One policy that was crafted by both president Obama and Hillary Clinton is the so-called "reset" with Russia. Many people remember the button that Hillary gave to the Russian Foreign Minister with the wrong word written on it. Few people what the reset policy actually was. It's worth a quick review:
In 2008, Russian troops invaded the nation of Georgia. Georgia had been a component of the old Soviet Union, but it became independent when the USSR disintegrated. Georgia is a small country with a tiny military force. When the Russians invaded in 2008, the quickly took control of about 40% of the country and backed the creation of a separatist government which remains in control in the occupied areas today. In response to the invasion, the USA and much of the developed world imposed economic sanctions on Russia. President Bush made clear that the invasion by Russia of a neighboring country would not be tolerated by the USA.
Then Obama took office and named Clinton as secretary of state. Almost immediately, Obama and Clinton came up with the plan to "reset" relations with Russia. Sure, Russia had invaded its nearly defenseless neighbor and gotten sanctions imposed on it in response. Obama and Clinton did not care about that. They were going to extend an open hand to Putin and Russia and start over with friendly relations.
In addition to giving the Russians the silly button, Obama and Clinton also ended the sanctions which had been placed on Russia for the invasion of Georgia. Almost immediately, the Russians demanded that the USA remove the missile defense system that was being installed in Poland and the Czech Republic. Obama and Clinton agreed that our NATO allies would not get this defensive system and pulled the missile defense out.
The theory of these moves was that by appeasing Russia and Putin and returning them to the "community of nations", Russia's behavior would improve. Russia was supposedly going to become our partner in peace. This theory by Obama and Clinton proved to be a total failure. Since the reset, the Russians have taken over Crimea; they have invaded eastern Ukraine; they have agreed to supply Iran with new weaponry; and they have sent major forces to invade Syria to support Assad. The Russian behavior towards the USA has not improved at all. Russia no longer works toward peace, ever.
It does not take a genius to understand that appeasement of an aggressor will not stop future aggression. That is a lesson which most people thought the world had learned in the years just prior to World War II. No appeasement of the Germans was ever enough to stop Hitler from demanding more and more. How can it be that Obama and Clinton were that oblivious to the realities of the world that they tried appeasement of Russia with the reset. The whole world has seen the idiocy of that reset move. Even so, Hillary Clinton still calls it one of her "accomplishments". Thank God that there were more such "accomplishments."
In 2008, Russian troops invaded the nation of Georgia. Georgia had been a component of the old Soviet Union, but it became independent when the USSR disintegrated. Georgia is a small country with a tiny military force. When the Russians invaded in 2008, the quickly took control of about 40% of the country and backed the creation of a separatist government which remains in control in the occupied areas today. In response to the invasion, the USA and much of the developed world imposed economic sanctions on Russia. President Bush made clear that the invasion by Russia of a neighboring country would not be tolerated by the USA.
Then Obama took office and named Clinton as secretary of state. Almost immediately, Obama and Clinton came up with the plan to "reset" relations with Russia. Sure, Russia had invaded its nearly defenseless neighbor and gotten sanctions imposed on it in response. Obama and Clinton did not care about that. They were going to extend an open hand to Putin and Russia and start over with friendly relations.
In addition to giving the Russians the silly button, Obama and Clinton also ended the sanctions which had been placed on Russia for the invasion of Georgia. Almost immediately, the Russians demanded that the USA remove the missile defense system that was being installed in Poland and the Czech Republic. Obama and Clinton agreed that our NATO allies would not get this defensive system and pulled the missile defense out.
The theory of these moves was that by appeasing Russia and Putin and returning them to the "community of nations", Russia's behavior would improve. Russia was supposedly going to become our partner in peace. This theory by Obama and Clinton proved to be a total failure. Since the reset, the Russians have taken over Crimea; they have invaded eastern Ukraine; they have agreed to supply Iran with new weaponry; and they have sent major forces to invade Syria to support Assad. The Russian behavior towards the USA has not improved at all. Russia no longer works toward peace, ever.
It does not take a genius to understand that appeasement of an aggressor will not stop future aggression. That is a lesson which most people thought the world had learned in the years just prior to World War II. No appeasement of the Germans was ever enough to stop Hitler from demanding more and more. How can it be that Obama and Clinton were that oblivious to the realities of the world that they tried appeasement of Russia with the reset. The whole world has seen the idiocy of that reset move. Even so, Hillary Clinton still calls it one of her "accomplishments". Thank God that there were more such "accomplishments."
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