With the G-7 conference in Canada ending and President Trump's call for bring Russia back into that group, many are raising a major outcry. In particular, Democrat leaders and most of the mainstream media are up in arms about any move that allows Russia back into the G-7 after Russia invaded Crimea and took that region back from Ukraine. In order to discuss this matter, however, we need to review some facts.
There were tensions between Russia an its neighbor mostly stemming from the fact that the large majority of the inhabitants of the disputed region were Russians. Russia, under Putin, stirred up the situation; it encouraged separatists in the disputed region and got them to the point where they were seeking to rejoin Russia. Because the might of the Russian military is so much greater than that of its neighbor, there was not much the neighbor could do to prevent a disaster. Finally, the situation led to a very short armed conflict. Russian troops moved in and took over the disputed region. The region then seceded from its recognized country and became affiliated with Russia. No other countries got involved, and the switch of the territory became an established fact. The United States denounced the event and said it would not recognize them. The USA and some other countries put sanctions on the Russians in response.
The question is whether or not it is a sensible policy for the new administration to try to move to a better relationship with the Russians. After all, there are many areas in the world where America and Russia have common interests and could work together. That is made very difficult by the ongoing sanctions.
In 2009, this is exactly what happened. The new Obama administration was met with the sanctions put in place by George W Bush in 2008 when the Russians invaded Georgia and broke of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from the country. Obama (and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) came up with the "Russian Reset". It was a reset because the USA dropped all the sanctions that bush had put in place after the Georgia incursion. Russia remained in control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Nothing changed on that score. Obama, however, said that it made sense for the USA to have better relations with Russia and he dropped the sanctions and got NOTHING in return.
In 2009, the Democrats and the media applauded Obama's move towards better relations with Russia under Putin. Now, in 2018, when Trump suggests doing the same thing, these politicians and media "geniuses" denounce the move as if it were treason.
To be clear, I am not advocating for readmitting Russia into the G-7. There are arguments both ways, and I come down now on keeping them out unless we get something in return. I don't know, however, what, if anything, is on the table in that regard. I do know, however, that the Democrats and their media allies are total hypocrites. When Obama did the Russian Reset, they said it was a brilliant move. When Trump suggests doing essentially the same thing, they tell us it is an idiotic and dangerous move. It's hard to believe anything these people say. All they seem to care about is how an act plays politically; they really don't care about how it will help or hurt the USA.
There were tensions between Russia an its neighbor mostly stemming from the fact that the large majority of the inhabitants of the disputed region were Russians. Russia, under Putin, stirred up the situation; it encouraged separatists in the disputed region and got them to the point where they were seeking to rejoin Russia. Because the might of the Russian military is so much greater than that of its neighbor, there was not much the neighbor could do to prevent a disaster. Finally, the situation led to a very short armed conflict. Russian troops moved in and took over the disputed region. The region then seceded from its recognized country and became affiliated with Russia. No other countries got involved, and the switch of the territory became an established fact. The United States denounced the event and said it would not recognize them. The USA and some other countries put sanctions on the Russians in response.
The question is whether or not it is a sensible policy for the new administration to try to move to a better relationship with the Russians. After all, there are many areas in the world where America and Russia have common interests and could work together. That is made very difficult by the ongoing sanctions.
In 2009, this is exactly what happened. The new Obama administration was met with the sanctions put in place by George W Bush in 2008 when the Russians invaded Georgia and broke of the regions of Abkhazia and South Ossetia from the country. Obama (and his Secretary of State Hillary Clinton) came up with the "Russian Reset". It was a reset because the USA dropped all the sanctions that bush had put in place after the Georgia incursion. Russia remained in control of South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Nothing changed on that score. Obama, however, said that it made sense for the USA to have better relations with Russia and he dropped the sanctions and got NOTHING in return.
In 2009, the Democrats and the media applauded Obama's move towards better relations with Russia under Putin. Now, in 2018, when Trump suggests doing the same thing, these politicians and media "geniuses" denounce the move as if it were treason.
To be clear, I am not advocating for readmitting Russia into the G-7. There are arguments both ways, and I come down now on keeping them out unless we get something in return. I don't know, however, what, if anything, is on the table in that regard. I do know, however, that the Democrats and their media allies are total hypocrites. When Obama did the Russian Reset, they said it was a brilliant move. When Trump suggests doing essentially the same thing, they tell us it is an idiotic and dangerous move. It's hard to believe anything these people say. All they seem to care about is how an act plays politically; they really don't care about how it will help or hurt the USA.
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