Is America wrong in branding Russia as its enemy?

When the Cold War hatchet was buried following the fall of the Berlin Wall and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union, it appeared that Russia and the United States may have found a way to peacefully coexist. However, in recent years, relations between Moscow and Washington have deteriorated, with conflicts over Ukraine and Syria seeing the two countries on opposing sides yet again.

Most recently, with the spat of allegations of Russia’s hacking of the Democratic National Committee (DNC) servers that may have influenced the outcome of the US election, Moscow has been keeping the US on its toes to say the least. In early 2016, the outgoing Secretary of Defense Ash Carter went as far as to identify Russia as the number one threat facing the US.

But are Russia’s motives really as sinister as many suggest?

Looking at the chessboard of international politics from the Kremlin’s window yields a rather different view. Trying to defend its borders against NATO expansion in Ukraine and protect its foothold in the Middle East through cooperation with Syria’s Bashar al-Assad, Russia’s pursuit of its national interest irks the West—whether intentionally or not.

Yet branding Russia as an enemy and resurrecting historic rivalries may be a problem of America’s own creation.

The views expressed in this article are the author’s own and do not necessarily reflect Fair Observer’s editorial policy.

Photo Credit: Robin_Hoood