ANALYSIS/OPINION:

ANALYSIS/OPINION:

As the Mueller investigation drags on, it is becoming apparent day by day that the entire Russia collusion narrative is false and that the Mueller investigation is corrupt. Each morning it seems we are hearing new revelations about the bias of Special Counsel Robert Mueller’s prosecution, the FBI’s interaction with former Secretary of State Hillary Clinton, dirty FBI agents, et cetera, et cetera.

Normalizing relations with Russia is impossible in this climate. President Trump’s hands are tied. Any movement to negotiate or to find a way forward to reduce the chance of war between our two nations is immediately tarred as “Russian collusion” by the corrupt media.

Of course, this is the aim of the Left’s agenda. No matter how good normalized relations with Moscow would be for our national security, the Deep State will not allow it to happen. Why is this the case, beyond just naked political power? The answer lies in the eight years of the Obama administration, where our security agencies were politicized, our military power was weakened, our uranium was sold to Russia for money, the State Department was a candy store for our adversaries, Iran was given nuclear weapons and billions in cash and Islamic terror was inserted into the homeland through the immigration of thousands of “refugees.”

The Trump-Russia collusion narrative is a cover-up for the absolute corruption and treason of Obama, Hillary, and the Comeys and Muellers of the Deep State, that are still safely ensconced on our intelligence and law enforcement agencies.

The bottom line is America will never be safe, nor will we be able to establish a new detente with Russia, until these Deep State criminals are pulled out by the roots. Mr. Trump has to win this battle. Our children’s future depends on it.

That being said, once this epic struggle is complete, Mr. Trump is re-elected and we can have confidence in our federal agencies once again, then we can talk to Russia. However, history has shown that the only way to talk with an adversary like the Russian Federation and Russian President Vladimir Putin is to talk and negotiate from a position of strength.

Appeasement will not work for our nation’s security or defense. Any student of the past knows this. Unfortunately, our universities now teach none of this.

The only thing Moscow respects is brute force. Any aggression, like cyber warfare, hybrid warfare or naked aggression has to be met in kind. I have said repeatedly we should not be inviting conflict with the Kremlin by arming non-NATO countries in their “near abroad.” However, NATO needs to be a red line. Moscow’s generals need to have a clear understanding of the full might of American power will be released if this red line is crossed.

Then, and only then, when Mr. Putin clearly gets the message what the limits are for any Russian active measures in Europe, the Middle East or elsewhere, will we be in position to move forward with Russia.

If anyone in the world understands this, it is our president, Donald Trump. Ronald Reagan’s maxim, peace through strength, works. Everything Mr. Trump has done, whether it be dealing with Syrian use of chemical weapons, the Taliban in South Central Asia, or even negotiating the minefields of the fake news media, has shown that Mr. Trump will fight back and take no prisoners.

Simply put, he is not leading from behind, whatever that is. He is simply leading. Great leaders understand this. Mr. Obama’s actions were not leading; they were appeasement, or even worse, intentional weakening of America’s defenses.

Once the Obama disaster for America has been reversed, once the Deep State has been removed, once the corrupt media has been shown for what it is, the Soros Democratic Party propaganda arm, we can then attempt to normalize relations with Mr. Putin and the Russian Federation. But only through a position of strength again.

⦁ L. Todd Wood is a former special operations helicopter pilot and Wall Street debt trader, and has contributed to Fox Business, The Moscow Times, National Review, the New York Post and many other publications. He can be reached through his website, LToddWood.com.

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