"In Hang Separately, Leon V. Sigal argues that nowhere has the U.S. propensity to coerce rather than cooperate been more pronounced or more profoundly misguided than in its dealings with the Soviet Union and its successor state, Russia.".

"According to Sigal, the United States has fumbled its great opportunity to reach out to Russia and draw it into the community of democratic nations. It also has failed to address the new nuclear dangers caused by the disintegration of the Soviet Union. Under the leadership of Gorbachev and Yeltsin, Moscow was prepared to reduce those dangers, by radically reducing its nuclear arsenal and disposing of its weapons-grade material.

But that required reciprocity by the United States as well as extensive political and economic engagement, in short, cooperative security. The realists who dominated American foreign policy were reluctant to pursue that course." "Instead of treating Russia as an ally, the United States sought to extract the maximum advantage in every negotiation, alienating Russia's democrats and provoking a nationalist backlash."--BOOK JACKET.