I don't pretend to know everything about our history with Russia. But certain things stand out. From the time of our declaring independence from Great Britain until the Bolshevik Revolution, Russia and America have been allies.
Although Catherine the Great chose neutrality during the Revolutionary War, she also notified Great Britain that Russia was refusing Britain's request for military assistance. She also insisted on peace talks, which indirectly helped America to win the Revolution and attain independence.
Catherine offered to provide the Americans anything they needed, being careful not to violate their official declaration of neutrality. She no longer trusted Britain after they tried to extricate themselves from the Seven Years War, basically leaving Prussia vulnerable to defeat.
She didn't like King George, believing correctly that the American Revolution was Britain's fault. In 1781, Britain attempted to bribe Russia by offering them the island of Minorca if Catherine would just convince France and Spain to exit the war effort leaving America to fight alone. She again declined Britain's offer and published their attempts to the French and Spanish, thoroughly embarrassing Britain. Russia also played a significant role in peace negotiations, but the effort eventually fell through.
During the Civil War, the Russian Navy sent 2 fleets to American waters to avoid them getting trapped if a war broke out again between Britain and France. This maneuver was viewed as an intervention on behalf of the Union.
While the Czar was still in power, most Americans were against fighting against him as they considered him an ally. Once the Bolsheviks took over, that mutual loyalty disintegrated.
Yet, during WWII, Russia was again an ally. The only time period I know of when we weren't on some level as allies, was during the Soviet era 'Cold War' when the Marxists/socialists/communists were intent on gradually overtaking every other country in the world. That always seemed pretty ambitious to me.
After 77 years of this nonsense, the Russian people had had enough and overthrew that regime, restoring Russia, if not to democracy, at least to a theocracy of sorts. The only so-called aggression I've seen since that time were Russian soldiers stopping the attempt by Georgian troops to engage in their centuries-old pissing contest with Russia. Sorry, but that is the fastest way to explain that back and forth tug of war between the two countries. The important part is, that once things had settled down, Russian troops left. But, I digress.
When Western forces-dare I say-CIA, tried to create problems in Crimea, Russia asked its citizens, mostly descended from Russians, if they wanted to rejoin with Russia. Ninety-one percent said, yes. I've never heard of a dictatorship politely asking a country they were invading if they would like to join the invading country. That just isn't how an invasion takes place.
The same scenario was tried in Ukraine a few years later. This time more successfully. So, the West was successfully pulling the noose ever tighter around Russia's neck, let's see, oh, yes under a Democratic questionable president, who used his agencies and military as his private Gestapo. Were they hoping that Russia would just ignore the increasing American/NATO bases being built ever closer to the Russian border? JFK didn't ignore it when the Soviets were sending nuclear-armed missiles to Cuba in 1962, in response to our missiles aimed at them from Turkey. Some things never change.
So now the turmoil in Kazakistan also occurs under another questionable Democratic president. And, everyone expects Putin to just lie down and take it? I don't know if President Putin views America as a potential friend and ally again. Maybe if Trump were still in the White House. They would have both taken a stand of 'trust but verify', I'm thinking. At least they would have had some respect for each other as strong and intelligent men. God only knows what Putin thinks of Sippey Cup Joe and Harris' calloused knees.
Unless I am seriously misreading Putin, I don't believe that he will ever accept this bizarre move to back Russia into a corner. I'm sure that Putin doesn't walk on water unless it's frozen. But, I do know he loves Mother Russia and will do whatever is within his power to protect her. If that includes a nuclear first strike because the U.S. and NATO keep poking the Russian bear, I would say we have no one else but ourselves to blame. We the People have allowed socialism to take over our country. We have allowed a soft coup of a duly elected president.
Maybe we need to invite some Kazakistanis to immigrate to our shores and remind the White House, Pentagon and the new woke military what real men look like. What real stones can accomplish. Just sayin. Let's see how these meetings between Russia and America play out. I would say that Russia's patience is getting pretty thin by now. I just hope Putin remembers that most Americans have no dog in this fight and have targeted the correct traitors to our country and enemies to his.
I would be looking for a safe place to ride out this next storm.
