I have long worried about Russian aggression as a threat that never seems to be fully addressed. This has been highlighted by the ongoing war with Iran. The threat of Iran as a sponsor of terrorism and potential nuclear power has taken on an urgency which somehow needs to be addressed immediately, while Putin\u2019s Russia continues to indulge its appetite for more territory and power virtually uncontested. It isn\u2019t that Iran is not a threat; it is and has been for a long time. Its demise and restructuring as a new democratic state would be welcomed by most countries.<\/p>\n
Trump sees himself as the president who has the courage to take on the bad guys long feared by other presidents. He is especially keen on taking down lesser powers whom he can bully into submission or take out with limited military actions. This is what one analyst* has called \u201cthe punch-down doctrine,\u201d an approach which allows him to be the dominant player, something he can\u2019t be with Russia or China.<\/p>\n
The truth is that Iran and North Korea, Cuba, Venezuela as well as Hamas, Hezbollah, and the Mexican cartels all need to be confronted and dealt with to protect lives and promote peace worldwide. The bigger truth is that Russia has been given virtually free rein to incite unrest and violence for too long. This has been particularly egregious during both Trump administrations. As the president is fond of saying, we must take their word that they are as innocent and pure as cloistered clergy. No matter what happens Russia always stares down the United states and its allies by playing its \u201cnuclear card,\u201d a threat that Putin has been especially effective in using. Besides, the equation is complicated since Putin and Trump are so chummy.<\/p>\n
Another truth is that sooner or later, the United States, as the preeminent world power, is going to have to say \u201cno mas\u201d to Russia and face the consequences. I know that it is easy for me to say, to write these words, but history is our witness as to how enabling tyrants works out. And the boy in me from the neighborhood tells me so, too.<\/p>\n
*Stephen Wertheim, Senior fellow at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, New York Times, Friday 13, 2026.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
I have long worried about Russian aggression as a threat that never seems to be fully addressed. This has been highlighted by the ongoing war with Iran. The threat of Iran as a sponsor of terrorism and potential nuclear power has taken on an urgency which somehow needs to be addressed immediately, while Putin\u2019s Russia…<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":6,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[4],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-1475","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-by-robert-fischer"],"yoast_head":"\n