General Discussion

Benton D Struckcheon

(2,347 posts)

1. Kennan on NATO Way Back

Reply to nadinbrzezinski (Original post)

Fri Apr 18, 2014, 08:53 PM

Apr 2014

http://www.nytimes.com/1998/05/02/opinion/foreign-affairs-now-a-word-from-x.html

My question is, do you think this would have happened anyway, that is, as Russia recovered from the fall of the USSR, it would try to restart its empire, or do you think this was more a reaction to NATO expansion? I know it's not 100% one or the other, just wondering which, in your opinion, would be more important.
Once I read up on how Russia still depends on east Ukraine to produce major portions of its military hardware I figured they almost had to go after the east after Crimea, since now Ukraine is going to have a hard time justifying continuing to stock their military even as it's used against them. Did Putin, I wonder, figure out that if he took Crimea he was practically going to be obliged to take the east just to keep his military humming along?

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I keep going back to what an instructor who once was in the arena told us many years ago (Ukraine) [View all] nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 OP

Kennan on NATO Way Back Benton D Struckcheon Apr 2014 #1

Both, they are not mutually exclusive. nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #2

The factories in the East, actually the infrastructure as a whole, needs a lot of investment and okaawhatever Apr 2014 #17

Kick for nuance nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #3

Great post. joshcryer Apr 2014 #4

A little detail that I really had to catch up nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #5

I watched the Euromaiden live stream live. joshcryer Apr 2014 #6

I admit, in the begining I paid attention to the dramatic photos nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #7

Yes, and remember people wearing pots and pans on their heads because the new law forbid helmets okaawhatever Apr 2014 #18

Interesting rumdude Apr 2014 #8

One last kick from me. joshcryer Apr 2014 #9

One last kick from me too. Raksha Apr 2014 #10

This Is An Excellent Piece, Ma'am The Magistrate Apr 2014 #11

K&R NCTraveler Apr 2014 #12

K&R for a great read. Thanks, nadin. 11 Bravo Apr 2014 #13

K&R. Thank you. n/t Tom Rinaldo Apr 2014 #14

I said when it happened that we would rue the day the USSR was broken up. kelliekat44 Apr 2014 #15

The USSR, in hindsight of course, was not sustainable. nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #21

Kicking. Nuance won't sink on my watch. NuclearDem Apr 2014 #16

It didn't start out as East v. West, it was about a corrupt government and people who were okaawhatever Apr 2014 #19

That is where stumbling in like blind men comes in nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #20

WaPo:Talking with Poland�s foreign minister Iterate Apr 2014 #22

I read the whole piece and that is amazing nadinbrzezinski Apr 2014 #23