How would you characterize the relationship between Russia and the Western Nations? How should the US respond?

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 14:16:41 -0400

Since the fall of the Berlin Wall and breakup of the Soviet Union, most of our military engagements have been around the Mediterranean Sea, East Africa, or Southwest Asia. We have drawn down our forces and reduced our nuclear response capability as we have tried to use diplomacy to address world problems.
The US and many "western" nations have reduced defense spending relative to GDP while Russia has increased their spending made possible by economic growth. The past few years have shown us working with Russia at the UN on rare occasions and being on opposing sides in Syria, Iran, Yemen, Ukraine, the Baltic States, etc.

Response by CW3 Kevin Storm made Jul 10 at 2015 2:42 PM

CW3 Kevin Storm — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 14:42:06 -0400

We have done something's that we said we wouldn't, admitted former Warsaw Pact nations to NATO, stationed troops in the Former Warsaw Pact, I mean for the Russians it does look like NATO Took advantage of the agreement. We have IMHO, sold out the Georgians and Ukrainians by not backing them up when Russia moved aggressively in those areas. Russia through its gangster mentality is looking at the west as being easy. Using natural gas as economic weapon against opponent nations should show how far they are willing to go to get their way. Thanks to the great Weapons Technology Export Nation called France, the Russians have been able to modernize their fleet at an accelerated rate.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jul 10 at 2015 2:59 PM

LTC Stephen F. — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 14:59:23 -0400

I think we are once again in a Cold War with a re-surging Russia who has lost the its firm relationship with the eastern European nations as a bulwark against the West and is still fighting Muslim terrorists in southern Russia and dealing with former soviet republics that are "feeling their oats so to speak." On the other hand the Russians are using both threats and diplomacy to drive wedges between western nations to their advantage.

Response by SGT Jeremiah B. made Jul 10 at 2015 3:23 PM

SGT Jeremiah B. — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 15:23:13 -0400

I think Russia as a nation is feeling vulnerable and left out. That's given Putin the window he needs to appeal to former glory and reignite anti-Western sentiment. I don't blame them really. The shift to capitalism wasn't exactly beneficial to your average Russian and created a ruling criminal class. Couple that with the West continuously "encroaching" into areas that used to be under the sway of the Soviet Union and resentment makes sense.

The fact that we rolled over for Russia without a reaction with the South Ossetia invasion and then carried on with the 2005 BRAC plan hasn't helped.

Also, Putin is nuts.

Response by PO3 Steven Sherrill made Jul 10 at 2015 4:09 PM

PO3 Steven Sherrill — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:09:09 -0400

Russia is not the problem Vladimir Putin is the problem. He is a cold war leftover who wants to see "mother russia" returned to her former greatness rather than moving into the modern age.

Response by MSgt Robert Pellam made Jul 10 at 2015 4:29 PM

MSgt Robert Pellam — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 16:29:58 -0400

i am kinda divided on how Russia is. This is a country whom has a personality of being the best. During the Cold war it wasn't to beat the US, it was to be the best in the world. Now with the reemergence of nationalism in the Country, they want to gain some of that back. In comes Putin. He sees the cold war as a time Russia was great. He is trying to harken back to times when Russia was feared and respected. Problem is, their military wasn't ready for it. Their Air fleet alone is a cold war left over that has had marginal, at best, Care. They have lost 5 aircraft in the last couple of weeks. We loose 5 aircraft in a year and that is a very very bad year. They are over extended trying to project power and still work with-in the Ukraine. Economic sanctions have slowed down their military modernization to a crawl. While they still possess great natural resources, the drop in the price of Oil has hit them hard.

While they have never truly been an ally, this still are not a Threat yet. I hope they revert back towards there former path. Russia and the United States were starting to work together more and more. Economically and Militarily. It would be easier to keep peace if Russia was an ally instead of having to worry about them having an Ego problem. But then again, Germany was put down and treated like a 3rd rate customer after WW1, that didn't end well. Hopefully this will.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Jul 10 at 2015 5:50 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 17:50:28 -0400

We are the de facto leader of the Western countries. Which means we will end up sacrificing more people, equipment, and money to counter the Russians.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 10 at 2015 7:51 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 19:51:06 -0400

Russia has become a kleptocracy under Putin, where a clique of Putin's cronies have divided and looted the economy. Putin, the KGB operative took the loss of the Cold War personally and hard. The loss of the CW has conditioned Putin's outlook and indeed the Russsian peoples.

