Ah, yes. Those who do not know history are doomed to repeat it - along with the blatherings of the press, as well. Y'all have your facts back-asswards.
The first president Bush, in 1991 or '92, personally gave his word to Gorbachev that NATO would not spread into eastern Eruope. That promise wasn't kept. NATO now includes Bulgaria, the Czech Republic, Estonia, Hungary, Latvia, Lithuania, Poland, Romania, Slovakia and Slovenia.
The USA unilaterally pulled out of the ABM treaty. ABM - anti-ballistic missiles.
Then there was the 1999 Adapted Conventional Armed Forces Treaty in Europe (ACAF) that required Russia to pull back it's heavy weapons east of the Urals and reduce troops by 300,000. Russia did as the treaty required but no European nation has even ratified it. Instead, NATO is moving more troops and weapons into eastern Europe.
The threats against Russia have only increased since the supposed end of the cold war. What do you expect any self-respecting nation to do? Get on their knees and beg for mercy?
No, everything that the US and NATO have done, particularly the missile defense shield in eastern Europe, puts MAD (mutual assured destruction) at risk. This doctrine has kept the world safe for the last fifty years. It not only puts MAD at risk but it gives the USA a first strike capability.
First strike means the USA can rule the world - with a knife at all our throats.
Want to read more about first strike?
http://www.foreignaffairs.org/20060301f ... imacy.htmlIt's published by the Council on Foreign Relations (no lefties allowed).