Everyone keeps saying this, and while I agree with the sentiment, it seems a strange thing to be so hung up about since it's never been the case in the past.

In case you may be ignorant of world affairs, Russia is not a friend of the USA.

While Russia is currently providing launch services for NASA, a part of the US government, we can not, and should not expect expect that relationship to remain intact, especially since Putin is hell-bent on restoring the territory of the old USSR. He is serious about doing this, and the countries of eastern Europe (formerly of the USSR) are terrified Russia will annex them like they did Crimea.

And if armed conflict breaks out, good-bye Russian launches...