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  1. #1
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    Default Stop Poking the Bear

    Stop Poking the Bear


    Give diplomacy a chance. Stop provoking Moscow.

    Robert W. Merry
    <time pubdate="" datetime="2016-12-24T21:15:12-05:00">December 24, 2016</time>

    Editor’s Note: TNI’s January/February 2017 print issue convened a symposium on the most significant national-security challenge awaiting the Trump administration. You can find all entries in the series here.
    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.
    All this has Russian officials seething. Although Western opinion has demonized President Vladimir Putin as an aggressive, land-hungry autocrat, he is but one official. The Kremlin is replete with elites who believe their country now is so beleaguered by these Western encroachments that they want an aggressive pushback strategy, even if it means war.
    It could mean war. That would be a disaster for America and the West. For America, it would pull attention and resources away from much more serious strategic threats, most notably the rise of ISIS in the Middle East and the rise of China in Asia. For Europe, it likely would threaten the eastern nations liberated in 1989 after some forty-five years of Soviet domination.
    But, of all the 2016 presidential candidates, only Donald Trump embraced a policy prescription designed to reverse the West’s provocative eastward expansion, reduce tensions and test Russia’s true intentions.
    Trump should start with Ukraine, a land of crucial strategic significance to Russia, but of paltry strategic consequence to America. It is a tragically split country, with Western-oriented Ukrainians in the western regions and ethnic Russians in the eastern reaches. Russia has dealt with this delicate situation for decades; let it continue. Also, Russia’s annexation of Crimea should never be allowed to sour relations between that country and the West, as Crimea had been part of Russia for centuries until artificially severed by Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev. Besides, some 1.5 of its 2.3 million people are ethnic Russians. Let it go; withdraw the sanctions.
    Second, the president should assure Russia that the West has no designs on Ukraine, Georgia, Moldova or Belarus—or, for that matter, any other nations identified with the Orthodox Christian tradition. No NATO designs. But the West would go to war to prevent any Russian meddling in European lands traditionally identified with Western Christendom, most notably the Baltic states. They remain a crucial part of the Western sphere of influence.
    Third, the president should cease its insistence that Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad must go. The goal in Syria, as in Iraq, must be the defeat of ISIS, and the anti-Assad fervor merely gets in the way. It also gets in the way of sound relations with Russia, which has aligned itself with Assad and thus has maintained a tighter strategic focus in the region. America should do the same. The enemy is ISIS, not Assad.
    Fourth, throughout these diplomatic efforts, designed to assuage Russia’s fears and angers about the West’s eastward expansion, the United States should seek also to pull Russia away from its recent flirtation with China. Solid Russia-China relations are not in America’s interest. China is the country most powerfully positioned to challenge America’s role in the world by forcing it out of Asia and back to its perimeter stronghold of Hawaii. If U.S.-China tensions mounted, as seems likely within the next twenty years, it would be extremely unwise—indeed, foolhardy—for America to also have a hostile relationship with Russia.
    So give diplomacy a chance. End the Western provocations. Give the Russians some breathing room in their own neighborhood. And then, we can find out just how expansionist and threatening they really are. If it turns out that they want to be threatening even in the face of these conciliatory actions, then Western power, under American leadership, certainly is sufficient to handle the situation.
    Robert W. Merry is a contributing editor at the National Interest and an author of books on American history and foreign policy.
    Image: Vladimir Putin at the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum

    http://nationalinterest.org/feature/...8838?page=show
    Indifferent alike to praise or blame
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    You don't poke bears. You kill them. All.

    Will one of you Trumpiess dial him up and tell him I'm available for SecDef?
    “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke

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    OBAMA SET THAT STAGE ON HIS WAY OUT, SO AS TO SHAFT TRUMP.
    Which is just more of obama's continued agenda of harming this nation he hates!
    The bastard, is one of the lowest forms of life on earth IMHO..
    Where is Zeus with a very well placed lightning bolt when we need him??

    Lucky for us, that Trump has already taken action, to avoid that trap the traitor obama and his allies set!
    AND PUTIN AS WELL, SAW IT FOR THE OBAMA TRAP THAT IT WAS/IS.....--Tyr
    18 U.S. Code § 2381-Treason Whoever, owing allegiance to the United States, levies war against them or adheres to their enemies, giving them aid and comfort within the United States or elsewhere, is guilty of treason and shall suffer death, or shall be imprisoned not less than five years and fined under this title but not less than $10,000; and shall be incapable of holding any office under the United States.

  4. #4
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    Not to worry; see the "I'd like to see" thread, in Announcements.
    After the game, the king and the pawn go into the same box - Author unknown

    “Unfortunately, the truth is now whatever the media say it is”
    -Abbey

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tyr-Ziu Saxnot View Post
    OBAMA SET THAT STAGE ON HIS WAY OUT, SO AS TO SHAFT TRUMP.
    Which is just more of obama's continued agenda of harming this nation he hates!
    The bastard, is one of the lowest forms of life on earth IMHO..
    Where is Zeus with a very well placed lightning bolt when we need him??

    Lucky for us, that Trump has already taken action, to avoid that trap the traitor obama and his allies set!
    AND PUTIN AS WELL, SAW IT FOR THE OBAMA TRAP THAT IT WAS/IS.....--Tyr
    I honestly don't believe it was aimed at Trump. He's been shafting the US since the day he took office. Just another day at the office for is useless a$$.
    “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke

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    Quote Originally Posted by Tyr-Ziu Saxnot View Post
    OBAMA SET THAT STAGE ON HIS WAY OUT, SO AS TO SHAFT TRUMP.
    Which is just more of obama's continued agenda of harming this nation he hates!
    The bastard, is one of the lowest forms of life on earth IMHO..
    Where is Zeus with a very well placed lightning bolt when we need him??

    Lucky for us, that Trump has already taken action, to avoid that trap the traitor obama and his allies set!
    AND PUTIN AS WELL, SAW IT FOR THE OBAMA TRAP THAT IT WAS/IS.....--Tyr
    I gave not a piece of no propaganda. I've given the thoughts of an American. Then let us see..
    Last edited by Balu; 01-05-2017 at 06:16 PM.
    Indifferent alike to praise or blame
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    Fearing not injury, nor seeking fame,
    Nor casting pearls to swine.
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  9. #7
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    Quote Originally Posted by Balu View Post
    I gave not a piece of no propaganda. I've given the thoughts of an American. Then let us see..
    Everything you post is propaganda to us. How many times do I need to point that out? For someone who thinks he's so smart, the obvious is kicking your ass.
    “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke

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    We will stop poking the bear when the bear stops spying on us.
    We won't even talk about the doped up bears that have cheating over the last few decades of international athletic competition.


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    Quote Originally Posted by gabosaurus View Post
    We will stop poking the bear when the bear stops spying on us.
    You must be joking...
    You want to dismiss all YOUR Intelligence Service and its officers to convince us stop spying on you, or you think that we all are from Texas?
    Indifferent alike to praise or blame
    Give heed, O Muse, but to the voice Divine
    Fearing not injury, nor seeking fame,
    Nor casting pearls to swine.
    (A.Pushkin)

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    Quote Originally Posted by Balu View Post
    You must be joking...
    You want to dismiss all YOUR Intelligence Service and its officers to convince us stop spying on you, or you think that we all are from Texas?
    Pick on the right person, dirtbag. First off, if you were Texas you'd already be dead. Typical though, picking on a girl. Best you can do in a fight? We let our little ladies sit in the stands and watch. In their little sundresses.

    You make a post about poking the bear? Stand up and fight motherfucker. Leaving me alone is a good policy. You're all mouth. And liar. No one in the military talks as much as you. And we all stick to what we're good at. You seem to be an expert at every level and service. No one except a cut n paste moron knows as much as you claim to.

    Now... bring it ....
    “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke

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  15. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by gabosaurus View Post
    We won't even talk about the doped up bears that have cheating over the last few decades of international athletic competition.
    Indifferent alike to praise or blame
    Give heed, O Muse, but to the voice Divine
    Fearing not injury, nor seeking fame,
    Nor casting pearls to swine.
    (A.Pushkin)

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  17. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunny View Post
    Pick on the right person, dirtbag. First off, if you were Texas you'd already be dead. Typical though, picking on a girl. Best you can do in a fight? We let our little ladies sit in the stands and watch. In their little sundresses.

    You make a post about poking the bear? Stand up and fight motherfucker. Leaving me alone is a good policy. You're all mouth. And liar. No one in the military talks as much as you. And we all stick to what we're good at. You seem to be an expert at every level and service. No one except a cut n paste moron knows as much as you claim to.

    Now... bring it ....
    @blackdiamond is there that fingers drum rolling on the wood emoticon? I';m waiting on his ass ......
    Last edited by Gunny; 01-06-2017 at 12:33 AM.
    “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunny View Post
    @blackdiamond is there that fingers drum rolling on the wood emoticon? I';m waiting on his ass ......
    You're on the board and I know it. Man up or be a pussy. You fucked with the wrong asshole.

    Or is your brave self just waiting for me to go to sleep? Then you can cut n paste some more bullshit. You talk all this tough shit and not once have I ever seen you take anyone on.
    “When bad men combine, the good must associate; else they will fall, one by one, an unpitied sacrifice in a contemptible struggle.” Edumnd Burke

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    Quote Originally Posted by Gunny View Post
    @blackdiamond is there that fingers drum rolling on the wood emoticon? I';m waiting on his ass ......
    :whistle:

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  21. #15
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    I wonder why?
    A person (Mozart is a Great composer) keep on replying being aware that he is on my ignore list...
    Can anybody tell me if honey-Gunny who is so funny is from Texas besides he is a Sarge?
    Indifferent alike to praise or blame
    Give heed, O Muse, but to the voice Divine
    Fearing not injury, nor seeking fame,
    Nor casting pearls to swine.
    (A.Pushkin)

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