Current Issues Russia Discussion

[Mr. J.]

1. Define communism and comment on how it impacted the Cold War
between the United States and the Soviet Union (USSR).
2. Considering that the USSR broke apart in 1991, do you believe
that
the United States should forge a strong, close relationship with the
new Democratic Russia? Be specific when explaining your stance!
(Minimum of 2 paragraphs)

[Hannah]

Communism is the idea that there is common ownership of all
property, and that actual ownership has a negative effect on society.
Communism in the USSR led to a dictatorship. Since dictatorship is the
opposite of the US government (democracy), their political differences
fueled the tensions during the Cold War because they had different
views on how a country should be run. Since the definition of
communism is to share everything with everyone, they wanted to share
nuclear weapons with all of the countries in the world, which was
another main issue on which the US and USSR disagreed. Overall,
communism differed so much from the views of the US, and because of
the two countries’ political differences, it led to disagreements on
other policies, such as nuclear arms, as well.
In theory, I believe that the US and the new Russia should form
an alliance because they are both powerful countries, and it would not
hurt the US to be allies with another powerful country. However, there
is still much differentiation between main issues between Russia and
US, such free speech (and the killings of journalists). I also feel
like both countries are not putting enough effort into making a peace
agreement, and that the START treaty is really just a show to make it
seem as if the two countries are getting along. There is still
evidence that the two countries do not trust each other, as shown with
all of the Russian spies in US communities and the US spies in Russia.
It seems as if Russia is not really a democracy, with all of the
limits on speech and press and that Vladimir Putin has been in charge
for so many years. Because there are so many gaps in their
‘democracy,’ I think that realistically, there will not be a true,
strong bond between US and Russia in the near future.

[Alex Kim]

1. Communism is a political movement that aims for common ownership of
property and a stateless, classless society. In communism, materials
are distributed based on need, and private property is absolutely
abolished. For most of the twentieth century, communism was seen by
Western democracies as a threat. The battle between capitalism and
communism created an arms race, causing Russia and the U.S. to
stockpile enormous numbers of nuclear and conventional arms. The basic
differences in the idealisms of capitalism and communism essentially
created the Cold War. In the U.S. people were extremely fearful of
communism and the Cold War ensued, consisting of an enormous arms
race, a space race, and huge amounts of fear.
2. I think that a good, strong relationship between the U.S. and
Russia could be extremely beneficial to the world. For one, if a
really good relationship existed, there would be practically no use
for the ridiculous amounts of nuclear weapons stockpiled in the two
nations. Trade between the U.S. and Russia could be beneficial for the
economy, and we would also not need to spend so much money on missile
defense. If a strong relationship existed between the two nations,
perhaps the U.S. could also influence Russia in terms of human rights.
Also, Russia might also head further in the direction of democracy.
According to the current issues book, the majority of Russian people
do not even consider democracy a necessity. The U.S. is not now in a
position to influence Russia greatly. However, if we were to form a
stronger relationship with Russia, we could probably prevent Russia
from becoming a communist power once again. Putin's power in Russia
worries me, and I think that Russia has potential to become an enemy
of the U.S. again at some point in the future. The current state of
Russia is somewhat worrisome, and I think if the U.S. had a stronger
relationship with Russia the situation would be more stable and less
scary.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Leah Coppage-Gross]

Communism is basically a movement centered on the idea of a classless
and stateless society. It is structured on the common ownership of
property, free access to articles of consumption, and the dissolvement
of wage labor and private property. Even though in WWII, the US and
the USSR were allied against Germany, at the end of the war, they had
very different political ideas about how Europe should look. The U.S.
firmly believed in democracy whereas the USSR used communism as a way
to gain power. It fueled the ideas of the leaders that communism
should be spread throughout the world, and this led to many conflicts
between the U.S. and Russia. Both countries had been stockpiling
massive amounts of nuclear weapons, but agreed to the idea of
"mutually assured destruction" so that conflict could be avoided. It
was because of the communist beliefs that the war began, because the
USSR sought a changed world in which everyone was equal.
I personally believe that forging a strong relationship with
Russia is very essential in keeping everyone safe. Russia certainly
has a vast amount of power and through actions, such as the invasion
of Georgia, is showing that power and making sure that the world knows
that Russia is a force to reckon with. There is also the problem with
the lack of human rights in the country, and if the US were to form a
close relationship, it is possible that they could pressure Russia
into reform. Making sure that the US has close ties with Russia would
not only help us gain a powerful ally, but it will also help in
gaining cooperation in certain areas. For instance, common issues
such as arms reduction, climate change, terrorism and even the nuclear
situation in Iran could be discussed and the US could have someone
else on their side in orer to have a larger influence. Recently,
Russia had promised to support the U.S. with the situation in Iran.
Then, began seeling refined petroleum to Iran. It's instances like
these that show how Russia is still continually trying to assert it's
power. If a closer relationship could be forged, I think that the
U.S and Russia together would be able to make a large influence in the
world.

> > (Minimum of 2 paragraphs)- Hide quoted text -
>
> - Show quoted text -

[Becky Maz]

Communism is defined as a form of government in which the central
theory is that all property within a state belongs to everybody who
lives under that state. In essence, it is a society in which social
classes, wealth, and poverty do not exist, but instead, everybody lies
on the same level. The Cold War started, and was publicly shown as a
result of the differences between communism and capitalism. Capitalism
is defined as a more separated society, in which the individual is
responsible for their own success. The biggest problem, however, was
not the differences between these two forms of government, but the
fear of how much power the other could gain. Many political figures
during the time of the Cold War found that the idea of communism could
be appealing to the many individuals who were not successful in a
capitalistic society. In a frenzy to stop communism from taking over,
the U.S. targeted the USSR as its enemy, and the Cold War began.

In 1991, the USSR broke apart, and became known as 15 separate
countries. Many of these countries were not successful in creating
powerful nations. Russia was the exception. Today, Russia is an
international influence, and continues to be a dangerous country due
to it's involvement in the Cold War. It is important to remember that
Russia still has nuclear weapons that are capable of doing
unimaginable damage to other countries including the U.S. Not only
does Russia have billions of dollars worth of nuclear weapons, it also
has a very strong army; the 5th largest in the world. Russia also has
a large and growing economy. With this money and power, it is easy for
Russia to have a huge influence in the region where the USSR was once
united.

I believe that the U.S. should begin a strong relationship with Russia
because of the power that they hold, and if for no other reason, for
the safety of the U.S. Russia is an international influence, and is
currently competing with the U.S. in many ways- especially for
influence upon other countries in the Eastern European/Central Asian
area. Unfortunately, there may be no other way to ensure that the U.S.
has enough power in those countries in order to promote democracy and
help those people without Russia's help. Although this choice may be
risky, it may be the solution that the U.S. must choose until we can
come up with a better solution.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[sean young]

1. Communism is defined as a theory or system of social
organization based on the holding of all property in common, actual
ownership being ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state.
Pre-cold war, the USSR was a strongly communist country, while the US
was (and still is) a democratic country. Because these two countries
both thought that their form of government was more effective, they
both tried establishing their type of government throughout the world,
which created competition and tension between the two. In WWII, when
the US dropped the atomic bomb on Japan, the USSR got extremely ticked
off because of the fact that the US didn't tell them that they had
created WMDs. Because of this, both countries strove to top each other
in multiple areas like nuclear weapons and space exploration. This
rapid stockpiling of massive amounts of nuclear weapons created
widespread fear that the two countries would actually open fire on one
another, and lead to a nuclear fallout. Both countries' muscle-flexing
endeavors to look more powerful than the other is what the cold war
was all about.

