Report: Polish Minister Says Country’s U.S. Alliance Is Worthless

Report: Polish Minister Says Country’s U.S. Alliance Is Worthless – http://huff.to/1l1wAsg

It depends on what the alliance is supposed to be.

Putin had the backing of Gorbachev on Crimea, because it didn’t properly belong with Ukraine in the first place. 

Putin could have gone further than Crimea but didn’t.

The reality is that the US isn’t going to go to nuclear war to defend anybody except in the most extreme circumstances but there is no reason to see this as binary.  Putin is also extremely cautious and unlikely to try to hold any territory that will become a quagmire.

There isn’t any part of Poland that I’m aware of that is comparable to Crimea.

Also, Ukraine was a western backed and incited coup, which demands some kind of response from Putin.  It was a territory grab, but not originally by him.

Here is what should concern us- succession.

Putin is not immortal.  When he passes or becomes infirm, will his right hand be strong enough or young enough to maintain control?

The wrong person in charge would be an enormous security threat.

Do not think that a more populist and democratic government will be safer.  Look at the profile of the US over the last century, Britain before that, and other predatory countries going back to ancient Athens.

Freer, market driven nations usually with increased concern for the rights of their citizens, paradoxically have increased contempt for the rights of the citizens of other nations.  They become expansionistic colonialists. 

Politicians in such nations get ahead by pandering to interests that want power outside their borders.  There is no incentive for a Putin to use that approach.

Look at the US going off the rails, trying to control the entire world.

Look at China, with an increasingly free economy, now casting a roving eye around surrounding territory, and taking positions on initially sea territory that are patently absurd.

While we figure out how to get our own house in order Putin is a stabilizing influence.  Turn Russia into another US and it could quickly become a far more dangerous adversary.