Putin knows history and need for xenophobia and scapegoats, with a good dose of cultural superiority, in this case over the 'little Russians' or the 'borderlands', whether the poeple like it or not.

My main issue is how intelligent and well educated people in the 'west' including John Pilger, can blindly support Putin and the 'kremlinbot' propaganda about the west, NATO, EU, Europe, Nazis, Jews and other conspiracy theories (especially when the 'west' did benefits from the reformation and renaissance which bypassed much of the Orthodox lands).

Or is it cognitive dissonance, i.e. many of the left support elements state capitalism and centralisation like Putin also seems to prefer? These same types of systems or monopolies were and will remain at the root of corruption and decline in such economies, according to Pacepa head of Romanian intelligence under Ceaucescu.

All very well to critise and demonise the west ala Russia Today, but what is as noticeable is the reluctance for Russian state or Putin protagonists to look inwards, discuss the Orthodox church's role in modern Russia etc. ......

Many of those who genuinely support Putin's policies, apart from the Kremlin bots and actual pariots, may think differently if they had to put up with monopolies of power, innate corruption and lacking various basic human rights those in the 'west' take for granted.

Where are the concerns for the 'people' whatever ethnic background in Ukraine, Russia etc.. who unlike the middle class Russians and Ukrainians cannot simply leave and make a 'bolt hole' elsewhere.....?

Now let's see Andras Smith who has the track record for war and violence.

The USA with 900 Military Bases in 153 countries has invaded or attacked Vietnam, Somalia, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Libya, Yugoslavia, Iraq for weapons of mass destruction to name a few. They also tried to attack Syria and Iran until Russia said enough is enough.

Since WW2 Russia has invaded Afghanistan and lost. Russia does not have troops in the Ukraine. Russia always had a Military base in Crimea. So tell us who has the track record for imperialist aggression?

Arjay,
The U.S Democratic party also has the worst record on military misadventure, military incompetence and pointless aggression, beginning with Woodrow Wilson. Obama is nowhere near as competent as F.D.R was, and F.D.R was bad enough, he slaughtered millions of German and Japanese civilians then his successor betrayed half of Europe by turning it over to the Soviet butchers.

My only response is.....

Vice President Joe Biden visits Ukraine:

Son of Joe appointed to Ukraine Oil board:

Now that one was not plasterted all over the free media....Please move away I am going to throw up.....

@sonofgloin. It gets worse. Also appointed to the same board as Biden junior was Dean Archer. Archer shared a room at college with Christopher Heinz, John Kerry's stepson.

Archer was co-chairman of Kerry's finance committee in Kerry's 2004 bid for the presidential nomination.

All of this of course is simply a continuation of politics as usual for the US elites. Waging war has always been good for profits as the late great Gore Vidal among others have pointed out. Doesn't matter whether they are nominally Republican or Democrat. Not unlike Labour and Liberals here really.

James it just astounds me that people with the sense to get dressed in the mornings believe the propaganda fed to us by the mass media....mate it really has become "the Emperor has no clothes".....the plebs don't see it.