Trumpled (Alternative Leading)

[thrunthrublu]

If we were living in Disneyland, that would be possible.  And when the Soviet Union collapsed, that was the hope.  Remember when there was the talk of an end to history?  But it's very clear that Russia under Putin wants to be a geopolitical power rather than a US ally like Britain and Germany.  The US has no alternative but to work on a worst-case scenario.  Russia has the military strength to successfully invade Western Europe or annex bits of it as Hitler did prior to going one step too far by invading Poland.  In fact, it's already annexed part of Ukraine albeit that it was part of the old Eastern bloc.

Improving relations with Russia may well be beneficial, depending on whether Putin acts in good faith (and that is debatable).  But until there is a true alliance, the US would need to maintain its military preparedness to counter Russian aggression.  Pray to God, but keep your gunpowder dry.

It's funny to read Tom Clancy novels from the 90s now.  He was a right-winger and NRA gun-nut.  He had an alternative universe going in which Jack Ryan, a former CIA man, became President while a former KGB guy reached the top of the Kremlin.  They had a big bromance and that relationship allowed the US and Russia to have each other's back.  In one book, they had to take on a coordinated attack from Iran, India and China.  The Russians helped the US drop a bomb on an Ayatollah-type Iranian leader to bring that conflict to an end.  In another, it was Pearl Harbour all over again with Japan taking over US territories in the Pacific and arming itself with nuclear missiles.  The US helped to thwart a Japanese attempt to annex part of Russia in that conflict.  Those were the days ...

There was no annexing as you say. It was a reunification of previously annexed german lands as per the treat of Versailles. Poland on the other hand was an invasion on its part to refuse re unification of Danzig despite exhaustive failed negotiations. Stalins attempt to encircle germany and take eastern europe was well known and documented in a negotiation attempt by Molotov to seek agreement with Hitler to take Yugoslavia, the straights of Dardanelles Bulgaria etc.