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In reply to the discussion: Russia is not our Adversary [View all]grantcart
(53,061 posts)31. From the article
The base in Tartus may be less valuable than its counterpart in Sevastopol, but the location of the former matters. As the sole Russian naval base beyond the Bosporuswhich is controlled by Turkey, a NATO memberTartus helps establish Russias presence in the Mediterranean. A big part of their continued interest in Syria and in [Syrian President Bashar] Assad has to do with the Tartus base, Mankoff said. I think Russia does have a bigger geopolitical view of the world, regards the eastern Mediterranean as an area of importance, and wants to be sure that it can secure its interests there. According to General Philip Breedlove, NATOs top commander, Tartus may also be part of a Russian effort to establish an anti-access/area denial (A2/AD) bubble over Syria, designed to prevent NATO forces from taking offensive action against Russia and its allies in the region. As Vice Admiral Viktor Chirkov, the commander in chief of the Russian Navy, succinctly put it, This base is essential to us.
From the Russian point of view Tartus has the kind of strategic importance that Hawaii has for us especially with the embargo restrictions that you mentioned.
With Tillerson going to Moscow the embargo is on death watch.
Russia doesn't have large or impressive naval force but the port in Tartus gives it an additional dimension.
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Comey just confirmed both political parties were hacked in 2016 by Russiansbut that only Democratic
Cha
Mar 2017
#2
The misdeeds of Putin and his cronyies cannot be separate from the Russian state
Gothmog
Mar 2017
#79
When you say, "Russia doesnt want to dominate Europe," do you include Eastern Europe?
RelativelyJones
Mar 2017
#6
"The Russian people are not our adversaries or our enemies. " In that case Germany wasn't our ...
uponit7771
Mar 2017
#35
+1, we'd be in the same boat if we were in the same boat with Bush and Iraq ... the American people
uponit7771
Mar 2017
#45
LA Times - "Moscow welcomes the (would-be) sovereign nations of California and Texas"
TomCADem
Mar 2017
#15
when talking about politics it is about the Russian Govt which is Putin and this is especially
JI7
Mar 2017
#47
St Petersburg was glorious! I also went to an old medieval city and Moscow but
bettyellen
Mar 2017
#70
I suggest any American that believes Russia/Putin is not an adversary read the following:
Nevermypresident
Mar 2017
#32
Does the following not "read" adversarial toward our liberal democracy of the U.S.?
Nevermypresident
Mar 2017
#48
With the advent of solid rocket ICBM's Russia became America's enemy for all time.
gordianot
Mar 2017
#34
Russia is our adversary. And I mean the Russian populace. Try visiting there. I have. nt
msanthrope
Mar 2017
#58
#2 - Characterizing the Warsaw Pact states as "autonomous" and "friendly" is an offensive lie.
cemaphonic
Mar 2017
#68
It would be nice for the OP to say how he would characterize our relationship with Russia.
DemocratSinceBirth
Mar 2017
#71
Putin is not just after Eastern Europe. He considers Finland and Sweden as Russian satellites.
KittyWampus
Mar 2017
#73
Russia is our adversary. There is no question about it and the game of semantics doesn't work.
NCTraveler
Mar 2017
#81
"U.S.A has done it, too, by one expert's count, more than 80 times worldwide between 1946 and 2000."
Hoyt
Mar 2017
#82
They don't understand that Russia is not socialist or communist but full on Fascist now.
Demsrule86
Mar 2017
#97
We can vote Trump out next time...But Putin will kill any of his opponents...thus Putin is Russia.
Demsrule86
Mar 2017
#96
Putin and his mobs bosses are the enemy and they rule Russia. Like saying Hitler was the enemy in
McCamy Taylor
Mar 2017
#93
They attacked our electoral democracy itself. They are not adversaries, they are enemies
geek tragedy
Mar 2017
#94