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The United States and "Russia" (aka. Prussia, USSR, Russia) have been allies and friendly towards one another for the majority of our nations' existance.
We had treaties and alliances signed by Thomas Jefferson. We fought side by side in WW1 and WW2.
Then Stalin destroyed US/Soviet relations with his adherence to Communism, imperialism, and abysmal human rights record.
Reagan famously ended the Cold War when reformist Mikhail Gorbechev promoted Perestroika and Glasnost.
Putin and George W. were friendly and Putin supported our anti-terrorism efforts after 9/11.
Hillary presented a 'reset button' in 2009.
From personal experience, I speak to Russians often via Amateur Radio and visit with them at IT conferences - they LOVE the united states... they are not our enemy.
So tell me liberals - why all of a sudden do we hate the Russians again? They no longer oppress their people, they embrace and encourage capitalism, and generally fight alongside us whenever major conflicts break out.
is this just an example of "the friend of my enemy (Trump) is my enemy"?
I know quite a few Russians myself - never met a single one I didn't like.
It is a whole lot easier for the left to blame Russia for the results of the election than it is for them to look in the mirror and examine the true reasons behind the rejection. The escalation in anti-Russia rhetoric is nothing really, just a spoiled 2 year old pitching a fit.
My, how times have changed. Anyone remember a time when liberals used to howl and screech like a gaggle of banshees being slow-roasted over an open flame whenever anyone suggested we get tough with Russia? During the Cold War, leftists used to literally have seizures over the very notion of us attempting to thwart the Kremlin's global hegemonic plans. Today, they want to wage what amounts to total war against Russia. Why? Because they stupidly and erroneously believe that Hillary, along with her rapist, scumbag of a husband, were denied the White House as a result of Russian espionage. Idiots.
My, how times have changed. Anyone remember a time when liberals used to howl and screech like a gaggle of banshees being slow-roasted over an open flame whenever anyone suggested we get tough with Russia? During the Cold War, leftists used to literally have seizures over the very notion of us attempting to thwart the Kremlin's global hegemonic plans. Today, they want to wage what amounts to total war against Russia. Why? Because they stupidly and erroneously believe that Hillary, along with her rapist, scumbag of a husband, were denied the White House as a result of Russian espionage. Idiots.
You think Putin is done now that Trump is president instead of Clinton?
I would add that partnering with Russia could be what it takes to fight the growing Islamic assault on Western civilization.
Yah. The old Russia, & the Russian Empire, & the USSR, & possibly the CIS - have spent a lot of time & effort trying to bring Russia & all its ethnicities & languages & cultures up to European standards. The USSR crossed a lot of ethnic, religious, language lines - & succeeded, mostly by sheer force & willingness to incarcerate people or execute them, if all else failed. They also recruited & trained & indoctrinated local talent - as head of their minorities & languages programs. Unfortunately, the USSR couldn't resolve most of the issues - they simply buried them; papered over the differences within the Soviet system.
With the USSR gone, those differences have resurfaced, & played hob with CIS efforts to halt centrifugal tendencies. PM Putin longs to return the CIS to the glory days of the USSR - whose best days were immediately after WWII, when they exacted massive looting & rioting & etc. upon East Germany - a rough kind of justice.
Yah, the USSR & now the CIS have some experience with Islamic cultures & languages - one of the reasons that Islamic Afghanistan was such a fright for the Politburo - it set a bad example for restive internal Islamic populations in the 'stans. So yah, the USSR had a very bad experience in Afghanistan, & eventually had to drag out of there - once the game proved to not be worth the candle, & the USSR military & political demoralization became dangerous. The mujahedeen, of course, interpreted this as their defeat of the USSR - a bold claim, but I don't think it holds water.
& in Afghanistan, the USSR did everything short of nukes. It didn't avail them anything - except perhaps an undying hatred from the Afghanis.
