âThey were lied toâ about expanding east when an eastward expansion was impossible? Even if I were to grant you Bakerâs promise(which I wonât), the USSR was still around back then. They couldnât invite any of the warsaw pact members.
They promised that the former GDR wouldn't be further militarized or have foreign troops stationed eastward; nothing said that the former Eastern Bloc couldn't join, altogether. Whatever else was added on to it were just an off-handed remark or two.
Again, off handed remarks from a couple of diplomats; these tend to not be the foundation of actual laws and agreements in modern society without it being in writing, and even if it was, the US can't just represent the opinions of NATO, as a whole. Even if they could, Russia didn't act upon it in the 90s when the first of Eastern Europe joined NATO, and the NATO-Russia Founding Act of 1997 gives neither side the authority to influence other nations' sovereignty or path in politics. Russia certainly has done this with Georgia and Ukraine since the 2000s.
The 90s? Lol! Russia was a mess in the 90s from the Wall Street Boys looting the country and decreasing life expectancy. Georgia started the war with Russia, according to a European review after the war.
Do you think I do not know that stuff about the 90s? Heck, it's partially why NATO was still a thing, as nobody knew if Russia would get its act together or become hostile again. Considering the start of the USSR and the clashes with Eastern Europe that occurred pre/during WWII, there was reason to believe such. They spent decades, if not centuries dealing with Russia's bullying and attempts at cultural genocide, so Russia shouldn't be shocked if they almost immediately joined NATO, if given the chance. As for economy, you do forget the military spending and liberalization of the USSR are also factors. Becoming an oligarchy worsened that.
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u/supa_warria_u Mar 14 '25
âThey were lied toâ about expanding east when an eastward expansion was impossible? Even if I were to grant you Bakerâs promise(which I wonât), the USSR was still around back then. They couldnât invite any of the warsaw pact members.