Hard to take America seriously – a view from Russia

As the hoax known as “Russiagate” consumes the American political establishment and the liberal corporate media, Russians don’t really know what to make of it – it is so self-destructive. Yet it hasn’t hurt Russia at all. If anything it makes Russia long the stronger of the super-powers, according to America’s own narrative.

Consider the following:

Russians are told endlessly by Washington that Americans take such pride in their democracy, so why can’t they respect the result of the election? And the American model of democracy should be (by use of force if necessary) exported to the world, really? If it doesn’t work for the Americans, then why would anyone else want this form of democracy? Come to think of it, just look at the countries where America has exported their democracy. Iraq and Libya have in recent years become more dysfunctional than America, even though Iraq shows some signs that things have stabilised. We’re still waiting for Hillary and the Democrats to call off their ‘insurgents’.

Russians are told endlessly by Washington that every vote counts and the electoral process should be unfettered. Then, they ask, why was Bernie Sanders cheated the Democratic nomination? There is ample evidence of this, but no one in America seems to care. Russians come to the conclusion some candidates must inherently have some kind of right to win over others – strange democratic concept…though not so strange to Russians who remember how America ADMITTED to rigging Russia’s 1996 Presidential election in favour of Boris Yeltsin.

Russians are proud of their country and their president, Vladimir Putin. But they had no idea their president had such pull and influence in the U.S.! Putin has brought gradual and consistent change to Russia for the past 17 years, but look at what he has done to the mighty U.S. – virtually paralyzing its government and sent the mainstream media into a convulsive state of paranoia over a few short months!

“Anonymous sources” is a concept Russians have a hard time understanding. If a person has knowledge of wrong doing, then why not just speak up and say the truth in public? A Russian may query – are “anonymous sources” the people who run the American government? “Anonymous sources” probably do exist in Russia, but can instead be found on a children’s playground or among cranking elderly people. In Russia, politics and journalism is left to the professionals.

Russians are told endlessly by Washington that Americans love their country. But how does this explain why so many in politics and media are hell bent on destroying political institutions and turn the U.S. into an international embarrassment?

Russians are told endlessly by Washington of America’s superiority in all things. Then explain why the NSA doesn’t just say it has proof Russia hacked the DNC and provided the data to Wikileaks? But it won’t. Maybe there is a simpler answer – an insider stole the data and then turned it over to Wikileaks. For Russians the simple answer is usually the truth. Its a concept that ought to be universally adopted in the name of reason and logic.

For a brief moment in Donald Trump’s young presidency he brought his countrymen together – a moment of unity. That moment was the illegal bombing of Syria. Russians are mystified by this. There are those who hate him for what he says and stands for, though the same people praised him for his wanton use of violence against a country and people who are no threat to the U.S.

Russians get that many people in America have a personal dislike of Donald Trump. Russians understand better than most Americans could ever imagine. Russia had Boris Yeltsin and Russia survived to become great again. Maybe – from a Russian point of view – Americans can learn from the people they are told to hate?

Lastly, if America is so great and powerful, then why does it scare so easily? Russians know Washington has interfered in their domestic politics. A country cannot be great if it demands so much for others while not abiding by its own values and council.

America is now accusing itself of what its government used to accuse other nations of engaging it. America has retained an arrogant exceptional attitude while forgoing any claim to being half of what it thinks it is.

Peter Lavelle is host RT’s political debate program CrossTalk. His views may or may not reflect those of his employer.