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Stop Poking the Bear [Give diplomacy a chance. Stop provoking Moscow]
National Interest ^ | Dec 24 2016 | Robert W Merry

Posted on 12/26/2016 5:26:26 PM PST by WilliamIII

THE GRAVEST crisis facing America and the West is also the most unnecessary: the ominous deterioration in relations with Russia. Far from the danger posed during the Cold War, Russia nonetheless remains positioned upon the crucial Eurasian heartland, a strategic bastion that cannot be ignored. It has always been, and remains, a potential threat to Europe, and that must always be borne in mind. And yet the most provocative actions in this relationship in recent years have come from Europe, NATO and America—against Russia. NATO, a military alliance, has expanded right up to the Russian border. It has deployed components of a missile-defense shield in Poland and Romania. NATO has flirted with allowing both Georgia and Ukraine, both traditionally part of Russia’s sphere of influence, into the Western alliance. U.S. officials undermined the democratically elected leader of Ukraine, whose government tilted toward Russia, and have taken actions bent on pulling Ukraine from Russia’s orbit. When Russia responded by securing Crimea, with its crucial harbor, and providing military support to rebels in eastern Ukraine who don’t want to be pulled Westward, the United States and Europe imposed debilitating economic sanctions.

(Excerpt) Read more at nationalinterest.org ...


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs
KEYWORDS: putinsbootlickers; russiasucks
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To: RedWulf

I feel so sorry for the Russians. Think of the Cold War. No nation on earth was surrounded by hostile communist neighbors the way Russia was. It wasn’t fair.


21 posted on 12/27/2016 1:15:09 AM PST by elhombrelibre
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To: RedWulf

Maybe what Russia should do is invade all the countries not in NATO to show them that it’s anti-Russian to want to be in NATO.


22 posted on 12/27/2016 1:51:04 AM PST by elhombrelibre
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To: RedWulf

Anyone who believes the Russians are an aggressor - in Ukraine or elsewhere - is a propaganda victim with brainwashing way too deep to deprogram them through a messageboard.


23 posted on 12/27/2016 2:03:46 AM PST by thoughtomator (Purple: the color of sedition)
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To: elhombrelibre

Maybe what they should do is drop a nuke on you.

Since you like poking the nuclear bear so much.


24 posted on 12/27/2016 2:04:22 AM PST by thoughtomator (Purple: the color of sedition)
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To: thoughtomator

Yes, that would prove that they’re a reasonable and benign power. Yours is certainly a Modest Proposal. But if they cannot do that, cannot nuke me, they should at least bring back the GULAG. I mean you cannot merely assassinate journalists and then turn around and let people still say things that don’t praise Putin. Again, this is so unfair that people keep poking the poor lil happy go lucky bear.


25 posted on 12/27/2016 2:18:17 AM PST by elhombrelibre
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To: thoughtomator

>Anyone who believes the Russians are an aggressor - in Ukraine or elsewhere - is a propaganda victim with brainwashing way too deep to deprogram them through a messageboard.

People are just being fed propaganda by the MSN. It always amazes me how people will acknowledge how the media lies about conservatives all the time but then they assume the media telling the truth about Russia.


26 posted on 12/27/2016 2:20:18 AM PST by RedWulf (Trump:Front Lines. Obama: Back Nine. Hillary:Nap T)
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To: elhombrelibre

>Maybe what Russia should do is invade all the countries not in NATO to show them that it’s anti-Russian to want to be in NATO.

If it requires Neo-Nazi’s violently overthrowing the government to get the Ukraine into NATO then maybe you’re aligning yourself with the wrong side in this debate.


27 posted on 12/27/2016 2:21:55 AM PST by RedWulf (Trump:Front Lines. Obama: Back Nine. Hillary:Nap T)
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To: RedWulf

Ukraine isn’t in NATO. Probably you know that. Yes, they’d like to be, what neighbor of Russia wouldn’t want some hope of not being invaded the way your country has taken a hunk of Ukraine (Crimea), or how you’ve continued to run an undeclared war against Ukraine using Russian arms and Russian “volunteers.” Yes, the poor bear has to snatch land from it’s peaceful neighbors, to kill them, to shoot down civilian airlines over their nation, to protect them from Goldstein. Moscow is the Third Rome, you know. That gives them the God given right to stomp the hell out of their neighbors.


28 posted on 12/27/2016 2:29:45 AM PST by elhombrelibre
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To: McGruff

yes


29 posted on 12/27/2016 3:40:20 AM PST by dp0622 (The only thing an upper crust conservative hates more than a liberal is a middle class conservative)
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