Is Russia Our Enemy?

In the wake of the supposed leak of emails by Russia via WikiLeaks, I’m reading a lot of vituperation against Russia and, honestly, I don’t quite follow it.

Could someone please explain to me how the Russians are our enemies?

I can see much clearer arguments that the Iranians are our enemies. They’ve declared war against us. They’ve supported our enemies, e.g. Al Qaeda. There are demonstrations on practically a daily basis in Tehran with the demonstrators yelling “Death to the Great Satan!” (that’s us).

Or the Saudis. They, too, are supporting our enemies.

The Chinese are forcing U. S. planes down, making “unsafe intercepts” of U. S. aircraft, hacking U. S. government and corporate computers, and generally behaving in a truculent manner. If you follow the Chinese media at all, you undoubtedly know that the Chinese consider war with the United States inevitable.

But the way I see the Russians is that all they’ve done is have the temerity to have national interests of their own. I’m looking for a coherent explanation of how Russia is, in Mitt Romney’s phrase our “number one geopolitical foe”.

7 comments… add one
  • Roy Lofquist Link

    To the man with a hammer…

    We see this everywhere. The people in charge, the guys with the seniority, the eminences grises, made their bones during the cold war. That’s who they are. The same with councils. Take the Council of Economic Advisors. They’re all there because at some point they wrote a book. That’s who the are and they are not going to change as circumstances change.

    I agree with you about the Russians. Take a look at the map. They have far more exposure to Islam than any other major country, and they’ve had more than their share of terrorism. They are our natural ally against Islam and Putin knows it. Too bad we don’t.

  • walt moffett Link

    Lets keep in mind occasionally, the English language News sites in Russia will run a column reminding all the bear has nukes and ain’t afraid to use them.

    At present, it seems a smoke screen to distract from the leaked DNC emails and heavy dash of “how dare he” whenever Putin embarrasses the Administration in Syria, the Ukraine, expels USG funded NGOs, etc.

  • Ken Hoop Link

    http://m.sputniknews.com/analysis/20160720/1043370089/iraq-usa-afghan-war-crime.html

    You’re somewhat on the right track. Clinton will continue in her Goldwater Girl Russophobic Zbig Brzezinski Cold War orbit if elected.
    Trump might prevent WW 3 in this regard.

    You are wrong about Iran. It hates takfiris but it also hates the hegemon whic continues subsidizing the oppression of Palestinians.
    Should the US adopt a neutral policy in the Mideast and force Israel to vacate the West Bank and Samaria, Iran will have no problem with us.

  • Ken Hoop Link
  • steve Link

    Not our enemy but not exactly a friend. They have their own interests. Thus, if they have loaned Trump hundreds of millions of dollars, I am assuming they think they are getting some return on that.

    Steve

  • CStanley Link

    Russians pursue their own interests, which are sometimes in conflict with interests of nations we consider friends.

    Clearly NATOs mission needed updating after the Cold War ended, and that plus EU expansion created tension- and all of that has been poorly handled by our own incompetent leaders. But I don’t know how one ignores the thuggish tactics of Russia (cutting off natural gas pipelines, for instance) and the way Putin is pushing nationalism in the form of a return to the glory days of the Russian Empire, which itself naturally provokes anxiety in Eastern Europe.

    It may be that we have no choice but to ally with Russia as a frenemy since Europe is crumbling, but as far as I can see we should not let our guard down either.

  • ... Link

    The Russians are the enemy because the Russians aren’t only white, they’re unapologetic ally white. What could possibly be more evil than that?

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