If Russia goes through the wrenching psychological re-evaluation of national identity that America went through because of our 9-11, then they will emerge a very different society from their mostly xenophobic past.
Different cultures. Remember 9-11 happened after we came back of the loss of Viet-Nam and Americans are basically optimistic forward looking and (from what little I know of Russia) the Russians aren't.
What worries me (like you I suspect) is they'll embrace that xenophobic past.
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