American Fair Play

There is much grousing in US leadership now that Russia is not living up to her commitments. American politicians and diplomats act shocked when a nation acts in her own self-interest. One must take this grumbling with a grain of salt though, as the US has not always been scrupulous when it comes to what America pledged to do, or even honored some of the treaties the US ratified. How about the way we preserved the freedom and independence of South Vietnam, or how the US government always stood by our pledges and representations to American Indians? Russia should concede Crimea about the same time the US gives North Carolina to the Cherokee. We live in a realpolitik world where nations are not obligated to behave like guests at a tea party, but must use their power for the good of their own people.