re: I don't care if Putin influenced our elections.

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So to expand, what are our legitimate conflicts? Eastern Europe? It's not worth our time IMO. We have as much influence as we do there simply to keep Russia in check, which I think at best is counterproductive, and at worst spending billions of dollars acknowledging fake NATO countries that we wouldn't actually defend if push came to shove.

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It is not in 'our' interests, it is in the interests of those who have power. Russia is one of the few non-USG aligned governments threatening hegemonic neoliberal global order, and we are always trying to change that - from stirring up shite in the Baltics and EE, to promoting CIA assets like Pussy Riot....the list goes on in ways we are trying to de-Russify the Bear. It will not work as our system is incoherent and schizophrenic. Russia may not be that great, but it at least has a sense of itself. We do not, and that is why we seem to be unravelling at the seams.