2. Personally, I don't think that the US should form a close bond
with the recently (1991) democratic Russian state. Even after the
collapse of the iron curtain, I don't believe that Russia is fully
"committed" to democracy. This is evident in Vladimir Putin's power-
hungry personality and continued control over much of the country even
after his two presidential terms ended. During Putin's presidency, he
undermined free-speech protections, which is one of the key freedoms
of democracy. In 2002 he closed Russia's last independent national
news station, and many journalists have been killed for writing
stories criticizing Putin's policies. After Putin's terms ended, his
successor, Dmitri Medvedev took the presidency while Putin still has
power over the country as Prime Minister. Another reason why I think
the new Russia can't be trusted is that they keep trying to intimidate
its neighbors, and they have even significantly challenged US
influence in that region. For example, In Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan pro-
Western leaders were ousted and replaced with pro-Russian leaders, and
in Uzbekistan US troops got ejected from the country and Kyrgyzstan
might even do the same. Also, Russia has sent troops into neighboring
country Georgia in hopes of intimidating it into easy control by
Medvedev and Putin. In conclusion Russia should not be trusted by the
US because even though they have become a democratic state, the still
show signs of communism like lack of free speech and are trying to
gain control over all of their bordering countries through
intimidation tactics, thereby reducing the influence of the US.

[dalton morris]

1.Communism is defined as, "a theory or system of social organization

based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being

ascribed to the community as a whole or to the state." In simpler
terms, workers in a communistic society should all receive the same
amount of pay. Ideally, this will almost eliminate social and
political classes. No single member of the society can own a business,
land, or personal transportation. The government owns absolutely
everything in a communistic society. Communism played a major role in
the Cold War involving the U.S and the USSR. In 1945, right after WWII
ended, Britain, the United States, and the Soviet Union ended their
alliance. A rivalry between communist and capitalist countries began
to emerge. This rivalry was one of the main reasons that the Cold War
even started and played a major role all the way through.
2. Developing a strong relationship with Russia would be beneficial to
the United States. A strong relationship with Russia would eliminate
much fear that still exists because of the rivalry that started during
the Cold War. The need for weapons of mass destruction would be
drastically reduced for both countries. If the U.S and Russia created
an alliance, it would be beneficial to Russia also. The U.S could help
promote democracy in Russia and help make elections easier and running
smoothly. The human rights situation in Russia is not ideal. This fact
is concerning but the U.S might be able to help improve that situation
in Russia. The trade between Russia and the U.S could also be
beneficial to both economies. Overall, I think that forging a strong
relationship with Russia would be beneficial but it may be hard. It
may be hard because of the history between the two countries and also
the current human rights and corruption in Russia. Russia could
potentially become an enemy again but I believe aligning with them
would economically, socially, and politically be a good move for both
parties.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Yuichiro Iwamoto]

Communism is a set of political ideas that put emphasis on things such
as the elimination of wage labor, common ownership, and eradication of
social classes. It is commonly mistaken for socialism, which is the
transitional state from capitalism to communism. This belief that was
instigated in Russia by Trotsky and Lenin. During the cold war, this
movement was headed by Stalin, and caused much conflict with the
capitalist west. This difference in the political systems of the
countries USSR and the United States caused much disagreement over a
variety of fields such as sociology and economy. Thus, this
contributed to the cold war along with the mass production of nuclear
weapons.

Now that Russia is a "democratic" country, I believe that US should
strive for a closer relationship with them. Now, with the New START
agreement missile and nuclear warhead reduction is starting to
actually take place, and both countries are getting closer to
reversing the effects of the Cold War. I believe that the missile
defense that the US currently possesses is a necessary thing to
eliminate in order to make this agreement actually work. Even though
Putin is controlling Medvedev and Russia, it is still more western
friendly then the USSR. By establishing closer ties with Russia, the
Cold War can become a thing of the past. With that said, I still think
Russia is not a completely trustworthy country because of its attack
on Georgia and seeking "special ties" with former Soviet Union
countries.

[Allie Ziegler]

Communism is the system of social organization that is based on
common ownership of all property. In a Communist state the social and
economic activity is controlled by a totalitarian government that is
dominated by a single and self-perpetuating political party.
Essentially it is system of government where there is no private land
ownership, goods are distributed based on need, and there is no
distinction of social class. Despite the fact that the USSR and the US
were allied during WWII, the conclusion of the war brought a clash in
their opinions as to how Europe should be governed. The US believed
that a democracy was the best way of government, but on the other hand
the USSR strongly believed in communism. The Cold War was the
continuing state of political conflict and economic competition
between the USSR and the powers of the Western world, particularly the
United States following WWII. It was fueled by the tension caused by
the fight for communism or democracy. The Cold War was not only a time
of differing opinions, but it was also a time where countries were
constantly competing to be the strongest power. This idea of being the
stronger international power caused the US and the USSR to stockpile
nuclear weapons as a display of strength. The effects of this arms
buildup are still felt today as the US and Russia still both possess
huge numbers of nuclear weapons.
I believe that the United States should forge a strong, close
relationship with the new Democratic Russia because they are both huge
international powers who have great influence over the worlds economy,
trade and safety.I think that a strong relationship between Russia and
the US would be extremely beneficial to the rest of the world. In
2010, the US and Russia signed the New START arms reduction treaty.
This treaty signifies much more than just an arms reduction pact; it
also signifies a stronger relationship between the US and Russia which
would not only benefit the United States, but potentially the rest of
the world. As referenced in recent current events, the nuclear
programs in North Korea and Iran are powerful, dangerous, mysterious,
and secretive. The treaty could potentially make U.S. efforts to
control Iran and North Korea's arms programs more credible. In
addition, Russia has the world's largest reserves of natural gas,
which is used to produce electric power and to heat homes. They also
have the world's eighth largest oil reserves. If the United States
becomes close allies with Russia it is possible that we will have
increased trade with Russia and a greater accessibility to oil.
Finally, despite Russia's status as a Democratic nation, in some
aspects it still operates under Communist rule. There is no free
speech in Russia and all of the televised news stations are government
mandated. In addition, by 2007 twenty one journalists have been
killed. Also, the former president Vladimir Putin (the current Prime
Minister) has allegedly interfered with economic activity and civil
society. He has taken over the oil industries and has prosecuted a
number of key figures in the Russian business community, both of which
do not sound like the acts of a democratic leader. I believe that if
the US forges a strong, close relationship with Russia we may be able
to prevent Russia from falling back into Communism and also initiate
more freedoms for the Russian people.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Emily Lu]

Communism is a form of government based on the giving of actual
ownership to the community as a whole. Russia, in the years
foreshadowing the Cold War, was a communistic country, led by a
dictator who placed the needs of the state before the needs of the
individual. However, the United States was a capitalist democracy that
encouraged freedom and valued an individual's ability to create
businesses and make profits. These two ideologies were indeed
clashing, but more importantly, were expansionist. Both countries
believed that their respective ideologies were best and that the world
should follow their ways, while battling the fear of the possibility
that the alternative ideology would take over. Because neither country
was willing to initiate a "hot war", or a war with the use of nuclear
weapons, the Cold War was the result.
I believe the US should create a strong friendship with Russia
for multiple reasons. First of all, although Russia broke apart into
15 pieces, it was still able to reestablish itself as the most
powerful country in Eastern Europe. This shows Russia's potential for
progress, as well as its ability to exert and keep influence over
other nations. If the US were to ally itself with Russia, we would
gain much influence and control in Eastern Europe and Central Asia, in
addition to Russia's large military power. Second, Russia's economy is
something that could benefit the US, economically and politically. The
world's largest reserves of natural gas is found in Russia, and the
country also has the 8th largest oil reserves in the world, which is a
resource that the US so desperately needs. Russia knows how to use its
economic assets to influence the political assets of the world, such
as when it cut off the flow of natural gas to Europe in order to gain
the upper hand on certain agreements. If Russia and the US were to be
in a close relationship, this is another way the the US could gain
some power in the areas where it has constantly been rejected, which
brings me to my third topic. Russia has been successful in blocking
out US influence, taking Ukraine and Kyrgyzstan from the US, as well
as pushing out US troops from Kyrgyzstan. If the US were closer to
Russia, there would be no need to battle over these countries. To
conclude, although the opposition against US-Russia relations says
that Russia is not trustworthy, such as when it promised the US
support in its discussions with Iran, but continued to sell Iran
petroleum, it reflects better upon the US if we at least make an
effort to reconcile with Russia. If Russia suddenly turns against the
US, it will be known that the country is an untrustworthy ally.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Lindsay Korzekwa]

