The West Obsession with Putin by Larry C. Johnson.
sonar21.com
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Most Americans’ understanding of Russia, its people, its culture and its geopolitics comes via a distorted media lens that is committed to propagating a narrative built around a presumed cult of personality… And that personality is Vladimir Putin. Just consider these recent quotes:
Mark Rutte: This is an open press conference — I know Putin’s listening, so I don’t want to make him too wise.
Donald Trump: Trump stated that Zelensky will request Tomahawk missile supplies on Friday but did not say what his response would be. According to the American, ????Moscow does not want to end the conflict. Among other things, Trump said, “Putin was supposed to win this war in one week. Now he is entering the fourth year of the war.
Donald Trump: Expressed being “very disappointed” that Putin is unwilling to end the war, which he called “horrible.” Suggested Russia has suffered heavy losses and that its economy is struggling.
Inherent in these comments is the ridiculous belief that the war in Ukraine is solely the work of Vladimir Putin, and that Putin is a grand authoritarian dictator who is compelling millions of Russians to submit to his madness. The truth is otherwise. While President Putin is a consequential historical figure and is the face of Russia’s resurrection as a world superpower, Russia is a complex society, blessed with strategic depth in terms of minerals, natural resources, industrial capacity and, most importantly, highly educated, competent people.
I have been genuinely puzzled by the Western attitude towards Putin — at least the current attitude, which is quite hostile — and did an systematic analysis of media coverage of Putin starting in 1999. Prior to March 2003, press coverage in the West about Putin was generally very positive. That came to a halt in March of 2003 when Vladimir Putin came out in strong opposition to the US invasion of Iraq. I think Putin’s refusal to be the submissive-bitch of the West is the reason for the animus direct at him personally, and Russia in general.
I have only been in Moscow for less than 24 hours, and I have not been able to talk with a broad swath of people. However, after watching the local TV stations it is clear that the war in Ukraine continues not just because Putin wants it… An overwhelming majority of the Russian people recognize they are in an existential battle with the West and, if anything, want the Russian government — meaning not just Putin, but the General staff — to pursue the war more aggressively.
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