AnnDea
38
Did it ever end?
The Cold War developed between the USA and the USSR after World War II. It dominated international affairs that lead to major crises that are still happening today.
not a sometimes partner, and approaching it as such in its defense planning, tit-for-tat responses, punitive tactics (sanctions, diplomatic expulsions, etc.). Still, in the longer run, cold wars do not last forever. They go through phases, leading eventually to a relaxation and a different cycle And, considering the large 21st century global challenges that both countries face and obvious need for cooperation between the two in addressing them, at some point, I believe a different generation of leaders in one or both countries will believe it important to shift their attention in this direction. I think both processes--moving through the phases of this new Cold War and passing the baton to a new generation of leaders--
will not occur overnight, but advance step by step, in which we may not even be conscious of some of the early steps.
interested in attempting to make progress, neither (a) is willing or feels it can afford to make the compromises necessary to achieve common ground and (b) has a clear idea of how to resolve their disagreements (e.g., on Ukraine, Syria, INF, election interference), even if they were willing to try.
Or, is a true partnership unattainable, what would be the best outcome I can hope for?
I can imagine some marginal improvement, say, if the two sides could build on the modest agreements they have achieved in Syria, find some way to salve the INF agreement, or some such .But even in that case, the fundamental problem would remain: each side seeing the other as an adversary,