Communism is essentially the absence of ownership. There are no
social classes, everyone works the same amount and food and resources
are distributed based on need. The communist ideology became very
popular in Russia, a country that had been oppressed and starved by a
small elite ruling class for centuries. The Russians believed that
communism is the best form of government, and unsurprisingly spread it
to other countries. Because communism goes against almost all of the
West's capitalist ideals, countries like the US saw them as a threat.
This led to both countries trying to outdo the other, which created a
huge arms race that created an atmosphere of fear between the two
countries, and throughout the rest of the world.
In 1991, the Soviet Union broke apart into Russia and various
other countries. Russia is no longer communist, but the country's
people still have limited rights. There is no free speech, and
numerous journalists have been killed in the last few years for
criticizing the government. Vladimir Putin, after serving the maximum
number of terms as president became prime minister, and is essentially
controlling the country.This obviously goes against the US's ideals,
but they are still a major world power. Forming closer ties between
the countries would lessen some of the tension that remains from the
cold war, and would even give the US a chance to try to change their
human rights policies. However, I believe that this would be difficult
because of the differences that still exist between the countries.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[kevin]

1. Communism is a political movement that bases its society on the
sharing of resources and services to the maximum amount, including
common ownership and an end to wage labour. This movement impacted the
Cold War because it created diplomatic tensions between the two
governments of the United States and the Soviet Union. This tension
was mainly over the atomic bomb and the reunification of Germany, but
it was compounded by the differing types of government.
2. Considering that the USSR broke apart in 1991, I believe that the
US should forge a strong, close relationship with the new, democratic
Russia. First of all, closer ties with Russia may dispel any remaining
tensions after the intense rivalry with the USSR. This is especially
important when considering that the US and Russia have the two largest
stockpiles of nuclear weapons in the world. Peaceful relations are
paramount to removing any chance of nuclear conflict, and cooperation
between these two countries is essential to reducing the nuclear
weapons worldwide.
Secondly, a close relationship with Russia would allow the United
States to influence Russia's politics, even slightly, and further
advocate human rights in the country. As Russia is lacking in several
areas with regards to human rights, including fair elections and free
speech, any kind of influence that the United States may have in these
matters will increase the quality of life for many of Russia's
citizens

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Saad Imran]

Communism is a system in which goods are owned in common and are
available to all, and there is no privatization of property.
Additionally, there is a heavily progressive income tax in a
communistic society. Communism played a big role post world war II,
and this was due to the varying ideas of the Soviet Union and the
United States. The Soviet Union believed that Europe should be
communist, while America believed it should be democratic. This
eventually lead to the Cold War, which lead to strong tensions between
the U.S and USSR. These tensions were mainly due to the stockpile of
weapons both the USSR and U.S were accumulating during the Cold War,
as both wanted to be the world superpower. The Cold War additionally
started a fear in America of Communism which lead to several different
cases of deportations and similar events. After the Cold War, the
Soviet Union separated and became several independent countries, and
Russia then became democratic society.
Considering that the USSR broke apart in 1991, I do

believe that the United States should forge a strong, close

relationship with the new Democratic Russia. I believe this as this
will be a huge step in creating World Peace, as two rival superpowers
are putting aside their differences and starting fresh. Other than the
benefits to Russia and the U.S, it will additionally affect the world
in a positive way. This is because it will set forth an example for
smaller countries with rival political views like the U.S and Russia.
Secondly the friendship could benefit both U.S and Russia. First off,
it could benefit Russia as they will be friends with a major
economical power, and their economy will boost. For the United States,
the friendship will be beneficial as The United States can use
Russia's natural gas and oil resources. Additionally, this can lead to
several military and safety enhancements on both sides of the
relationship. Additionally, this relationship will progress towards
world peace as there will be a slow elimination of nuclear weapons,
which is strongly needed. Lastly, I do not believe this relationship
will be hard to accomplish as both Russia and the U.S are now
democratic states.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Christine]

1.
Communism is most commonly known as a classless society
where private ownership no longer exists and a single authoritarian
party controls the political and economic systems. It is a society
where wealth and poverty no longer exist and every person lives on
equal terms and products are given based upon what is needed.
Communism seems dangerous and threatening to the United States and
countries in Western Europe that support democratic governments. After
World War II, these western nations did not want Russia, known as the
Soviet Union, to have any dominance in Eastern Europe and even in
parts of Asia, and to the best of their abilities, attempted to keep
communism and the Soviet Union from gaining power. Thus, the Cold War
began with United States aiming to halt USSR's expansion of influence
in Europe resulting in the Soviet Union's response by stocking nuclear
weapons. Both sides began to stockpile nuclear weapons, creating an
indirect war where each wanted to be the more threatening and "bigger"
nation. Both knew that if a real war to break out, they would equally
be destroyed many times over. This unstructured and tense war between
the United States and the Soviet Union was definitely affected by
communism and potential spread of that form of government in Europe
and other parts of the world.

2.
The decision to forge a strong, close relationship with the
new Democratic Russia is both an ideally positive idea as well as a
risky move. Russia has grown to be a international influence and has
begun to reduce nuclear weapons, but the amount of power Putin has on
Russia, puts engaging in any relationship with Russia into question.
Essentially, I believe that creating strong ties with Russia would be
beneficial to the United States as well as to the rest of the world.
Politically, it would be good to have a relationship with Russia,
because it could guarantee that the U.S. would have some authority in
the decision that are made, which could affect the way the government
shapes. As of now, Putin, in the eyes of many countries, has been seen
as someone who might be completely credible. There could shifts in how
the way the government exists if the U.S. began to grow closer to
Russia, making certain that Russia doesn't begin to become communist
again. The New START treat has already proved itself to be positive-
both sides have agreed to reducing nuclear weapons and Russia has
pledged to cooperate with the U.S. in combating Iran's growing nuclear
program. Although some recent events show that Russia could be helping
Iran, a close relationship with them would ensure that the United
States has some power and influence over the situation and could
potentially put and end to it. The reduction of nuclear weapons is a
positive image for the rest of the world and could empower other
countries as well as put trust in the relationship.
Russia also contains the world's largest reserves of
natural gas and has the eight largest oil reserves. To say the least,
these resources could definitely be useful to the United States.
Natural gas can create electric power, heat, and fuel for cars.
Gaining a closer relationship with Russia would be beneficial to the
U.S., simply because of the resources that can be found in Russia.
Russia is simply growing its "spheres of influence" and it would be
smart to begin a relationship with a country as this, in order to
further the United States' control as well. Of course Vladimir Putin
has begun to create restrictions in Russia, but his people don't
believe he is a threat, but this issue could easily be swayed.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Christine]

oh dear, i messed up again! Here's the revised version:

1.
Communism is most commonly known as a classless society
where private ownership no longer exists and a single authoritarian
party controls the political and economic systems. It is a society
where wealth and poverty no longer exist and every person lives on
equal terms and products are given based upon what is needed.
Communism seems dangerous and threatening to the United States and
countries in Western Europe that support democratic governments. After
World War II, these western nations did not want Russia, known as the
Soviet Union, to have any dominance in Eastern Europe and even in
parts of Asia, and to the best of their abilities, attempted to keep
communism and the Soviet Union from gaining power. Thus, the Cold War
began with United States aiming to halt USSR's expansion of influence
in Europe resulting in the Soviet Union's response by stocking nuclear
weapons. Both sides began to stockpile nuclear weapons, creating an
indirect war where each wanted to be the more threatening and "bigger"
nation. Both knew that if a real war to break out, they would equally
be destroyed many times over. This unstructured and tense war between
the United States and the Soviet Union was definitely affected by
communism and potential spread of that form of government in Europe
and other parts of the world.

