University of Chicago professor and realist foreign policy analyst, John J. Mearsheimer, explains the origin of the present US-Russian conflict as the result of NATO enlargement towards Russia's borders. The "liberal" interventionists who provoked the Russians did so by violating the original agreement between the west and the Soviets that ended the cold war, among other things. In other words, the west lied to the Russians and almost immediately began expanding a hostile military alliance towards Russia's borders. MIT professor, Noam Chomsky, has spoken about this in several interviews: [video=youtube;h0qdbsE3Jqo]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=h0qdbsE3Jqo&feature=youtu.be&t=40m30s[/video] Chomsky explains, in his common sense way, that if the shoe were on the other foot, and a Russian military alliance had expanded into the western hemisphere all the way up to the US borders, Americans would be outraged. This is how realists view foreign policy in general, by putting themselves in other nation's shoes instead of just belligerently and automatically assuming the supremacy and righteousness of their own nation. In other words, realists have a rational view of foreign policy. Their neocon and neoliberal opponents do not. Unfortunately, the neocons and neoliberals have been dominating US foreign policy for many decades. So is it any wonder that US foreign policy can only be described as a series of disasters that costs our country trillions and achieves nothing tangible for Americans?
Mebbe the Donald gonna trade Ukraine fer more interest in Syria?... US Flirts With Softer Stance on Russia's Conduct in Ukraine February 01, 2017 | WASHINGTON The Trump administration on Wednesday maintained a low-key approach to the latest flare-up of violence in eastern Ukraine, where the government accuses Russian-backed forces of stepping up attacks. The restrained tone may reflect the start of a new U.S. approach to dealing with Russia's cross-border activity, even as top U.S. officials are pledging to support Ukraine's sovereignty. See also: Sources: Trump to Focus US Counter-extremism Program Solely on Islam February 01, 2017 The Trump administration wants to revamp and rename a U.S. government program designed to counter all violent ideologies so that it focuses solely on Islamist extremism, five people briefed on the matter told Reuters.
I have been saying the exact same things for a long time but too many people are simply to ignorant to understand. It is refreshing to see Americans that are well informed and not bashing on Russia just because it's the way it has always been. Not many people know about the agreement the West and The Soviet Union had regarding the expansion of NATO, kudos to you.