Submitted by gregdn, Feb 7, 2008 09:37

Johnson and others assume that Russian belligerance is a reaction to the humiliation it experienced after the breakup of the Soviet Union. In fact, it goes back farther. Twice in the 20th century the Soviets were attacked by Germany and 20 million citizens died in WWII alone. After the war, to protect itself the Communists created a buffer zone of satellite nations in Eastern Europe. Since the 1990's we have been expanding NATO eastward, stripping away this buffer and putting potentially hostile countries right on Russia's borders. Siting missile defense systems in Poland and the Czech republic (when seen through Russian eyes) is an incredibly provocative act. Imagine how we would feel if Gorbachev had invited Mexico and Cuba into the Warsaw pact and put ABM systems in place.

We need to remember Russian history when dealing with Mr. Putin.

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