2.
The decision to forge a strong, close relationship with the
new Democratic Russia is both an ideally positive idea as well as a

risky move. Russia has grown to be an international influence and has

begun to reduce nuclear weapons, but the amount of power Putin has on
Russia, puts engaging in any relationship with Russia into question.
Essentially, I believe that creating strong ties with Russia would be
beneficial to the United States as well as to the rest of the world.
Politically, it would be good to have a relationship with Russia,
because it could guarantee that the U.S. would have some authority in

the decisions that are made, which could affect the way the government

shapes. As of now, Putin, in the eyes of many countries, has been seen

as someone who might not be completely credible. There could shifts in

how the way the government exists if the U.S. began to grow closer to
Russia, making certain that Russia doesn't begin to become communist
again. The New START treat has already proved itself to be positive-
both sides have agreed to reducing nuclear weapons and Russia has
pledged to cooperate with the U.S. in combating Iran's growing nuclear
program. Although some recent events show that Russia could be helping
Iran, a close relationship with them would ensure that the United
States has some power and influence over the situation and could

potentially put an end to it. The reduction of nuclear weapons is a

positive image for the rest of the world and could empower other
countries as well as put trust in the relationship.
Russia also contains the world's largest reserves of
natural gas and has the eight largest oil reserves. To say the least,
these resources could definitely be useful to the United States.
Natural gas can create electric power, heat, and fuel for cars.
Gaining a closer relationship with Russia would be beneficial to the
U.S., simply because of the resources that can be found in Russia.
Russia is simply growing its "spheres of influence" and it would be
smart to begin a relationship with a country as this, in order to
further the United States' control as well. Of course Vladimir Putin
has begun to create restrictions in Russia, but his people don't

believe he is a threat; this issue could easily be swayed. In the
bigger picture, closer ties with Russia will prove beneficial in the
long run, although present day circumstances seem impossible to
ignore.

[Joelle Khouri]

Communism is a system in which property is owned by everyone equally,
and where there is no private property. In theory, this seems like a
great idea – no one is poor, everyone is equal. In actuality, however,
communism never works out quite so nicely. It typically ends with a
dictator who represses the people. The Cold War was a conflict between
Russia and its allies and the US and its allies that was influenced by
ideology. The US believed in democracy, while Russia practice
communism. These two views clash, and therefore, so did the countries
practicing them. Neither side wanted the other’s idea to be practiced,
and so fear and tension grew, leading to a decades-long standoff
between the two of the most powerful countries in the world.

I think that the United States should form a close relationship with
Russia. Both are major world powers, and it is always better to have
good will between strong powers than it is to have animosity. I
believe that the nuclear stockpiles of both countries need to be
greatly reduced. As our Current Issues book states, there is no need
for the ridiculously high amount of weapons present, and furthermore,
creating and guarding these weapons is very expensive. Although the
New START treaty is –as it name implies – a good start, much more must
be done. The arrest of the Russian spies in the US this summer showed
that, although relations have improved since the Cold War era, there
is much progress to be made. Other issues such as democracy and human
rights pose a problem. Under Vladimir Putin, free speech was
repressed. According to our book, the Russian government owns all
national television stations, and many journalists have been killed.
Furthermore, Putin made changes to the democratic system in order to
give himself more control over regional affairs, and his party has
been accused of fraud. However, Putin has a high popularity rate and
many Russians do not see the need for democracy. Should the US create
stronger ties to Russia, it will have more influence over Russia to
guide it towards stronger democracy. I believe that it would be
beneficial for a strong relationship, but these problems would make it
hard to accomplish.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Adam]

Communism is defined as a theory or system of social organization
based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership is
given to the community as a whole or the state. Capitalism is defined
as an economic system where investment in and the ownership of the
means of production, distribution, and the exchange of wealth is
maintained by individuals or corporations. These two systems are very
contrasting and have different ideas. Before the Cold War, capitalism
and communism saw each other as threats. This impacted the Cold war
because the US, having a capitalist system, and the USSR, having a
communist system, began to stockpile nuclear weapons in order to look
more powerful than the other.
I believe that the United States and the new Democratic Russia should
forge a strong, close relationship. It would be helpful towards the
world because a very large amount of nuclear weapons would be used for
better purposes than blowing up enemies. The weapons can be used as
energy that isn't harmful towards the environment. Having a close
relationship with Russia would also be beneficial towards the US's
economy. Considering how Russia is the world's largest reserve of
natural gas, the US and Russia would probably trade a lot. It was also
said in the book that the US has spent a total of about $52.4 billion
by building, guarding, and maintaining nuclear weapons. If the US
becomes close allies with Russia, the US wouldn't need to build any
more nuclear weapons and the amount of weapons needed to be guarded
and maintained would greatly decrease. The US would also be able to
lower the cost of anti-missile defense without the threat of being
attacked by Russian missiles. Even though Russia is currently a
democratic country, the US needs to keep a close eye on the Russian
government. Without help and assistance from the US, Russia could go
back to its communist ways. Having the US create a strong, close
relationship with Russia can create a situation beneficial towards
both countries which is also much safer and stable than it currently
is in Russia.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Hannah North]

1) In basic terms, communism is essentially defined a system of social
organization in which all economic and social activity is controlled
by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-perpetuating
political party. The basis for this idea is to have a society free of
social classes and poverty. The government regulates the distribution
of materials depending on where they are needed, and although it may
sound great on paper, history clearly indicates that the system is
severely flawed. Communism awards the government absolute power and
control over the sovereignty and this leads to censorship, economic
turmoil and ultimately, dictatorship. Communism succeeded in throwing
a wrench into relations between the Soviet Union and the United States
during the Cold War in a number of ways. Democracy and communism were
contrived on completely different fundamental values. While democracy
stresses the rights of the people to choose how and by whom the
country is run, communism survives upon the idea of the government
having absolute and complete control over the population with no input
from the public whatsoever. The extreme difference in ideas between
the two nations certainly did not help build ties. It is human nature
to fear what is different from our own ideals, and it was exactly that
sort of fear that over took the US and jump started the Cold War. This
most notably led to a major arms race between the two countries, as
they each stockpiled nuclear weapons with the hopes of striking fear
into the other.

