The Reset of Russia Relations: Only Russia Benefits

The Reset of Russia Relations: Only Russia Benefits: Once again we are playing cold war politics with the Russians. Nothing seems to change when it comes to Russia and missiles. President Obama’s and Hillary Clinton’s pushing the reset button hasn’t worked, and in fact, it was the wrong button. It is the Russians who have their hands on the button--the missile button.

Now the Chief of the Russian General Staff, General Nikolai Makarov, says that a decision to use destructive force preemptively will be taken if the situation worsens. He made this threat amid an apparent stalemate in talks between U.S. and Russian negotiators over the missile defense system, which is part of the Obama policy to improve relations with the Russians. It is utterly remarkable that the Russians would make this kind of threat in a public forum. Moreover, as The New York Times observed, the threat of a pre‑emptive attack is new. One observer, a distinguished fellow at the Stimson Center think tank said, “he must have been drunk.” Calling the threat crazy he said, “I hope the Russian political leadership takes him to task for it.”


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