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Why Negotiations With Russia Seem So Difficult
The American Conservative ^ | 7/13/25 | George O'Neill

Posted on 07/13/2025 12:47:23 PM PDT by EnderWiggin1970

Russia is more than a millennium old with a long diplomatic history. Some of Russia’s difficulty may come from the U.S. elites’ ignorance of Russian history and its sensitivities to real or perceived threats of foreign invasion. Many Americans remember the huge drama which arose during the Kennedy presidency when the Soviets put a few missiles in Cuba. Foreign policy wonks still talk about how close we came to World War III.

Americans who do not know or acknowledge Russia’s history are unable to understand Russian thinking, thus compromising their ability to consummate agreements with Russia.

After the collapse of the Soviet Union, the U.S. political elites promised not to move NATO east into former Warsaw Pact countries. Every time another former Warsaw Pact nation was added into NATO, the Russians complained and the West shrugged off the complaints. They believed Russia was too weak due to their struggle to recover from the ruinous Soviet years. Washington’s attitude was, “So what are you going to do about it?”

U.S. leaders also have spent years engaging ad nauseam in threats to weaken or break up Russia, to ruin the Russian economy, to change the Russian regime—and, of course, have levied decades of never-ending sanctions. This behavior has eroded the trust necessary to negotiate in good faith.

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


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Government; Russia; Ukraine
KEYWORDS: nato; putinthewarpig; russia; russiansuicide; russiantrollfarm; ukraine; vladtheimploder; war
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To: Vermont Lt

the Ukraine IS part of Russia. Wherever Russian boots are, there is Russie.


101 posted on 07/14/2025 1:20:43 AM PDT by ichabod1 (lets change our name to the United States of Trump!)
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To: Apparatchik

I love Gen’l Patton, but that statement is so racist, bigoted, ignorant, and obtuse that I wish you wouldn’t post it here. Makes him look cringe. I daresay Gen’l Patton was trying to get a rise out of someone, but it’s easy to take out of context.


102 posted on 07/14/2025 2:01:09 AM PDT by ichabod1 (lets change our name to the United States of Trump!)
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To: Rockingham

Welp, guess that’s it then. I bet they see things differently. If you want to bargain from a position of strength, you have to be strong. How strong are we, really?


103 posted on 07/14/2025 2:03:31 AM PDT by ichabod1 (lets change our name to the United States of Trump!)
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To: ichabod1
Under Trump and the GOP Congress, we are much stronger because of better leadership for the US military and economic, foreign, and security policies that are focused on American interests. Those make a difference, especially with the passage of time. The Reagan era was much the same way, with the US going from close to losing the Cold War when Reagan was elected in 1980 to winning it when the Soviet Union collapsed in 1991.
104 posted on 07/14/2025 2:22:44 AM PDT by Rockingham
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To: ichabod1

Well, I guess that sums it up perfectly.

And that is why Russians must be killed. One at a time, or in groups. They must be eradicated where they step across their border. Russia is a cancer. Until they stay in their country.


105 posted on 07/14/2025 3:27:23 AM PDT by Vermont Lt
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To: EnderWiggin1970

Russia is ‘culture’ of war and power achieved through conquest. Without external conflict, Russians eat their own. That the West imagines Russia wants to negotiate about war is a fool’s errand pursued by the complicit media.


106 posted on 07/14/2025 4:20:41 AM PDT by PIF (They came for me and mine ... now its your turn)
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To: ichabod1

Exactly...


107 posted on 07/14/2025 4:35:27 AM PDT by dpetty121263
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To: ichabod1

And now we have victims of putin, why is it that only Russia needs a buffer zone? Seems since WW2 Soviet Union/russia has been doing the invading. Finland, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia, Hungary. Georgia, Chechnya, Ukraine.

For decades NATO was on Russias borders and no invasions of Russia🤔


108 posted on 07/14/2025 4:47:32 AM PDT by blitz128
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To: blitz128

Your view is far too narrow. Your knowledge of history is non existent

Hitler and Napoleon both wreaked havoc within Mother Russia.


109 posted on 07/14/2025 5:00:38 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Where is ZORRO when California so desperately needs him?)
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To: DesertRhino

Nope, I’m a Jacksonian.


110 posted on 07/14/2025 8:49:22 AM PDT by cowboyusa (YESHUA IS KING OF AMERICA, AND HE WILL HAVE NO ODS BEFORE HIM!)
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To: bert

Ask the poles about wreaking havoc, speaking of being too narrow


111 posted on 07/14/2025 11:25:09 AM PDT by blitz128
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To: Williams
Just wondering did they have a thousand year history of putting nuke missiles on the other side of the world?