The other question - Islam dates back to 622CE. In all that time, they rose & fell, & rose & fell. Their last big gasp on the World stage was the Ottoman Empire - which finally collapsed in WWII. Since then, oil & natgas have been their principal claim to fame. Are they World powers? Not by any definition I've heard. Are they assaulting Western civilization? Saudi Arabia, perhaps, in its unremitting support of the Wahhabi - but that's the internal support of the Saudi family/government. Without the Saudi quid pro quo with the Wahhabi - financial support for the Wahhabi, & the Wahhabi certify that the Saudi royal family is truly Islamic - there would be a revolution or something fairly violent in Saudi Arabia.
you inference that I believe Stalin only became 'bad' after ww2 was certainly not what i implied. I simply said we were allies during WW2 and that relationship soured with his continued human rights atrocities and shunning of modern capitalism
No, the US & USSR weren't allies - we (& our allies) were both (all) concerned to defeat Nazi Germany & their allies. The USSR didn't have a choice - the Nazis were breaking down the door & killing everyone in sight, or hauling them off to labor camps, & using them up, & then killing them. For the USSR, it was do or die. The US needed (once the ETO Lowlands fell, & France fell & the BEF had to retreat without its heavy weapons) someone, anyone, to stand & fight the Nazis. The USSR lost armies. They dug new emplacements & lines, & lost more armies. & again & again. & still the USSR formed more armies, stockpiled tanks, arty, ammo. & they came on again.
The limited partnership with the USSR fell apart as UK & US & associated realized the depth of Soviet intelligence penetration. & the Soviet obsession with creating a buffer zone in East Europe, under Soviet control, to prevent another Nazi-style invasion. Stalin was far gone to begin with, to believe that he could cut even a temporary deal with Hitler & the Nazis.
Liberals don't like Russia because they are not PC, they don't have gay marriage and transgender bathrooms, silly crap like that. Russia is still a very powerful country due to their military and ginormous size. We are long time competitors politically but as OP points out, have been on the same side during major conflicts.I think it stupid to deliberately have conflicts with Putin like Obama has done. I'm not saying we won't have differences but we should continually seek good relations with Russia in my opinion.
Russia because they are not PC - The USSR - or someone related there - invented the practice & the term PC.
a very powerful country due ... ginormous size - No, physical size of the country has very little to do with power. Israel is powerful, Switzerland is powerful, UK is powerful. The CIS could be powerful, if they would quit trying to centralize/politicize the economy, & shed the nomenklatura & the military & the organs. But PM Putin's clique is all three - & so that's not going to change.
US interests & USSR interests sometimes coincide, & more often don't. That in & of itself - doesn't mean anything. Yah, if we have similar concrete goals, by all means, let's collaborate. But the benefits have to be mutual - & I would suggest, short-term. Every time Russian authority changes hands, there's a period of chaos & confusion. Best to keep the relationship one of cash 'n' carry.
why all of a sudden do we hate the Russians again? They no longer oppress their people, they embrace and encourage capitalism, and generally fight alongside us whenever major conflicts break out.
No. Putin returned the Russians to adversary status when he declared himself dictator-for-life, invaded and annexed a neighboring sovereign state, and threatened to do the same to NATO allies.
Any idiot should be able to understand this. Even the prez elect.
Russia has a ****load of technical expertise, even more nukes than we do, and is a genuine threat to us, unlike those ass-backward Islamic terrorists who think the moon is made out of cheese and that math is the work of Satan. They can barely figure out which way to point the RPG. It's a fugging joke to say we're going to cooperate with Russia to defeat Islamic terrorism. Do you let a ****ing tiger into your house to take care of your mouse problem?
Loving a nation's people and loving that nation's leadership are two entirely different things.
Putin's intentions are very clear. He means to get Russian goods and services firmly implanted into the west while developing his mother country as completely as western Europe and north America. Those are his goals, and he intends to reach them.
Russia is huge, so his goals are too. Putin has no compunction when it comes to meeting his goals. If he can use warfare to extend his nation's influence to its betterment, then that's what he will use. He will use technology for the same purpose, diplomacy for the same purpose, and internal power for the same purpose.
He plans to lead Russia for the rest of his life, whether in or out of office, and has always been triumphant in this. As a national leader, he now has longer and deeper experience at dominating his country's politics than any other leaders in the world outside of those in Asia and the Middle East.
He's the fiddler who comes to town with a poisoned blade in his pocket. Let him in the dance hall, and he'll play a pretty tune and demand payment. If he doesn't get it, he'll stab you out in the alley with the blade after the dance is over.
Just a little prick, hardly more than a scratch, if that's all he needs. If he needs more, then he'll cut your head off with the same blade. No one asked for the dance, but that doesn't matter. Once he's in town, somebody will pay, one way or the other.
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Russia & Islam