2) I see no reason why the US should not attempt to forge strong ties
with the new democratic Russia. Theres an old saying that you catch
more flies with honey than with vinegar, and I feel that that phrase
more than aptly applies to this situation. It is much better to have
an ally than an enemy, especially in these globally uncertain times.
By making an ally out of Russia, we would be in a good situations if
we are ever forced to call upon them in the future for aid. Now that
they are a democratic power, there is no logical reason why the US and
Russia cannot face the future together as allies.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[preeya...@live.com]

Communism is described as a government in which a totalitarian state,
lead by a single and self-perpetuating political party, controls all
economic and social activity. It is in this type of government that
all types of property are common to the all who take part in the
system. Communism impacted the Cold War between the United States and
the Soviet Union because the United States did not agree with the
policies of the communist system. Therefore, when the Soviet Union
tried to spread communism throughout the world, the United States
started to fight against them. In 1918 US troops tried to intervene in
order to stop the spread of communism, but the Russia and the US put
their differences aside to fight together against Nazi Germany in
World War II. After the World War, the Cold War started because of the
major differences between the economic systems of the US and Russia.
Personally I feel that the United States should have a strong
relationship with the new Democratic Russia. The major reason that the
two countries did not agree was because of their vastly different
economic systems. Now that Russia is a democracy there is no cause for
a strained relationship between Russia and the US. In addition to
this, a well-built relationship with Russia would ensure progress to
the START agreements. Progress to the START agreements would mean that
we would be one step closer to a safer world. Also, Russia has many
natural resources. If the US had a closer tie with Russia, we would
also have access to such resources like Russia’s oil and natural gas.
Another reason to have a strong bond with Russia is because of the
lack of human rights. By 2007 about twenty one journalists had been
killed. If the US had a strong connection with Russia, the US may be
able to stop these tragic events from occurring.

[preeya...@live.com]

Sorry! I messed up, here's the final version.

[jblr...@aim.com]

According to dictionary.com the definition of communism is a system of

social organization in which all economic and social activity is
controlled by a totalitarian state dominated by a single and self-

perpetuating political party. From my understanding, Communism is
similar to a dictatorship in many ways, because like with a
Dictatorship, with Communism there is a dominant central power in
control of the government. The two primary enemies in the Cold War
were the Soviet Union and the United States. The main issue of the war
was the type of government, Communism in the USSR and democracy in the
United States. Communism impacted the Cold War because the USSR was
trying to spread Communism throughout the world while we were trying
to spread Democracy, which put the U.S. and the USSR at odds. The
Cold War was basically an indirect war between the two "Super
Powers" (U.S. & USSR) of the world. They were in a race to spread
their respective governments but were afraid of a "direct" war that
may have ended in mass nuclear destruction. Because Democracy and
Communism are at opposite ends of the major forms of government, it
was not surprising that they were often in conflict and ultimately the
conflict elevated to a "Cold War."

I believe that the United States should forge a strong, close
relationship with the new Democratic Russia. The USSR broke apart in
1991 and the Communist government in this region has long since been
replaced. My primary reason for believing in the new-found
relationship is that a Democratic Russia can be a very strong ally to
the United States. The "New" Russia could be beneficial to be on good
terms with the U.S. For example, Obama and Medvedev in the past year
have began working on the "New START" Treaty and Russia has apparently
been helping to enforce Iran's Nuclear sanctions and are making an
effort to control both North Korea's and Iran's arms programs. These
are two major initiatives that Obama has, and having the backing of
another major world power such as Russia may be instrumental in
achieving the U.S. objectives. I praise this new relationship for its
progress in arms’ reduction goals in both the U.S. and the Democratic
Russia. There are slight doubts that Russia is not making as much of
an effort in this new relationship but I believe that they will pick
themselves up and make this new "friendship" a strong one. A U.S./
Soviet partnership could become critical as we potentially have
threats from other major countries such as China, North Korea, and
Iran.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Sarah]

1. Communism is the idea that all property should be owned by the
state instead of owned privately. The basic reason that the US and the
USSR were enemies and ended up fighting the Cold War was the presence
of communism in the USSR. The US did not believe in communism and
believed it would have negative effects on Europe, which led to the
threats of nuclear war between the US (and NATO) and the USSR (and the
Eastern Bloc).
2. I believe the US needs a close relationship with Russia for
multiple reasons. First of all, the US and Russia both have tons of
nuclear weapons left over from the Cold War that need to be disposed
of safely, and a close relationship will encourage treaties, such as
the New START treaty, that deal with that issue. It also wouldn’t hurt
to encourage Russia’s growing democracy and push for a better
democracy – that is, removing Putin completely from power once his
term as prime minister is up and dealing with election corruption – as
long as this can be done diplomatically so that Russia does not feel
that the US is interfering in their affairs. Besides, if the Russian
people are not being directly harmed by the Putin regime and prefer it
over Yeltsin's democracy, then, since Russia is a democracy, the US
should not interfere with that majority preference of the people - but
better to have an alliance so that we have more influence if things
start to go seriously wrong, and are not viewed as an enemy by the
Russian people if it becomes necessary to interfere. Also, an alliance
with Russia would allow the US to keep an eye on their influence in
Eastern Europe without full-out restricting them. It would also allow
the US to talk to Russia about human rights abuses and their habit of
providing nuclear fuel to Iran. Essentially, there are a lot of issues
that the US has with Russia, and our actions on those issues would go
over much better if we acted as allies than if we acted as enemies and
sparked another US vs. USSR (or Russia) war.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Alison Mosier-Mills]

1) Communism is an economic ideology that promotes common ownership of
property in order to establish a classless and stateless society.
Throughout the Cold War, the United States was a firm proponent of
capitalism, and the US’s rampant fear of all things communist was
exemplified through events like the McCarthy Hearings, which sought to
blacklist American communists, and Reagan’s “Evil Empire” anti-
communist speech. The United States strongly feared that a “domino
effect” would leave the world filled with communist governments if the
USSR was able to maintain its communist ideology, and the US willing
to take any measures necessary to prevent this from happening. The
Cold War was an era during which two world powers, the USSR and the
US, fought to establish their respective ideologies as the predominant
global methods. As this competition escalated, an arms race ensued as
the two countries began to stockpile weapons in hopes to emerge as the
primary world authorities.

2) It is difficult to make a judgment about whether or not the US
should form a strong relationship with the new, post-1991 democratic
Russia, because it’s hard to say just how “democratic” the nation
exactly is. However, I believe that we should attempt to forge this
relationship. It is vital to the safety and security of the global
community that the United States and Russia establish an agreement
regarding nuclear nonproliferation because the stockpiles of weapons
within both countries pose a huge threat to the world, especially with
Russia’s inventory of warheads totaling 12,000 and the US’s adding to
9,600. Another major issue is the extent of Putin’s power, which goes
virtually unchecked as he continues to make amendments to the
constitution, uses Medvedev as his puppet, and asserts himself as the
central authority of the nation. The 2008 invasion of Georgia was an
ominous reminder that Russia is a predominant authority in the region;
clearly, it is important for the United States to address this issue
of power before Russia becomes out of control.

It is reasonable to say that, due to the corruption and human rights
issues in Russia, an immediate strong relationship is unrealistic.
However, I believe that it is in our best interest to forge a
relationship with Russia simply for the security of the world, but it
is also imperative that we act with caution. If we do not make an
attempt to “befriend” Russia, both countries will continue to
stockpile dangerous weapons, and we will not have an influence over
the nation and its politics.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Claire]

1. Communism is a political system based on Marxist
philosophies, where property is owned by the community and no one has
individual ownership of anything. The movement aims for an efficient,
classless society where everything is shared equally by everyone. The
Cold War between the United States and the U.S.S.R. stemmed from
political differences. The U.S.S.R. and its allies were pro-Communist,
and sought to envelop the whole of Europe in Communism. However, the
Communist system gives too much power to too few people, and basic
human liberties are revoked. Essentially, the worth of human life
decreases drastically. Consequently, the U.S. and its allies strongly
disapproved of the U.S.S.R.'s Communist vision. The United States had
a capitalist system with a democratic government, a strong contrast
from Russia's Communist regime. Because of these differences, the U.S.
and Russia entered the period known as the Cold War. During this time,
each side stockpiled a plethora of nuclear weapons, dramatically
heightened defenses, and ran numerous espionage rings. Communism
created a deep rift between the U.S. and Russia, and the relationship
between the two countries was permanently impacted in a negative way.

