Posted on 08/27/2007 4:13:07 AM PDT by Renfield
When the USSR put missiles in Cuba, we got a bit upset. Likewise, Russia is a bit nervous having use surround them with bases.
We haven’t been very kind to some of the interests lately (which is fine, they haven’t been kind to ours), so it is inevitable that they would react this way.
There's the small difference that we weren't an empire bent on world domination with a proven history of tyranny and repression, and a creed that our system would only work when the whole world was under it.
I'm not into equivalence when the parties involved aren't of equal character. The old woman next door has every logical reason to be worried about the thugs next door carrying knives and baseball bats, the thugs have zero logical reason to justify their actions by claiming to be scared of the old woman's rolling pin.
The Russians are on their own program, that has very little if anything to do with reacting to us. Their claims that it does is pure subterfuge.
We haven’t been very kind to some of the interests lately (which is fine, they haven’t been kind to ours), so it is inevitable that they would react this way.
They could publically announce deals. However, Putin seems to be more of a Revanchist than a sane nationalist. He is tacitly supporting Iran's nuclear weapons program to spite the US, keep oil prices high, and divide Caspian natural gas. The fact that Russia's muslim population will look to an islamist Iran escapes the Stalinist.
Maybe you ought to read more Russian history. Russians have VERY good reasons for "feeling surrounded" considering the number of times their nation has been invaded.
You're drinking the koolaide. How many times have Poland, France, Spain, England, and Belgium been attacked (just to name a few)? Russia was attacked by Germany in WWI and WWII (just like Western Europe) and by Napoleon before that (just like Western Europe). In fact, Russia was the first to attack in WWI.
Imperial Russia was mainly attacked by countries wrestling over control of non-Russian lands and received no more than it gave.
Russia's xenophobic paranoia has always been a tool of its autocratic leaders. But there is no reason to excuse such actions. The fact that Russians are Caucasian belies their penchant for traditionally oriental foreign policy.
The problem is that right now, the Russian population is still fearful of us. They grew up hearing about how the “capitalists” wanted to gobble up Russia, and some view the US building bases in the former republics as just that. Heck, many in the Russian leadership view it as that.
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.