[akv]

I agree this is sticky, but shouldn't US interests always be forefront in the minds of our leadership? I saw a clip of a discussion between former national security advisors Brzezinski and Scowcroft. They observed the contrasting methods by which both Russia and Germany dealt with the darker aspects of the Soviet Union and the Nazis. The Germans admitted and condemned Nazi evils and have moved on, the recent Greek economic troubles show Europe seems fine with a prominent German political and economic role. The French may disagree, but Ms. Merkel seems a tough fair leader and the most prominent leader in Europe. In contrast, the Russians under Putin/Medvedev face their economic challenges with nostalgia about the good old days of the USSR when they were a world power and # 2. Brzezinski (of Polish origin) not surprisingly seems to have a rougher opinion of how we should deal with Russia. The Turkish reaction to all this stuff seems closer to the Russian take, which both former NSA's both agree is less stable.