tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519488391496270073.post8226800051711686149..comments2024-03-28T08:21:30.796-04:00Comments on War News Updates: Former NATO Secretary-General Anders Fogh Rasmussen: Putin Was Once a Pro-Western PoliticianWar News Updates Editorhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/12034101783150523332noreply@blogger.comBlogger1125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-8519488391496270073.post-86923792923397794182016-09-28T11:01:15.988-04:002016-09-28T11:01:15.988-04:00Fogh Rasmussen is not an American and he like most...Fogh Rasmussen is not an American and he like most of NATO do not have American interests at heart when formulating policies. The entire concept of NATO needs to be renegotiated. While the US will continue to provide for security for these nations based upon prior commitments, it needs to be made abundantly clear to these nations that the American commitment is not indefinite. In other words, they need to get ready for their own defense needs in preparation for the day when American forces redeploy. Also, we will NOT under ANY circumstances play the role of muscle man for the advancement of their interests at the expense of our own. Essentially NATO. as it is today, serves no American interest.<br /><br />As for Georgia and Ukraine, the United States was not responsible for these coups but the United States will be blamed for it. This is the nature of things today. America will be blamed for everything that its adversaries and potential adversaries deem bad and it will never be given credit for any good it does by anyone. This is simply the nature of things today. <br /><br />With that said the United States government did not move to condemn the overthrow of pro-Russian governments in Georgia and Ukraine and even, in the case of Ukraine, acted as a cheerleader for the anti-Russian forces. To say this was bad optics is an understatement. <br /><br />We are going to need Russian assistance in a whole host of areas if we are to be successful. It's probably to late for the current POTUS and his team to make the necessary changes to American policy towards Russia. the next POTUS should make it clear to Eastern Europeans, western Ukrainians, etc that attacks on Russia or eastern Ukrainians will be treated as attacks on America itself and America will respond in kind. While Russia does not need our help and would very likely reject it even if offered, I think they would appreciate such a gesture and it would probably help us improve relations with this great power. B.Posternoreply@blogger.com