And sanctions and a few others things. But yes, that leads me to my next point. Russia produces oil and gas. And basically nothing else. The country outside Moscow and St. Petersburg is a disaster. Putin has mismanaged the economy to the point where it is even less diversified than it was in the past. It's bizarre and completely unnecessary in a country filled with natural resources, educated people and infrastructure. But hey, bad government can screw up anything.
Your comment about public health, drug and STD relevancy are true in Europe, Canada, and the US as well.
Not remotely on Russia's scale.
The rule of law for small and medium business has long been since dead in the US
Now you're just being silly. In Russia people are routinely shot dead by armed gangs for opposing local politicians with no system to bring the perpetrators to justice. It's gangster government in the most literal sense.
You can't be a small government conservative and embrace a government that murders its citizens.
There is a huge levels of difference between embracing Russia’s entire government and acting like Russia is the devil and acting with hyperbole about Russia (a 2% GDP drop isn’t freefall and Russia has done much better under Putin than in the 90s - it’s also like our agents have purposefully tried to hurt Russia by keeping natural gas prices and oil way down - Venezuela is in a free fall). Like most governments, there are things I like about Russia and things I dislike but at this point we should be closer allies to Russia and less so to governments like Saudi Arabia and China. We have much more in common interest and common enemies. Let Europe deal with Russia militarily if they want.
Returned from Russia not too long ago and Alter Kaker, you are right.
But I agree with rb that a balanced view from America’s geopolitical/strategic perspective is necessary.
I think Trump has struck the right balance in his cabinet. Engaging with Russia on the foreign policy front, especially with regard to protecting our interest — does not equate to praising the Russian government and its treatment of its own citizens...
I am not saying I think Trump is an expert, but he has surrounded himself with solid people who I don’t think will either kow-tow to Putin nor revive/adopt rather juvenile, warmongery Cold War-era rhetoric as Senator McCain has.
The domestic changes necessary in Russia will depend largely upon the Russian people — and quite frankly, on OUR own capacity to model a free and just society inspired by Judeo-Christian principles.
As I’ve said elsewhere on the forum, I can imagine a typical young Russian’s response to Trump’s election being the following:
“Yay! Trump won!”
(a bit later)
“Wait? Why don’t we get to have elections like that?”