Understanding Russia as An Ordinary American
— Vladimir Putin, a chess-playing pianist, does not want to kill you!
I knew the Russiagate narrative was falsely-born and carried, that Putin and Trump were not in bed together or riding the same horse and that domestic and foreign policy positions of Russia were nowhere near as described in Western media. In fact, what Western media has presented in recent years could well be considered textbook propaganda.
For confirmation, read the writing, research and advocacy of long-time Russian historian and former editor of The Nation magazine, Stephen F. Cohen who recently passed away (RIP). Cohen understood Russia better than anyone in America.
Often I’ve written — based on my own analysis of Putin’s state of the union speeches, his press conferences and policy positions — that Putin appears a better Democrat than Nancy Pelosi or Chuck Schumer. I stand by this position and note most Americans do not well comprehend European politics, certainly Russia politics and are mostly clueless when it comes to Eurasian politics.
Politically, I’ve always opposed GOPwingerism. I’ve been a way-left Democrat until recently when I became a political Independent. My switch is largely due to the DNC’s treatment and lack of respect for the policies as advocated by Bernie Sanders. It’s always been my hope to die with a progressive America leading the world and working with and on behalf of other nations; not against them.
I believe in the of sovereignty nation states coupled to a strong, fair and competent United Nations. In America, I believe in small business and entrepreneurship but I intensely condemn corporate conglomerates that have become too big to fail. More than not, they wreck havoc within our communities.
Anyway, Russia’s in our news again. This time Western media is hyping Russian blogger/video journalist Alexi Navalny, doing its utmost to paint a picture of Navalny as Putin’s primary political opponent. But in reality and in nearly all polling, Navalny only registers about two percent support and he polls below Communist Party candidates.
In a twist of fate, the US media is trying to make Navalny seem like a Trump populist in Russia. What’s painfully ironic is Navalny, politically, very much is like Trump what with nationalist, pro-gun and racist predilections. What could possibly account for the fact Western media is attempting to rebrand him into a supposedly liberal savior-type for Russia. Well, I guess the Big Money of US oligarchs can do just about anything — it did manage to get Yeltsin re-elected!
Interestingly, Western media showed all kinds of support for clamping down on Wikileaks publisher Julian Assange’s UK bail violations, but seems all twinkle-toes when it comes to Navalny’s Russian bail violations. Sorry folks, but I’ve got all kinds of problems with a Free Navalny but Jail Assange attitude. This just doesn’t seem to me as a fair judgment of journalism.
The question becomes: Why would the US media wish a Trump-type on any nation? US policy, hence its monopolized media outreach, has done the same with Juan Guaidó in Venezuela and it appears all eyes would look the other way were an ISIS or Al-Qaeda regime to overtake Bashar al-Assad’s Syrian government.
Ironically, the same pattern seems in repeat with respect to China:
