Secretary of Defense Robert M. Gates addresses the audience during a visit to the National Defense University, Fort McNair, Washington, D.C., on Sept. 29, 2008. DoD photo by Cherie Cullen. (Released)From The Washington Post:
As Defense Secretary Robert M. Gates becomes the bridge between the outgoing and incoming administrations, the views he has offered in interviews and essays since agreeing to remain as Pentagon chief merit a second look.
A longtime Russia analyst during his years with the CIA, Gates today sees Moscow as less of a threat than do many inside and outside the U.S. military establishment. On PBS's "Charlie Rose Show" Dec. 17, he spoke of the historical insecurity of Russian leaders, recalling how Prime Minister Nikita Khrushchev was embarrassed in Geneva in 1955 that President Dwight D. Eisenhower's plane was bigger than his. "I mean, this is pretty deep-seated stuff, and so trying to avoid touching on one of Russia's insecurities is almost impossible," Gates concluded.
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My Comment: Russia is not a direct threat to the U.S., the problem with Russia is its support .... through its nuclear and military industries .... in supplying sensitive material to some unsavory states in the world. This has always been Russia's curse .... they think they are going to get some benefit from this, but end up antagonizing their more important allies .... and on top of that they are usually not getting paid for the aid that they provided.
Case in point .... they have provided for decades natural gas to the Ukraine at discounted prices .... look at what is happening now.