[rbmillerjr]

“No formal deal was struck”

Your damned right. There was no deal.
Besides Russia is a serial violator of every agreement they ever signed.

[Kazan]

Expanding NATO to Russia's borders was a moronic idea, one that experts warned for years that the Russians wouldn't tolerate nor should they tolerate heavily-armed NATO nations on their border.

We didn't tolerate Soviet missiles in Cuba. We're not and shouldn't tolerate a Chinese military base on the Solomon Islands.

But, neocon idiots think we can bully the Russians into accepting provocations we'd never accept it. Not only is that double standard, it is insanity that endangers our national security.

Only someone stupid or arrogant would think its been a good idea to enact threatening policies toward a great military and nuclear power.