2. It would be wise for the U.S. to forge a strong, close
relationship with the new democratic Russia of today. As a strong
contrast to the strictly Communist Russia of the 20th century, the
present day Russia is comparably a much friendlier power. Considering
that it broke up in 1991, Russia today is much weaker than its past
self. No longer a Communist regime, Russia does not force ideals of
Communism upon other countries anymore, and its political system does
not cause strife with the U.S. Russia additionally has strong ties
with the countries that constituted the former U.S.S.R., such as
Ukraine, Slovakia, Latvia, and Lithuania, and if the U.S. were to ally
with Russia, U.S. relations with all these countries have a potential
to also be strengthened. The U.S. and Russia have also had differences
concerning Iran, and strong U.S. relations with Russia would lead to
more cooperation on that subject as well. Russia's strong economic
stance would greatly benefit the U.S., as it has the world's largest
reserves of natural gas, and the world's eighth-largest oil reserves.
Another reason the U.S. should ally itself with Russia
is because an amiable relationship would protect the U.S. from
potential attack. Russia has an enormous stockpile of weapons left
over from the Cold War, and should Russia ever feel threatened by the
U.S., there will be no hesitation to deploy those weapons. Forging an
alliance with Russia would steer the U.S. clear of potential nuclear
war. Additionally, increased U.S./Russia cooperation could potentially
mean that the START and SORT treaties will really start to take
effect. These treaties are aimed at reducing the weapons stock that
each country currently holds. By forging a good relationship, the U.S.
and Russia will have increased trust between them. Only then will the
weapon count be able to go down, ensuring the safety of both sides.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Andrew Lin]

Communism, an ideology aiming for a classless, stateless society in
which all people have equal ownership of the property of the nation,
is a philosophy that has influenced the world immensely. Since Karl
Marx authored The Communist Manifesto in 1848, over 30 separate
communist governments have either toppled preexisting rulers or have
been established. Of these, the most important, influential, and
impressive was the United Soviet Socialist Republics.
The Soviet Union as a nation has probably exerted more influence on
world events than any other nation during the 20th century. From its
establishment in 1917 to its collapse in 1989, the Soviet Union has
had its fingers in two World Wars, three proxy wars, one invasion, and
fourteen or so distinct proxy regimes. Perhaps the country the Soviet
Union most impacted, however, was the United States. Although the
United States was opposed to the Soviet Union for the majority of the
20th century, the Soviet Union was in no small way responsible for the
current hyperpower status of the United States. Without the Soviet
Union as constant competitor and threat, American society would have
grown complacent after the Second World War, and such American
achievements as the moon landing, global military supremacy, and
economic dominance (at least for the latter part of the twentieth
century) would never have come about. Despite all this, however, the
United States disliked the Soviet Union, and for obvious reasons. The
heart of the issue was, of course, one of ideology: while the United
States espoused an individualistic capitalistic society, the Soviet
Union wanted a collectivist communist society. Beyond this
philosophical divide, though, there was also a problem of rivalry, for
after the Second World War, the United States and the Soviet Union
were the only two truly powerful countries left on Earth. Thanks to
this fractious state of affairs, the little arms race between the US
and the USSR snowballed into the Cold War, and the closest humanity
has ever come to extermination.
Indeed, the risk of extermination of the human race in some nuclear
fireball catastrophe is the primary reason why the United States has
pursued peace with resurgent Russia so fervently. The Russians, though
still the video-game and television villains of choice in most
fiction, have done a great deal to rehabilitate their image since the
collapse of the Soviet Union. By shifting their taste in leaders from
a boozy Yeltsin to a powerful KGB agent Putin, the Russians have again
reemerged as one of the major powers in today’s post-Cold War world.
Under this new prime minister and his puppet president, Russia has
reemerged onto the world stage a powerful, well-armed country with far-
reaching economic and military influence around the world. In a world
where China and India are increasingly taking over economically for
the United States, America does not require another difficult
competitor for valuable trade. Furthermore, a peaceful relationship
with Russia, a land known for its military strength and prowess, would
certainly help in decreasing the overstretched state of the military.
At present, there are over 10,000 US troops stationed in areas like
Western Europe specifically to protect against Russian threats. A long-
lasting peace agreement would end the rivalry, the distrust, and the
dislike between Russia and the United States. Russia as a diplomatic
and economic partner of the United States would be both beneficial to
world peace and favorable to the United States and its geopolitical
goals.

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Dan Maxwell]

1. Communism is a movement in which the central idea says that all
property is owned by all, which essentially means that all people live
the same. The government owns absolutely everything. This system was
implemented in Russia during the Cold War, in contrast with the
democracy in United States. During the Cold War, (and currently), the
US is a democracy and there are separate classes (upper, middle,
lower). This contrast played a big role during the Cold War. After
World War II, the Soviet Union ended their alliance with the US along
with other countries. This led to disagreements between Russia and the
US involving economic and political issues.
2. I believe that the United States should forge a strong and close
relationship with the new Democratic Russia. If if is true that Russia
is indeed a democracy and they can follow through with their plan, a
close relationship will foster an increase in economy, greater
presence in Asia, and more security for Russia, the US, and the rest
of the world. A close relationship with Russia will enable the US to
increase their trade, and grant us access to Russia's vast mineral and
oil deposits. The main benefit to forging a close relationship,
however, is that it will create more peace for the world. The US and
Russia have stockpiled missiles in a battle to own the bigger nuclear
arsenal, so currently, both countries have many weapons. It is scary
for the rest of the world. The US and Russia will be able to decrease
their arsenal if they become allies, because their will be no risk of
attacking each other. As shown by Iran and North Korea, when one
country has nuclear capability and the world is not sure what they
will do with it, the world becomes scared. This situation can be
prevented if the US and Russia become allies. If both countries became
allies, the US could influence Russia to stay a democracy and not fall
back into communism. Also, we would have influence into Asian
countries like Kyrgystan and Kajikistan, which we have had to fight
over before. This alliance can be done, however, more effort needs to
be made. I believe that the START treaties and other treaties
involving nuclear weapons are not enough. They just deal with the
potential of Russia and the US to blow each other up, not forge an
alliance. The US needs to put more effort into it, and eventually,
both countries can emerge as a super power of the world

On Feb 7, 7:44 am, "Mr. J." <glen.jaskelew...@rtsd.org> wrote:

[Matt Ming]

Communism is an idea that subordinates individual rights in favor of
the common or collective good. In addition, everyone has an equal
place in society and social hierarchies or class/caste systems are
rejected. A communist government is headed by a group of people who
represent the larger population. However, the ideals of communism are
impossible to attain, as the leaders are automatically placed in
positions of power above the rest of the population. This has led to
one person or group of people taking over and essentially turning the
communist country into a dictatorship. Dictatorships are seen as the
enemy of freedom and democracy, and thus a threat to the United
States. As communism gained hold in the USSR, and it developed
nuclear capabilities, the United States government took action to
increase its weapons stores in the event of a potential attack. An
arms race began, with both the U.S. and Russia trying to amass greater
numbers of nuclear weapons than the other. The USSR and the US began
stockpiling nuclear weapons to demonstrate their superiority and
intimidate the opposition. This period, during which large arsenals
of weapons of mass destruction were amassed, is referred to as the
Cold War. The Cold War was not actually an armed battle, but rather a
period of extreme tension, when many countries feared nuclear attacks.