No, but at the time the USSR built a base in Cuba, the USA had nuclear missiles installed in Europe and aimed at Russia.

https://history.state.gov/milestones/1961-1968/cuban-missile-crisis

[Excerpts]

The next day, October 27, Khrushchev sent another message indicating that any proposed deal must include the removal of U.S. Jupiter missiles from Turkey.

[...]

The next morning, October 28, Khrushchev issued a public statement that Soviet missiles would be dismantled and removed from Cuba.

The crisis was over but the naval quarantine continued until the Soviets agreed to remove their IL–28 bombers from Cuba and, on November 20, 1962, the United States ended its quarantine. U.S. Jupiter missiles were removed from Turkey in April 1963.

We also had Jupiter missiles installed in Italy. Their removal was also started in April 1963.

112 posted on 07/14/2025 1:50:21 PM PDT by woodpusher
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To: woodpusher

The Jupiter IRBMs by then were obsolete. They were liquid fueled and going to be removed from both Turkey and Italy anyway. The USSR gave up the bigger chess piece.


113 posted on 07/14/2025 1:54:30 PM PDT by Reily
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To: woodpusher

Some of you have no concept that we live in THIS country and not Russia, which is and most certainly was a world villain in 1961.
Like I always say, when a real war hits, some of you are the last person I want in a foxhole.
No the US wasn’t wrong in 1961 for too many reasons to start listing right now for clueless people.


114 posted on 07/14/2025 1:58:46 PM PDT by Williams (Thank God for the election of President Trump!)
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To: bert
Your view is far too narrow. Your knowledge of history is non existent.

Hitler and Napoleon both wreaked havoc within Mother Russia.


And your view is eye-wateringly ignorant.

Hitler and Napoleon were dictators who pursued conquest. NATO is a collection of democracies who pursue stability, prosperity, and peace. It’s literally in the treaty (Article 2).
115 posted on 07/14/2025 4:20:27 PM PDT by Apparatchik (Русские свиньи, идите домой)
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To: Reily
The Jupiter IRBMs by then were obsolete.

The bombs used on Hiroshima and Nagasaki were powerful enough to end WW2. The power of the bombs aimed at the USSR in 1962 were not something insignificant to those they were aimed at.

116 posted on 07/14/2025 8:06:20 PM PDT by woodpusher
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To: Williams
Some of you have no concept that we live in THIS country and not Russia, which is and most certainly was a world villain in 1961.

I have not seen the USSR/Russia involved in military conflict in the Americas. The U.S. has been involved in military conflict in Europe, Asia, and Africa.

Like I always say, when a real war hits, some of you are the last person I want in a foxhole.

I do not want to be in a foxhole at all. USN, Ret. I would not want to fight a war accompanied by keyboard commandos. The next world war will not be fought in foxholes. The one after that will be fought with sticks and stones.

No the US wasn’t wrong in 1961 for too many reasons to start listing right now for clueless people.

The Cuban Missile Crisis was in October 1962. Clueless people confuse it with the Bay of Pigs incident in 1961, a U.S. intrigue to overthrow the government in Cuba.

Right and wrong won't matter in a nuclear war.

117 posted on 07/14/2025 8:27:23 PM PDT by woodpusher
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To: woodpusher

Once again, you don’t care about the United States of America and you talk leftist claptrap about “right and wrong won’t matter” in WW3.

I have not the slightest criticism for party WW2 US involvement in the world, which has kept the peace for 80 years and served as a bulwark against enemies such as the Soviet Union and Chicoms.

But you’ll point to ways caused by the communists and radical Islam and you’ll blame the United States.

You’re so upset that America has had a presence in Western Europe and the Pacific.

Thank God no one like you has controlled our foreign policy, EXCEPT when your fellow America haters in the Democrat party were in charge.


118 posted on 07/14/2025 11:57:19 PM PDT by Williams (Thank God for the election of President Trump!)
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To: Apparatchik

Like I said. You lack knowledge necessary to comprehend the present


119 posted on 07/15/2025 5:31:31 AM PDT by bert ( (KE. NP. +12) Where is ZORRO when California so desperately needs him?)
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To: bert

When your response to a factual counterpoint is to double down on your own rude insult, we’re done here. Your ignorance is willful and mule-headed to boot.


120 posted on 07/15/2025 3:15:47 PM PDT by Apparatchik (Русские свиньи, идите домой)
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