text: Steve, I am talking about Russian military occupation of European states that the Soviet Union formerly occupied by force. We see Russia recapturing large areas of the former Soviet empire, and the states I named consider themselves at risk. The idea of Russia as a NATO member, as things stand today, is a misunderstanding of Russian aims and a misunderstanding of the purpose of NATO, which I would add, is no more a "millstone" than are Korea, Japan and Taiwan.
  
  NATO members want US bases for military and economic reasons. They don't want Russian bases, they don't want Russian soldiers, they don't want Russian interference at all. "Comical"? Russia is moving warships, air forces, and tactical nuclear artillery into Kaliningrad as we speak. It is inside Ukraine, and it has usurped Crimea. You are the "comical" one.