I believe that both Russia and the United States would benefit from
forming strong ties with each other. Russia is a major producer of
natural resources such as oil and natural gases. The US could in turn
supply Russia with crops that are limited in Russia’s harsh climate.
Also, joining an alliance will allow both countries to be able to
reduce their number of nuclear weapons. This would also them to save
money, as neither country would need to continue to produce weaponry
in fear of the other attacking with weapons of mass destruction. This
will further serve as a good model for other countries developing
their own nuclear programs and hopefully prevent them from creating
nuclear weapons using their newfound nuclear technology. Also, the
reputation of the United States as a bully and a hypocrite, telling
other countries to dispose of arms while keeping weapons for
themselves, would become more positive if they disposed of nuclear
weapons. Russia is also quite powerful, boasting 1.2 million active
personnel in its military, as well as sporting advanced weaponry, and
nuclear capabilities, so aligning the US with Russia will provide a
valuable ally. Forming an alliance with Russia will also help further
Russia’s fledgling democracy, and send a message to other countries
developing a democracy that the US is committed to assist aspiring
democratic nations.

[mclax...@aol.com]

Communism is a political system in which there is a common
ownership of property and private property is nonexistent. Citizens
are controlled by the government through their social and economical
activity to create an equal state in which no person is greater than
another person. Communism impacted the Cold War between the United
States and the Soviet Union because the Soviet Union was a communistic
government while the U.S. was a democratic country. After World War
II, when countries were torn and in need of help, the USSR promoted
communism and attempted to spread it across Europe while the U.S.
tried to spread democracy. This was the beginning of tension between
the two countries that were once allies during World War II. The
Soviet Union discovered U.S. was in possession of nuclear weapons and
other WMDs and they thought this was a threat to the world. The Soviet
Union began developing nuclear weapons to show that they were powerful
too. The Cold War became an indirect battle between the U.S. and the
Soviet Union stockpiling nuclear weapons to prove to one another and
the world who the strong man was.
Considering that the USSR broke apart into several parts in 1991, I
believe that the US should forge a strong, close relationship with the
now democratic Russia. First, it's important that both countries
continue to disarm their stockpiles of nuclear arms that they piled up
over the course of the Cold War. The amount of nuclear weapons that
each country posses is a huge danger to the world and thus its
important that they continue the START program which was an agreement
of both sides to disarm their weapons. I also believe that Russia is a
great ally to have in Europe because they have a powerful military and
they can help us monitor nearby countries to them such as Iran or
North Korea. Russia is also rich in resources like oil and natural gas
that would be very helpful for the U.S. and make them a vital
candidate for trade. Russia has an extremely successful education
program that shows they are bound for success in the future and will
be an appropriate partner in the future. However, the still have
issues concerning human rights and freedoms of the people which lead
back to their communistic ways of the Soviet Union. Hopefully, a
strong relationship with the U.S. will help them to fix this problem
and become a fully democratic state.

[Emerson Congleton]

Communism is a form of government that has no social classes, no
states, and everything is supposed to be under common ownership.
Communism is not to be confused with socialism which is a state with a
centralized government run by the working class to procure the best
for the majority of the people. The differences between the United
States and the USSR are great and numerous, however the majority of
them sprout from the different types of governments. In the United
States there is a democracy and a capitalist economy which enables
people to either succeed or fail financially, while in the USSR it was
communist and it's economy didn't allow people to make any financial
strides. The differences between the US and the USSR made the already
tense relations even more hostile, and made a solution to the nuclear
arms race near impossible.
Considering that the dissolution of the USSR was only twenty years
ago, the US should help a Democratic Russia secure it's position and
government, however because it is still so young the US should be
mindful that it doesn't take steps backwards into it's old communist
ways. A sign that Russia could be returning to it's old communist ways
is that the regime of Putin brought back many of the old policies such
as nationalizing companies, regaining former soviet satellites, and
reinstating a tighter control of the press. As we are helping Russia
we cannot forget their past and their tendencies to drift back towards
it.

[Grace]

In its most basic form communism is the idea that every member of
society receives equal shares of the benefits derived from labor. All
people hold all of the land, factories etc, and in this way all of the
goods are shared equally among the people. There is no poverty and
no upper class; every citizen is equal. The United States was
threatened by the communist regime of the Soviet Union and so the Cold
War began. Post WW II the Soviet Union was a powerful nation with the
ability to dominate all of Eastern Europe. The U.S feared that the
Soviet Union would expand communism far beyond its borders into
Europe, Asia, and possibly the entire world. The Cold War was a
result of two powerful nations, the USA and the USSR, who both
believed that their respective regimes should be predominant
throughout the globe. Both countries refused to let the opposition
reign victories and so further disagreement ensued. With growing
threat from the opposition for world power an arms race arose and both
countries stockpiled enough weapons to destroy each other countless
times over.

The separation of the USSR in 1991 left the new country of Russia
standing in its ashes. This new “democratic” state recovered from the
effects of the Cold War in a decade. With oil price increases, arm
sales, and key reforms Russia has proven itself in only a matter of
years as a dominant world power. In the past U.S – Russia relations
have been less than successful due to Russia’s increasingly assertive
behavior and the U.S’s inflexibility. It is vital for the U.S to
reach friendly, cooperative terms with Russia. Russia has the 5th
largest standing military in the world and enough nuclear weapons to
destroy city after city in the U.S. They have the largest supply of
natural gas in the world and are the 8th largest supplier of oil.
Frankly, it is too dangerous not to reach good terms with Russia.
This being said, forging a relationship with Russia is much easier
said than done. Russia is involved with the U.S for self gain. This
idea cannot be changed. They do not want a mutually beneficial
relationship; they want profit. A connection based on this idea will
never be a sturdy, but the U.S should not aim to be allies with
Russia, they should only aim to not be enemies. The United States
must expect Russia to sell petroleum to Iran or send a new defense
system to Georgia, and although these things are not ideal we must
resist involvement until completely necessary. With regards to
relations with Russia the U.S should never expect a friendship, but
should only work not to make an enemy.

[Irina Ahn]

1.Communism is the point that there is common ownership of property
and a classless community. Communism and the US democracy were
opposite of another and fueled each other's differences during the
Cold War. Communism meant to share everything, but when it came to
nuclear weapons and the two countries stockpiles of dangerous weapons,
having the nuclear weapons was not safe. The weapons came as a result
of the many differences found between democracy and communism.
2. In my opinion, I think it would be a good idea for the US to create
a strong close relationship with the new Democratic Russia because
both are powerhouse countries, that would be helpful if allied
together. Since the Cold War, both countries carry nuclear weapon
stockpiles and if allied, it would be of use to use as a threat to
opposing countries. Regarding Russia as an international country, it
is a country with power and much impact on the rest of the world due
to the fear other countries have towards Russia. Along with having a
stockpile of weapons, Russia has a powerhouse army to go along with
its strong economy. Compared to say, smaller countries in Africa,
Russia has much more power and money to control and influence the
world today.
If the US made this alliance with the new Democratic Russia, it
would protect the US's safety and unite 2 major powers of the world.
The US is also considered as a major power in the world and it would
be to the US's advantage to unite with another powerhouse country.
With the help of a country that may have more power, Russia, the US
can spread word about democracy with more ease in more unwilling or
uneducated countries. The main reason to gain a strong relation with
Russia is for the safety of the United States. Without this relation,
I fear that the US might be in constant fear, danger, and carefulness
not to get attacked by such a strong country as Russia. Having a
strong close relationship also leaves room for improvement and a safer
way to compromise on certain situations like the nuclear weapons,
terrorists, spies, climate change, etc.

