Mattis to NATO: pay up!

Overall any Russian actions would have to serve it's Geopolitical interests. Invading or attacking western Europe does not serve any of them. It's actions in Crimea, Ukraine and even the actions in Georgia do and did. Just as it served US interests to work to overthrow the Ukrainian government, invade Iraq etc. Russia and Putin are rational actors when people take time to understand why and what led to them.

I predicted Russia might do what they did in the Ukraine back around 2006-8 when discussing Russia with the poster called "the penguin ". Russia has actually done less then I thought it would.

The US wanted the Ukraine out of Russian influence to weaken it, Russia decided to counter it. To maintain strategic assets in that country

Carjosse said:

They are paying their share of the NATO budget. The point of contention is a clauses separate of the NATO budget that countries must spend 2% of their GDP on defense, which a lot of the time makes no sense or would make little to no difference.

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Yeah...it makes no sense because ya'll get to ride our security coat tails.

Lord Tammerlain said:

So what strategic goal would be served by Russia blocking international shipping? Outside of a blockade of say the Ukraine, none. Russia needs export markets for their resources and imports of food. Russia has zero interest in seeing SK being attacked.

So the majority of your post has zero to do with containing Russia regarding western Europe. If you were talking about the Baltic you could have a point as Russia might want to see a land connection to kalingrad (sp)

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Maybe because Russia isn't directly affecting the USA world strategy other than the usual lip service? Russia is probably ranked a 2 out of 10 as far as a threat to American goes.

And don't give me the Ukraine BS either because if it was that important, the cowardly European Union would have stepped in.......errrr ahhhhhh..................no they didn't.

RetiredUSN said:

Maybe because Russia isn't directly affecting the USA world strategy other than the usual lip service? Russia is probably ranked a 2 out of 10 as far as a threat to American goes.

And don't give me the Ukraine BS either because if it was that important, the cowardly European Union would have stepped in.......errrr ahhhhhh..................no they didn't.

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The Ukraine was a US government thing along with Soros western Europe I am sure we're happy with the status quo. The change in government to a professional US Antonio Russian led to the conflict I am sure Europe would have rather avoided.

Lord Tammerlain said:

The Ukraine was a US government thing along with Soros western Europe I am sure we're happy with the status quo. The change in government to a professional US Antonio Russian led to the conflict I am sure Europe would have rather avoided.

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Russia is a issue.

How much?

Ask your typical European government who ****ed Russia for a couple centuries, and now want them to be on course with them.