What is going on with Russia!!!

[VW Cali]

Russia and the West: Where did it all go wrong? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37658286

Interesting that less emotional analysts from US to UK recognise that Russia not simply lone single bad guy but actions of West created both ground situation, and perception in Russia.

Interesting too that here we describe Russia's actions in Syria as barbaric but apart from a very small minority we feel that most Western agression is defensive and justified in nature. That collateral damage is just really collateral damage in pursuit of defensive and noble aims.

Unless one learns to try and see the picture from a variety of angles, the mono view, as informed by just the one media, tends to cloud rather than clarify.

 

[GrannyJen]

Russia and the West: Where did it all go wrong? - http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-middle-east-37658286

Interesting that less emotional analysts from US to UK recognise that Russia not simply lone single bad guy but actions of West created both ground situation, and perception in Russia.

Interesting too that here we describe Russia's actions in Syria as barbaric but apart from a very small minority we feel that most Western agression is defensive and justified in nature. That collateral damage is just really collateral damage in pursuit of defensive and noble aims.

Unless one learns to try and see the picture from a variety of angles, the mono view, as informed by just the one media, tends to cloud rather than clarify.

100 years before Putin another Russian leader called the Sykes-Picot agreement "The agreement of the colonial thieves".

Sadly Lenin was right.

The artificial partition of Badiyat-ash-sham and the greater Arabian peninsular, with complete disregard to tribal boundaries and Arab aspirations forms the foundation of the mess that we call Syria and Iraq today.

Why Isil, when declaring a restored Caliphate, symbolically chose to register the founding with destruction of the desert border posts between Syria and Iraq.

 

[Neilgbj]

As Student of International Relations for over 30 years one of the main issues is lack of understanding of another nation's psyche and culture, often driven by unethical written media who have their own agendas. This leads to suspicion and escalation in the rhetoric on both sides. The Russian psyche was deeply scarred as the result of huge losses in the Second WW and their perception of lack of Western support and imperial intentions. It is impossible to make any informed judgement of their view of the world through rags like the Daily Mail of course....

As GJ alludes to above the mess that is the 'Middle East' is in many respects a consequence of our past imperial involvement ......

MAD has been the cornerstone of nuclear 'stability' between strategic powers for decades being the main reason for 'de-escalation' in numerous 'flash points', it will, hopefully, continue to do so......a bit like lowering your Cali roof however, it's never completely foolproof but with some robust fail safes it normally works....