Russia has reserved the right of first use of nukes even in tactical situation s. A Russian scientist has even advocated nuking Yellowstone to get the super volcano to blow. Russia knows that it's conventional forces are wanting, so it engaged in hybrid warfare in the Ukraine.

I would characterize the relationship was near toxic and I would continue to insure readiness even though our troop numbers are lowered. We are . In the beginnings of a new CW4.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 10 at 2015 7:55 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Fri, 10 Jul 2015 19:55:23 -0400

Too bad it has come so late. I spent half my life training to kill Russians and now I am way too old. Sadly.

Response by COL Ted Mc made Jul 11 at 2015 2:06 AM

COL Ted Mc — Sat, 11 Jul 2015 02:06:45 -0400

LTC Stephen F. - Colonel;

1. The relationship is similar to the "Cold War" because everyone needs an external enemy and the US (most likely) doesn't quite understand what Russia is doing or why.

2. Of course Russia is working to divide the Western nations to its own advantage. Why shouldn't it. After all the US is working to divide the non-Western nations to ITS advantage.

3. In one light (and this is probably the way the Russians see it), what the Russians are doing is "defensive" in that Russia is trying to create a system of "buffer states" between it and "The Western Powers". The Russians are doing this because they simply don't believe America when it says that it isn't attempting to isolate Russia and create friendly (to the US) states (which will absorb most of the damage IF the Russians were ever silly enough to actually use their own army and attack Westward). The reason why the Russians don't believe America when it says this is (most likely) because it isn't true.

One of the least fatality-attached courses of action which the US could take would be to get the Russians to (once again) try and out produce America with weapons which are "as good as" America's. [If - statistically - one American tank is as good as ten Russian tanks THEN eleven Russian tanks are - statistically - "as good as" the American tank.]

However, the Russians appear to have caught on to that little ploy and it looks like their newest tank is, in fact, better than the best American tank.

Look for lots more new pieces of kit which are, in fact, better than their American equivalents.

Look for lots of weeping, wailing, and gnashing of teeth over "The Weapons Gap".

Look for billions of dollars to be poured into weapons design and production.

Look for the Russians not to manufacture very many of their new pieces of kit - just enough to keep America spending money that it can't afford to spend.

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 12 at 2015 12:51 AM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 12 Jul 2015 00:51:58 -0400

As for Vladimir Putin, I have an old and dear friend whose identity and Russian hometown shall, for obvious reasons, remain anonymous. In private, face to face conversations several years back, my friend shocked me with stories of his own relationship with Putin during the latter's KGB years. He was afraid to tell me too much about some of the "issues" he was aware of with Putin, but he made sure I understood that Putin was, in my friend's mind, one of the most dangerous men he had the misfortune to know. He went on to say that having Putin in charge of and running the country made him even more dangerous. Some of you may recall that a prominent Soviet businessman and very outspoken critic of Putin was assassinated in broad daylight in Novosibirsk a few months ago. Just two days before, my friend met with this very man and another gentleman, in a city park, to discuss several important issues facing the country. When my friend wrote to me the day after the assassination, he reminded me that his opinion of Putin had only gotten more accusatory over the years, and that this killing helped to prove why. I confess to any of you on RP who read this discussion response that I am now deeply concerned for my friend, more so than ever. This recent assassination of a close friend of MY friend was far too close. You can be sure I have advised my friend to reassess his situation. I have told him for a long time that I have a spare bedroom anytime he feels that the risks have become too great. They just may have...

Response by 1LT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 15 at 2015 3:49 PM

1LT Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 15 Jul 2015 15:49:59 -0400

It's difficult to say how threatening Russia is in the grand scheme of things. Militarily and politically, Russia is a threat to US interests particularly and Western European interests in general. In areas that Russia considers to be strategic buffers such as Eastern Europe and the Middle East, increased US military presence is a threat, mainly due to the history of Russia and the invasion routes utilized. However, economically speaking Russia is increasingly tied to Europe as an export market for gas, as well as a source of manufactured goods that are considered higher quality. Much of what will happen hinges on Russia's internal politics, although their military doctrines and policies have stayed largely consistent since the beginning of the Cold War, minus the emphasis on nuclear weapons.