American destructive relationships with Russia and how to fix it

In Israel

A delegation of senior Russian security officials arrives in Jerusalem for talks on Iran and Syria to follow up on Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu’s meeting with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow. The delegation is led by the head of Russia’s Security council, Nikolai Patrushev, and also include the deputy foreign, justice and public security ministers, as well as generals and top military and intelligence officials. The talks address “regional matters and other issues related to the common interests of Russia and Israel.”

In America

The Trump administration releases a who’s who of Russian politicians and oligarchs who have thrived under President Vladimir Putin. The U.S. Treasury unclassifies the so-called “Putin list” of 114 Russian politicians and 96 business figures worth at least $1 billion about 12 minutes before midnight in an attempt to increase pressure on the Russian leader Vladimir Putin … probably in hope he would stop meddling into internal American affairs.   

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Almost the same high-level Russian politicians are punished by the US government and welcome by the Israeli government. It looks like Israel has developed a correct strategy on relationships with Russia while the strategy on relationships with Russia of before-Trump America is wrong.  

The interests of Israel and America in security and economics clash or coincide with similar interests of Russia in many areas.

The areas where the interests of Israel and America coincide with Russian interests are many such as

·         In fighting Islamic radicalism conducted by some nations and many Islamist groups – the Islamist morality is an adversary to the American-brand Judeo-Christian morality, to Russian Orthodox Christian morality and to the Jewish morality of Israel   

·         In preventing the spread of nuclear weapons – Americans, Russians and Israelis clearly understand there is no winner in a nuclear war

·         In preserving the unique moral foundations of each nation – Americans, Russians and Israelis cherish their unique moral foundations and despise the efforts by the so-called globalization politically-correct forces to weaken them

·         In mutually beneficial trade and cultural relations – in the interests of contemporary Russia, not like it was with the Soviet Union, to develop mutually beneficial trade and cultural relations.    

The areas where the interests of Israel and America clash with Russian interests are many as well such as

·         In expanding the areas of oil/gas domination – mutually acceptable rules for peaceful competition are needed

·         In influencing the policies of other nations through covert operations – mutually agreed and verifiable restrictions on the unavoidable spying would be useful  

·         In selling the weaponry worldwide - mutually agreed restrictions to reduce the possibility of local wars would be useful as well

·         In conflicting definitions of democracy as the foundation for peaceful coexistence of different nations – understanding and acceptance of Russian preference for a tsar-like leader is needed

·         In expanding the influence of the West into the former Soviet republics – there is no visible compromise in this area like with the Israeli-Palestinian confrontation.

What is Israel led by its Prime-Minister Benjamin Netanyahu doing to handle Israel-Russian relations? Israel invites the Russian high-level politicians to discuss and find solutions to all the challenges. The results? The discussions have morphed into one of the most quietly effective relationships in the Middle East. Not an alliance, certainly, but the pragmatic leaders of both countries have concluded that each benefits by coordinating with the other.

What America led by the pre-Trump “swamp”-like government has been doing to handle American-Russian relations? It has been working relentlessly to punish Russian leaders, weaken Russian economy and force the Russians to elect somebody else – not Vladimir Putin – their president. The results? The results are opposite to the expected – the Russian majority is more united with their leader Vladimir Putin against American intervention into Russian internal affairs.