The Hill: Mattis: Russia wants no 'positive relationship' with US
Defense Secretary Jim Mattis told lawmakers late Monday that Russia has chosen to be a “strategic competitor” with the United States and that there is no indication Moscow wants a positive relationship with America.
“At this time … I do not see any indication that [Russian President Vladimir Putin] would want a positive relationship with us,” Mattis told the House Armed Services Committee.
“That’s not to say we can’t get there as we look for common ground. But at this point, he has chosen to be a strategic competitor with us and we’ll have to deal with that as we see it,” he added.
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Update: No indication Russia wants positive relationship with U.S.: Mattis (Reuters)
WNU Editor: The Russians are saying the same thing .... and in my opinion both sides are right.
4 comments:
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
Ha!
... I don't think we can expect a 'Trump' reset coming into play during his first term!
I had predicted here and elsewhere a number of times that the Russians would eventually lose all patience with the diplomatic process. Unfortunately due to a combination of partisan political actions that have acted to undercut a very careful diplomatic process that might have defused tensions surrounding Cold War 2 and might have even allowed us to negotiate an end to it and the failure of team Trump to follow through on the campaign talk of being respectful to Russia this is now all shot to pieces.
I see nothing amusing in any of this. D.Plowman, I'm not sure where you are from. If you were from America and it was your head or the heads of your loved ones on the chopping block because of this stupidity in pursuing a new Cold War that we can't afford, lack the resources to prosecute effectively, and we DON'T NEED perhaps you would not find this so amusing.
@B.Poster
I do not live in America.. Thank the lord!
What I find highly amusing is the absolute idiotic childish diplomacy going on right now, both foreign, and internal. I also find it amusing that a Trump appointee is making these statements.
So yes, it amuses me greatly, although those repeated Ha's are more a 'look at these fools, Ha!' than laughing out loud.
But I will give you some wisdom B.Poster which you'll probably flush down the bog...
And my wisdom is this: Cheer up! Being miserable about everything and the worlds problems won't get you anywhere other than looking glum. So when the nukes start flying, have the last laugh!
D.Plowman,
Thanks for the wisdom.:-) It is sound advice and I will try and implement it.
I find it upsetting that General Mattis is making these statements. From y perspective, it appears as it is the US and not the other way around who has chosen to make Russia a strategic competitor and we (our government) has gone out of their way to do it! The Russians really didn't want it but likely have been left with little choice based upon the breathtakingly stupid actions on the part of the US government.
I'm glad you can find it amusing. It seems candidate Trump had things more accurate than POTUS Trump with regards to Russia and yes the diplomacy is "childish." Blaming the Russians or others for one's shortcomings generally doesn't end well and it undercuts much needed diplomacy.
As a fist step, I would suggest ending all sanctions against Russia and its officials. The sanctions serve no useful purpose except to strengthen elements of the Russian government that perhaps we don't like. In other words, if someone wants a replacement for VP, then sanctions that reinforce the idea of America as foreign devil who wishes to harm Russians, drives the Russian people deeper into the arms of VP as a nationalist who is perceived as protecting Russian interests, and undercuts the role of the US dollar as world reserve currency.
Once the sanctions are lifted, real negotiations can start. Since they are not going to be able to be maintained anyway, we might as well lift them now. Oh and the property of the Russian diplomats that was stolen when BHO threw a child like temper tantrum after the election did not go his way will need to be returned or the diplomats properly compensated for the stolen property.
Additionally, the US dollar will lose its role as world reserve currency assuming the Russians and/or the Chinese don't solve the problem militarily first which is something we will want to avoid. The only question is will it be a "soft landing" or a "hard landing." At present, I see no way to negotiate properly to achieve a soft landing as long as we have an adversarial relationship with Russia and China.
Finally, there may be some hope. when Ronald Reagan and Mikail Gorbechav negotiated an end to Cold War 1, the rhetoric became heated but when it came time to negotiate both sides were respectful to each other. Hopefully that can happen here as well.
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