Russia as the pain of Obama

When the American president asks questions about Russia and Ukraine, a strange expression appears on his face. As if he was fighting with a toothache that he does not want to show others. Obama quickly pronounces what he must say, and then, as soon as possible and with visible relief, he switches to other topics.

Obama must admit to himself: "No, we can'" in terms of Russia - "We cannot"

It seems that Moscow’s actions shocked the very foundations of the universe in which the Obama politician lived; that for him this is a tremendous shock. After all, he came to the White House with the slogan "Yes, We Can!" ("Yes, we can!"), Numbering not only the reform of healthcare and an attempt to build new relations of social cooperation within the country, but the departure from previous confrontations with difficult international partners. He believed that it was necessary to abandon the heavy heritage of Bush and Republicans, to leave Iraq and Afghanistan, to generally abruptly reduce the American military presence abroad. To unclench the fist, stretch out the hand of Iran, restart relations with Russia.

Obama, apparently, sincerely believed that his initiatives would be appreciated that foreign leaders would respond and will be ready to shake this outstretched hand. Now it turned out that in this position Moscow saw a sign of fatal weakness, which is a sin not to use. In one of my previous speakers, written at the end of February , I suggested that there is a reliable way to turn Obama from a convinced “pigeon” into a political “hawk”: this will happen if Russia has military interference in Ukrainian affairs. He wrote a column and hoped that this would not really happen. But it happened.

And now the predicted transformation is happening . It goes slowly, gradually and extremely painful. Obama must admit to himself: "No, we can't" as for Russia - "We cannot." The dream was naive. And this naivety, of course, is not going to forgive the president with his political opponents. They hope that the Russian factor will play a large role in the next presidential election.

In recent days in London, as elsewhere in the West, they talk a lot about what is happening. Having talked with a prominent British-French banker, a capmental director and director of a large media company, I summarize their opinions: the events around Ukraine will have far-reaching and long-playing consequences for the whole world.

For example, it is likely that Moscow “chose” the next American president with her actions - they will most likely be a Republican close in views to Senator McCain, who advocates a strict confrontation with Russia. So, the new Cold War, the new "iron curtain" cannot be passed. As well as the new nuclear weapons race with the corresponding serious consequences for international peace and security.

Secondly, the Russian president determined the strategic direction of the development of world energy, "forcing" Western leaders to seriously take care of the urgent search for alternative sources, allowing to abandon Russian oil and gas.

Thirdly, Vladimir Putin breathed a new life into NATO, an organization that began to lose the meaning of his existence. The Knights of the Cold War who called for all these decades to come to their senses, not to believe either Gorbachev or Yeltsin, who claimed that Russia under any government is the main existential enemy of Western civilization, to make monuments to the Russian president. More recently, they were perceived as outlandish marginals, they chuckled quietly at them. Today they triumph, they say: we are right!

But not only professional "anti -Soviet" are thinking about whether it is time to slowly begin to repair the bunkers overgrown with grass and atomic shelters. Perhaps the main global threat is not Islamic fundamentalism and not an economic crisis, but not even a change in climate, but the same Russia. True, not everyone agrees with this. For example, Tony Blair this week turned to Western leaders with a passionate appeal to “move aside” the contradiction with Russia and China and concentrate all forces to counteract terrorism, which has the Middle East roots.

One way or another, but the current Russian president firmly and powerfully went down in history. All my interlocutors agreed with this. But with what sign? Is he satisfied with Herostratov Glory?

Andrey Ostalsky - London journalist and political commentator

Opinions expressed under the heading "Law" may not reflect the point of view of the editorial office