Analysis

Happy Thanksgiving and Thanks to Our Readers.

 

There are lots of stories which could legitimately be used to paint Russia in a bad light. But instead of doing the hard work of investigatory journalism, they instead propose radical ideas based on wild speculation. In this way, their work comes to resemble the ‘Russian propaganda’ they so like to despise.

Patrick Armstrong notes the evolution in the President’s thinking regarding Russia and its relevance and reach globally.

What is the convention regarding connections between a foreign government and a candidate for public office?

Consider a recent story in the Washington Post.

Barack Obama has warned the US president-elect, Donald Trump, against taking a purely “realpolitik approach” to relations with Russia and encouraged his successor to continue standing up for American values.

The Kremlin did not anticipate Trump’s electoral victory. It was preparing for Hillary Clinton and the prospect of U.S.-Russian relations continuing to deteriorate, with a not-too-trivial chance of a kinetic collision between Russian and U.S. forces—such as through the imposition of a no-fly zone in Syria, which Clinton supported.

European leaders still rattle their tiny sabers at Russia, but Donald Trump’s election has spread confusion across NATO nations that had dutifully climbed aboard the New Cold War express, says ex-British intelligence officer Annie Machon.

In democratic countries, disagreeing with government policy is nothing unusual. But Russophobic paranoia has reached such a peak that those who dare to propose better relations with Russia are increasingly facing pressure to be silent.

Nation Contributing Editor Stephen F. Cohen and John Batchelor continue their weekly discussions of the new US-Russian Cold War. (Previous installments are at TheNation.com). This installment focuses on an existential question: Will, or can, a President Trump enact a policy of détente—replacing elements of conflict with elements of cooperation—in US relations with Russia?

US foreign policy in the Middle East has been a spectacular series of wars and air raids and retreats. Russian policy – in the Yemen war during Nasser’s age and in Afghanistan – has been destructive enough, but the post-Soviet state seemed to have curled its claws until Putin moved his men into Syria.

The United States should threaten Russia with military force in order to contain the Kremlin’s growing power on the international stage, a top candidate to become Donald Trump’s Secretary of State has said.

Many may believe that America’s huge political upset could even be described as a victory for the Kremlin. In fact, the idea peddled by American news media that Mr. Putin supports Mr. Trump is far removed from reality.

A senior Republican lawmaker has some advice for President-elect Donald Trump on dealing with his Russian counterpart: “proceed with caution.”

DONALD TRUMP’S VICTORY in our presidential election set off many convulsions, but few were as shattering as the one that dynamited the Washington foreign policy elite…If he remains firm and pulls us out of the spiral of US-Russia confrontation, he will be stepping back from the conflict that has seemed more likely than any other to explode into nuclear war.

ACEWA  Board Member and Russian studies Professor Stephen F. Cohen joined Travis Smiley in a conversation about the current state of the relationship between Russia and the U.S. particularly as it relates to the pending U.S. presidential election.

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Wednesday that Russia was ready to fully restore relations with the United States following the election of Donald Trump. But even so, when Trump assumes power on Jan. 20, he will inherit a Russian-American relationship in deep crisis.

Lionized as a nationalist hero in Ukraine, Stepan Bandera was a Nazi sympathizer who left behind a horrific legacy.

 

Far from being a Putin stooge, Trump might be able to establish a better working relationship with Russia than Obama managed.

Professor Stephen F. Cohen and renowned radio host John Batchelor talk about the new cold war on the eve of the US election.

Russia is watching the US election closely, the Kremlin has said, and any possible improvement in relations between the two countries will depend on Washington. Vladimir Putin’s spokesman Dmitry Peskov told reporters Moscow was willing to work on the two nations’ deteriorating ties once the presidential vote was over, RIA Novosti reported.