[littlelilac]

I'm torn, joint US and Russian forces - is this bad for the US or bad for the Russians ie. Putin as in maybe Russian troops could turn on a Russian authoritarian regime, you know what they say, how do you keep them down on the farm once they have seen Paris.....

[processing please hold]

I'm all for training them on some of our stuff, but don't teach them everything we know. It could be turned on us in the future.

[Cameronite]

“I think ... a lot of the soldiers will be friends for a long time,” said Spc. Daniel Manor, a translator from the 501st Military Intelligence Battalion.

There you have it. They're planting seeds today for harvest 20 or 30 years from now.

[stripes1776]

I'm torn, joint US and Russian forces

Russia is still the largest country in the world in terms of land-size and it is rich in natural resources--including oil. Once the potential oil fields in Siberia are developed over the next 10 years, Russian may turn out to have more oil reserves than Saudi Arabia. An oil pipeline to a Siberian port would mean a short transport by tanker to the US.

Who would you rather the US buy its oil from--a bunch of Islamofascists or Russians? Joint military exercises might be very useful in establishing a mutually favorable atmosphere in future trade agreements.

Then there is the question of China. Sometime over the next 10 years it will begin to flex its military muscle in Asia. And it is desparate for oil and other resources for its economy. Will the Chinese play nice with the Russians, or will the Chicoms decide that some of the Siberian territory on their border, rich with natural resources, should really belong to China? With the Bear and the Eagle allied against the Dragon, the Dragon loses.

[jb6]

What authoritarian regime? The one overwhelmingly elected by the people in OSCE/US supervised elections? The one with over 70% approval ratings?

By the way, there is no precident in Russian history of military coups.