[k.Borkovitz]

1. Communism is essentially a political movement that creates communal
ownership of property and eliminates the disparities between social
classes within a stateless society. Communism is currently viewed by
many as license for world dictators to take absolute power in their
respective countries. This concept is fueled by the legacy of the Cold
War. Dictatorships are the near opposite of western political ideals,
which include democracy and capitalism. The severe political and
cultural differences between the USSR and the United States added to
the already tense relationship between the two nations. Feuds
regarding nuclear arms policies were an additional conflict. Communist
values promoted the USSR's plans to share nuclear technology with the
rest of the world, against the US's advice to not. Overall, the Cold
War stemmed from the disparities between communism and democracy.
2. I believe that it could be very beneficial for both Russia and the
U.S. to have a positive relationship. As two main superpowers of the
world, there would be limitless amounts of nuclear power, as well as
the option of discrediting nuclear weapons entirely. Additionally, the
U.S. could help Russia in places that their country still demonstrates
the legacy of a repressive dictatorship. For instance, the remaining
police corruption and abuse of opposing press could be abolished with
the help of the United States as an ally. In addition, Russia might
see certain progress in the United States that stems from democracy,
which could influence the country to be more democratic in its
political decisions. Though Russia obviously has not always had the
United States’ best interests in mind (Cold War), but they are showing
potential and need for a strong alliance between themselves and the
U.S.

[Julia Bryck]

1. Communism is a societal structure which, theoretically, sounds like
a wonderful idea. Based on theories created by Karl Marx, communism is
a form of socialism that aims to abolish all forms of private
ownership and create a classless society where everything is owned
collectively. That seems just peachy as a bunch of words, but when put
into action, we have seen that it results primarily in government
corruption and oppression. The United States is extremely proud of its
political philosophy, so when our precious democracy was faced with
such an opponent, it seemed inevitable to want to make it the most
powerful form of government in the modern world. There lies the root
of the Cold War. The two significant world powers, the US and the
Soviet Union (USSR), began stockpiling vast amounts of nuclear
weaponry and missiles, preparing for the worst. The tension between
the two countries established a sense of fear that has never been
fully eradicated. The classless and stateless society of the USSR
clashed too much with the capitalism of the US, and due to the
tensions that resulted from the political difference, relations
between the two countries has never been the same.

2. First it is important to point out that while today's Russia is
called a democracy, its beginning to look more like a dictatorship
wearing a democratic nametag. Former president Putin continues to have
a significant influence over the country and appears to be making it
so it will stay that was for a very long time. Russia's television
networks are all government owned and it is not uncommon to hear about
mysterious deaths of reporters. The government also has total control
over the oil wealth of the nation. These signs do not scream
democracy. Nonetheless, I believe that a strong relationship with
Russia will be beneficial overall. Although the cold war ended years
ago, there is still underlying tension between the two countries. If
we wish to keep a short leash on Russia and its international
relations decisions, it would be wise to keep our enemies close. For
example, Russia has a lot of influence in Eastern Europe and Central
Asia, a place the Untied States struggles to find support. If we were
allied with Russia, we would not only have a better chance at drumming
up support from this region, but we would also be able to stop another
Soviet Union to form in the area. Second, both of these super powers,
Russia and the US, have an immense supply of arms, making it extremely
beneficial to have friendly relations. Not only would we like the
missiles pointed away from the US, it would be nice if they could
point the way we want them to. In addition, working to get rid of
nuclear arms with Russia will set a good example for the rest of the
world as well as make it a safer place to live. Finally, a large power
like Russia is crucial to have as an ally for international relations.
If we had the full support of Russia when dealing with Iran's nuclear
program, perhaps more progress could be made. For the sake of not only
the United States but also the entire world, it would be wise for the
US to create a close relationship with Russia

[kim]

1. Communism is the idea of everything being own by all the members
of the community. It is believed that personal ownership of things
has negative effects on the society. It sounds like a good idea on
paper, but when in practice, this type of government tends to result
in corruption and oppression. The US had issues with this type of
government, which caused diplomatic tension between the two nations.
The fear that the other contry would gain the upper hand and
potentially endanger the world was the main cause for the cold war,
where both countries were involved in a race to create large
stockpiles of nuclear weapons.

2. I think the US should have a strong close relationship with the new
Russia. The two are both powerful countries that have a lot of
potential. When the two countries were in the midst of the cold war,
they accomplished a lot, though it was mostly about weapons. If the
two countries worked together, there are so many things that could
potentially be accomplished that couldn't have been done by one or the
other country in the same period of time There is still tension
between the countries now, but if we can work out our differences,
there's a lot that could be done.

Aside from that, it's a bit of a safety concern for us to befriend
Russia. Just because the USSR broke apart doesn't mean that
everything from that time is gone. Like i said in my ebola
presentation, just because the biopreparat was supposedly taken apart
doesn't mean that all the viruses created there were destroyed. It's
important for us to have a strong relationship with Russia in case
something happens that would be more than we could handle.

[Katherine Singh]

1. Communism is defined as "a theory or system of social organization
based on the holding of all property in common, actual ownership being
ascribed to the community as a whole or to the
state" (dictionary.com). Basically, communism entails that everything
belongs to everyone and no one has more or less than anyone else.
After WWII, the Soviet Union gained control of a lot of land in
Eastern Europe, and ever since, the United States has been trying to
contain and diminish communism and the Soviet Union. I don't think
communism as a political and economic system itself made only an
ideological justification for the Cold War, but had no further
impact. I think the reason communism is so hated is because during
the 50s through the 80s the Soviet Union and United States were the
two big powers in the world, and naturally had conflicts. During
their power struggles, the two systems of democracy and communism
clashed and because the Soviet Union was the West's enemy, people said
communism was the enemy.
2. I think the Unites States should strive to form a strong, close
relationship with Russia. Russia has been and will be a dominating
world power with a large army, and it would be wise to secure a
relationship with a potentially threatening country. Russia may also
hold the key to US economic recovery and growth with global trade
opportunities. Russia and the US are also widely influential and
could put that influence to use, like in the New START treaty. A
partnership between the two countries would have the power to
challenge and change major global problems like weapons
proliferation. Overall, there are lasting tensions from the Cold War
and some actions between the countries may reflect that, like the
summer spy swap. However, the relations have been steadily improving,
especially between Presidents Obama and Medvedev. A strong bond
between the two countries would have the resources and power to take
on some of the world's most pressing issues, and would take away major
threats like their nuclear stockpiles.

[ds]

In theory, communism is a classless social system where all property
belongs to the community as a whole. In practice however, communist
states have often been run by corrupted governments and politicians.
In tbe USSR, the communist system gave too much power to its leaders,
giving way to some of the worst dictatorships in history. During the
Cold War, the U.S. found soviet communism to be a threat to democracy.
This high tension between the two world powers lead to the massive
stockpiling of nuclear weapons by both countries.
Now that Russia is democratic, I think that a closer relationship
between the U.S. and Russia would be beneficial. Both countries have
the massive stockpiles of nuclear weapons that could destroy the other
country many times over. These weapons are hugely dangerous and
guarding and maintaining them poses a massive financial burden on each
country. The START treaties have taken the crucial first steps in
deproliferation, but some remain opposed with the argument that the
United States has the right to defend itself. However, in forming a
closer relationship with Russia through deproliferation, the United
States would gain a strong ally and eliminate the probability of
nuclear war with Russia.
Some are opposed to becoming allies with Russia because they claim
that a Russian "sphere of influence" threatens democracy. However,
through gaining better relations with Russia, the United States would
have more influence in Russia's politics. Aside from the elimination
of a nuclear war threat, amiable relations with Russia would be
greatly beneficial to the United States. For one thing, it would lead
to more cooperation on the subject of Iran, another threat to the
United States, and issues concerning the entire planet, such as
terrorism and the environment.I think that people still have
inhibitions and stereotypes about Russians because of the Cold War,
but Russia is a huge military and economic and the U.S. would have so
much to gain from it as an ally.