Putin's Russia

As I listened to John Beyrle, the former US ambassador to Russia, describe the current political climate in Russia, I couldn't help but see a mirror image of the US national psyche. Mr. Beyrle described how deeply influenced by a strong slavic nationalism and pride for everything that is “Russian” the current political landscape is. As his position continues to head towards extremism, Vladamir Putin’s popularity in his home country is shooting up. People in Russia that are facing hard times want someone to blame, and they're finding it in the increasingly diametrically opposed Western Europe and United States. All the same, rural poor people throughout the US are rallying around the reactionary Tea Party, and a shared hatred and fear of all things islamic. Though the extremest party is not in power in the United States like it is in Russia, it has still had a sweeping influence on the way that political conversations are had here. A vitriolic rage has risen up in many people, both in Russia and the US, and the flame is fanned by political leaders’ inflammatory and impassioned words.  That is why I find it so ironic that the same man who lambasts Russian nationalism talks about the importance of spreading and exerting America’s interest on nations thousands of miles away. Combating Russian extremism from an ideologically American standpoint will be completely ineffective and even counter productive; it will further isolate Russia, giving more fuel to Putin’s fire.  It is for this reason that I struggle to see how sweeping economic sanctions will improve the climate in Eastern Europe. Putin is running Russia’s economy into the ground, and the powerful, wealthy oligarchs in his country will be at Putin’s neck whether or not the US and EU put sanctions in place, but as long as they are in place, Putin has a scapegoat for the people: the cruel west, which like always hopes to destroy mother Russia. As long as Putting is able to stir nationalistic fever in the hearts of the public in Russia, he will stay in power.