On 11/17/23 10:30 AM, Oleg Smirnov wrote:
> <https://tinyurl.com/ywwfrr7l> foreignaffairs.com
>
> The widening gulf between Russia and the West is undeniable. But
> elsewhere in the world, another trend has become clear: Moscow has
> increased its influence and leverage in many important countries ..
>
> Publics in [these] countries were receptive to Russian narratives ..
>
> ...
>
> Let American malefics feel unhappy.

American SHOULD be unhappy - but to a large extent this
issue is ITS OWN FAULT. After the USSR, America largely
just IGNORED Russia, and occasionally shit on Russia.
"No longer a problem ...". Putin put on a good show of
being "civilized".

Thing is, Putin was a BUSY MAN - and filled with those
old Imperial ambitions. The USA barely noticed. Effort
might have been required.

As a result Russia has created its own little universe
which includes perhaps the west's two greatest rivals,
China and Iran. He brought them in, set up the money
and trade and military ties. He also got India to be
rather friendly, the most populace nation on earth
and a tech/space/nuke power. THEN he invaded Ukraine,
twice. As a result of his work, western 'sanctions'
had essentially NO impact.

The USA did barely anything about the first invasion
of Ukraine. Easier to just let Putin have it ...

The aims of the USA are no worse than Putin's or
Iran's ... by many measures "better". But the USA
has always been a CLOD, too self-focused to grasp
how anyone else in the world thinks, to notice
what they want. The famous line in the Kubrick
movie ... "Inside every gook is an American trying
to get out" ... kinda sums it up.