Anyone naively hoping for Obama's failed Russia policy to work out might be forgiven- I too thought we could forge a far more constructive relationship with them back in the early 90's...
then again in the wake of 9/11, considering the common enemies that emerged. But years after those harsh lessons in Russian intransigence and strategic opportunism, you'd think the current administration might have known a little better than to just waltz into the Kremlin and try to lay some hopenchange on 'em... and with no 'Plan B' in sight.
then again in the wake of 9/11, considering the common enemies that emerged. But years after those harsh lessons in Russian intransigence and strategic opportunism, you'd think the current administration might have known a little better than to just waltz into the Kremlin and try to lay some hopenchange on 'em... and with no 'Plan B' in sight.
Wishful thinking aside, if Russia isn't a full-blown enemy of the United States today, they do about the best imitation of one I've ever seen. Accomplished Machiavellian snake Vladimir Putin recently violated the spirit -if not letter- of a UN arms embargo they were party to by selling advanced anti-aircraft missile systems to Tehran through straw-purchaser Venezuela in a deal that includes the construction of Iranian-operated missile sites on the northern coast of South America (!).
Yet regardless of Obama's ongoing attempts to make nice with the Russians -selling out allies like Poland and the Czech Republic in the process- the Kremlin has continued to put itself on the opposite side of almost any issue/rivalry/conflict that could possibly provide advantage- be it military, diplomatic, or economic.
Now Georgia has produced unsettling evidence of a Russian intelligence agent's involvement in a series of Georgian bombings, including the Sept. 2010 blast next to the US Embassy in Tbilisi- a direct attack on American territory/property, and just three months prior to US Senate ratification of an arms treaty meant to be a cornerstone of Obama's Pollyanna 'Reset Button' strategy.
Then there's this gem: although the United States has actually purchased dozens of Russian helicopters for fledgling Iraqi and Afghan forces over the last few years, that wasn't good enough for greedy thugs in the Kremlin- they smelled weakness, and that's all it takes usually...
A Pentagon program to rush 21 helicopters to Afghan military forces in time for this summer’s fighting season was derailed by the Obama administration’s conciliatory policy toward Russia and by Army procurement missteps amid allegations of corruption, according to current and former defense officials and military contractors.
Four Russian-made Mi-17 dual-use civilian-military helicopters were sent to Afghanistan in September 2009 under a competitively bid Navy contract that delivered the aircraft in a record 45 days.
But eight other helicopters that were painted in Afghan National ArmyAir Corps colors are now sitting in a warehouse in Slovakia because their delivery was blocked last November by the Russian government. The reason: Moscow demanded the Pentagon use the state arms trader Rosoboronexport as the sole-source contractor for the helicopters.
The contract change boosted costs by tens of millions of dollars and delayed further deliveries until later this year, at the earliest, according to officials involved in the procurement.
“Gaining political points with the Russians trumped meeting military requirements, and as a result we have a one-year delay in getting aircraft into Afghanistan,” said John J. Young, former undersecretary of defense for acquisition under former President George W. Bush...
The government-owned company they insisted we use -Rosoboronexport- tacked "at least" $4M to each of the $15M helicopters (x21), and Obama quickly caved- what does he care, it's only taxpayer money.
Seems the Russian mafia has had some serious influence on Kremlin business practices, if it's not them running all this in the first place. And just look at all the neat stuff the nice people at Rosoboronexport sold Hugo Chavez, on parade -here-
Figuring-out the Russians is not difficult: (1) for the foreseeable future they find more advantage in being an opponent of the United States than in aligning themselves with us, (2) they always push and push for more until you stop them- which the current occupant of the White House seems both unwilling and unable to do anything about.
Understand too that the Russians have no real reason to be nice, and really don't want to be your friend. They tend to see kindness as weakness and are already getting all they ever dreamed of by treating us with ceaseless contempt... so why change now?
Expect the worst until we get a real leader in this country-
going to be a long 18 months in the meantime.
