Gorbachov? Why does anyone listen to that loser? Isn't he about the WORST leader in recorded history? Lost his country without even a fight?
The U.S. does NOT want another cold war with Russia, thank you very much. We have quite enough on our plate as it is than to worry about a nation that is dying by degrees already. We were perfectly happy to ignore Russia (the ultimate slight, I know), but oil profits have made them swagger again.
IMO, it is Europe that is preoccupied with Russia, not the US. NATO expands with a general US desire (we seem to like alliances, not that they seem to do us much good), but the drive to expand east come from Europe. Who stands most to gain from moving NATO east, the US, or France, and especially Germany? I think Germany is REALLY happy to have Poland as a fairly solid buffer against Russia. They get defense, and then they cut their military budget to pay for socialist programs. NATO expansion guarentees that western Europe will not have to deal with a resurgent Russia, the US as big brother and the eastern European states will, so western Europe can act morally superior and ignore the problems of the world while blaming the US for excessive militarism.
For the record, I am against further NATO expansion, it obligates the US to fight (most likely) Russia, for very little return at this point. Russia poses no strategic threat to the US, other than poor oil policies. Why we confront it on stupid issues like Kosovo is beyond me. I sympathize with Ukraine, but until the locals decide their future (there is a 50/50 split right now), I am content to wait until the issue is decided and HOPE that Russia doesn't destabilized Ukraine too much in its inevitable attempt to get it back. I also sympathiz with Georgia, but I am unwilling to back a war with a nuclear power for Georgian territorial claims for territory on a map DRAWN BY THE USSR! I would much rather nudge Russia into strategic cooperation on the margins. Don't like Islamic extremism? Niether do we! Lets cooperate, just don't level Chechnya again, try some good counter-insurgency tactics instead! Like to sell weapons? So do we, but please find a better market than Iran, a direct threat to our interests. Let's talk about how we can cooperate to isolate the worst aspects of Iran (what do you want to cut it off?) What are you going to do about a resource starved China and a HUGE border you can't defend with a dying population? Want to make some more oil money, lets talk foreign direct investment that will dramatically increase your oil productivity?
I understand the need for Russia to always have a boogyman, but can't it be someone BESIDES the USA for a change? How about the Mongol and the Turk again?
