MisterDom
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This might be a bit late, but regardless...
Russia has been a controversial state throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, extending to even today. There's been a lot of panic within the country with their illegal interference in the election, but that's not the main discussion topic I wish to address, though SHOULD be addressed. That's a huge deal. I'll bring it up in this post, but that's only a detail in the big picture.
Though technically the Cold War is over, I feel like it is almost universally accepted that we are in a SECOND Cold War. Putin and Russia has been aggressive to the "Near-Abroad" states with its strong irredentist views (best example being the Crimean annexation), and Putin's control of the Russian media is that of a dictator. Russia has increasingly been becoming its former Soviet-self and it has been a danger to democracies all over the world.
And yet, President-Elect Donald Trump has expressed multiple times his liking toward Putin and Russia. We see it in his Secretary of State pick and his ties to Russia and Putin's own obsession with getting Trump elected. His once (I assume) previously hawkish supporters like this new idea, and of course everyone is going to want tensions to die down, but this is potentially, almost certainly, a very dangerous path.
Geopolitically, our nations are the complete opposite. For example, in the Syrian Civil War Russia backs a dictator who is also a criminal of international human rights law. This is most obviously demonstrated with his brutal direct use of Russian Air Force against the rebels in Aleppo to help Assad, which has caused the city to fall. We continue to back the rebels because they stand for regime change in Syria.
Russia is best buds with Iran, the majority Shi'ite Muslim state. We're buds with Saudi Arabia, a majority Sunni Muslim state. Conflicts between these two Middle Eastern powers are present within their influence in places such as Yemen, which is also currently in a civil war.
Russia is somewhat buds with North Korea, the place you would make up if you were really high, but then look at the internet and find out it's a very real and very dangerous place. We're buds with South Korea, which is a normal prospering democracy, and is all nice and dandy other than a recent impeachment of their president.
May I continue?
Russia nowadays is supportive of dictatorship and is power-hungry themselves. They are ANTI-Democracy and ANTI-West. Do you think they really really just reeeaaally wanted tension to die down and interfere with the election by helping Trump, or wanted a buffoon who obviously doesn't know what he's talking about and doesn't know any history of our current foreign policy, therefore giving him the advantage for the next 4 years? Trump has already pissed off China in his transition, and he literally wanted to get rid of NATO for a reason that's true, yes, but not a legit enough reason imo to significantly weaken one of the most powerful shackles to Russian dominance.
And back to the Middle East, how are we supposed to be friends with Russia without being friends with Iran? Do we forget about Israel and Saudi Arabia? Setting up democracy elsewhere? What about China's aggression in the South China Sea which Russia supports? Do we forget about Japan?
It arises a big number of problems, and being "friends" isn't exactly so straightforward. It's good to lessen tensions, but to be submissive to Russian aggression is completely the wrong way to go. The current sanctions on Russia are there for a reason.
I have a whole web of questions for Trump supporters currently, but for now, why do some of you think being friends with Russia is a good thing?
Russia has been a controversial state throughout the 20th and 21st centuries, extending to even today. There's been a lot of panic within the country with their illegal interference in the election, but that's not the main discussion topic I wish to address, though SHOULD be addressed. That's a huge deal. I'll bring it up in this post, but that's only a detail in the big picture.
Though technically the Cold War is over, I feel like it is almost universally accepted that we are in a SECOND Cold War. Putin and Russia has been aggressive to the "Near-Abroad" states with its strong irredentist views (best example being the Crimean annexation), and Putin's control of the Russian media is that of a dictator. Russia has increasingly been becoming its former Soviet-self and it has been a danger to democracies all over the world.
And yet, President-Elect Donald Trump has expressed multiple times his liking toward Putin and Russia. We see it in his Secretary of State pick and his ties to Russia and Putin's own obsession with getting Trump elected. His once (I assume) previously hawkish supporters like this new idea, and of course everyone is going to want tensions to die down, but this is potentially, almost certainly, a very dangerous path.
Geopolitically, our nations are the complete opposite. For example, in the Syrian Civil War Russia backs a dictator who is also a criminal of international human rights law. This is most obviously demonstrated with his brutal direct use of Russian Air Force against the rebels in Aleppo to help Assad, which has caused the city to fall. We continue to back the rebels because they stand for regime change in Syria.
Russia is best buds with Iran, the majority Shi'ite Muslim state. We're buds with Saudi Arabia, a majority Sunni Muslim state. Conflicts between these two Middle Eastern powers are present within their influence in places such as Yemen, which is also currently in a civil war.
Russia is somewhat buds with North Korea, the place you would make up if you were really high, but then look at the internet and find out it's a very real and very dangerous place. We're buds with South Korea, which is a normal prospering democracy, and is all nice and dandy other than a recent impeachment of their president.
May I continue?
Russia nowadays is supportive of dictatorship and is power-hungry themselves. They are ANTI-Democracy and ANTI-West. Do you think they really really just reeeaaally wanted tension to die down and interfere with the election by helping Trump, or wanted a buffoon who obviously doesn't know what he's talking about and doesn't know any history of our current foreign policy, therefore giving him the advantage for the next 4 years? Trump has already pissed off China in his transition, and he literally wanted to get rid of NATO for a reason that's true, yes, but not a legit enough reason imo to significantly weaken one of the most powerful shackles to Russian dominance.
And back to the Middle East, how are we supposed to be friends with Russia without being friends with Iran? Do we forget about Israel and Saudi Arabia? Setting up democracy elsewhere? What about China's aggression in the South China Sea which Russia supports? Do we forget about Japan?
It arises a big number of problems, and being "friends" isn't exactly so straightforward. It's good to lessen tensions, but to be submissive to Russian aggression is completely the wrong way to go. The current sanctions on Russia are there for a reason.
I have a whole web of questions for Trump supporters currently, but for now, why do some of you think being friends with Russia is a good thing?