine than Russia does in American domination of Mexico.


15 posted on 03/23/2022 6:24:06 AM PDT by Jim Noble (Who saves the nation breaks no law)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 3 | View Replies]

To: McGavin999

Always, put America First. Thank-you.


16 posted on 03/23/2022 6:24:58 AM PDT by JonPreston (Q: Never have so many, been so wrong, so often)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 13 | View Replies]

To: MNJohnnie

“...as NATO advanced.”

KGB-speak.

It’s amazing how some conservatives have been drawn into KGB influence campaigns and now speak in its terms, on its behalf. Fools. Every. Single. One of them.


17 posted on 03/23/2022 6:30:17 AM PDT by Justa (If where you came from is so great then why aren't Floridians moving there?)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: McGavin999; JonPreston
"Poor frightened little Putin. We forced him to invade Ukraine."

I guess we forced him to talk about restoring the Soviet Union and denying that states like Ukraine had a right to exist, too.

We probably even forced him to bomb women and children and old folks homes.

18 posted on 03/23/2022 6:30:43 AM PDT by DannyTN
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 7 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

Or, door number 2; Russians are by nature dangerous, lying, blame shifting, paranoiacs who invade to expand their borders every time they think they can get away with doing so.


19 posted on 03/23/2022 6:32:10 AM PDT by Poison Pill
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: JonPreston

America has nothing to do with this. We don’t have boots on the ground and unless that senile moron in the WH blunders into it we will remain out of it. Once again, PUTIN invaded Ukraine. Period, full stop. Nobody forced him to do it. Nobody took his little hand and forced him to send hundreds of thousands of young Russian kids to their death. The only on responsible for this mess is Vladimir Putin.


20 posted on 03/23/2022 6:33:04 AM PDT by McGavin999 (To shut down the border tell the administration the cartel is smuggling Ivermectin )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 16 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first 1-2021-4041-6061-72 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson