"Why is U.S. Policy So Hostile to Russia?"

Author, turcopolier at Sic Semper Tyrannis questions the view of the Obama Defense Department, head by Ashton Carter, that the U.S. has five defense challenges. Of the so-called “Russian challenge,” he writes:

Russia – What? Most of the people on SST believe that Russia is not engaged with its own forces in eastern Ukraine, Advisors – Probably. Equipment – Some. Russia has not invaded Ukraine. Crimea – Khrushchev made an arbitrary decision to “annex” Crimea to the Ukrainian SSR. It had previously been considered Russian. Khrushchev probably thought it made administrative sense in the context of the USSR as one country and the propinquity of the two places. OK, taking the Crimea back was naughty. Russia might invade one or more NATO countries? Is there any real evidence that they intend or even desire to do that? Russia intervened quite effectively in Syria, thereby frustrating “The Plan” to bring down the Syrian government. In the course of doing their thing in Syria they have made a hash of US and Gulfie efforts to organize guerrilla forces that would finish off the Syrian government. No – I don’t get it. Why is US policy so hostile to Russia?