When the Soviet Union fell, we missed a great opportunity to lend a helping hand to Russia and develop better relations with its leaders.
When the terrorists attacked the school at Belsen, we should have made a great big deal about their loss. We made some cosmetic comments almost ignoring it.
We could have solidified the people of Russia as our friends by handling that situation better. We missed a once on a lifetime opportunity.
We allowed Putin to kind of languish on the vine, almost like a third world leader. It would’t have cost us much to involve in him some meetings to allow him to feel like he wasn’t being looked down to.
We didn’t have to go crazy over it, but we could have recognized him and let him save face. We didn’t.
Then Russia reached out to China. It could have been reaching out to us instead. We didn’t facilitate that. That was a massive error. Here are are now, and we’re paying for it.
I agree with you. If we had cultivated a relationship with Putin, we could have let him play the hero at this moment. Instead he’s cozened up to our enemy.
It’s sad how we mismanaged all this.
We could have given Russia some trade. We could have helped it’s people more.
Russia is now tied to China.
Well, it is what it is.
This does not mean I don’t understand that Putin is ex KBG, and a threat. It’s still better to keep him close than in your enemy’s camp.
Yep! When the Soviet Union fell I was really hopeful. Help them set up some business training, trade, etc. Bush Sr. and Clinton sure dropped the ball on that.
I know several US firms tried to make some headway, but by the time they were allowed in the Russian mob was already in big time and had a lot of control. Just our firms on their own wouldn’t have been able to make it.
“When the Soviet Union fell, we missed a great opportunity to lend a helping hand to Russia and develop better relations with its leaders.” Yep. Good points. Thanks George HW Bush & Bill Clinton.