Do Russians Think Washington Has Gone Insane?

Russian President Vladimir Putin watches the celebrations for the City Day in Moscow, Russia, Sept. 10, 2016 Photo: Reuters

David Ignatius, Washington Post: What does Russia think about all this? ‘Washington has gone crazy.’

When Russian officials and analysts here talk about the U.S. investigation of their alleged hacking of the 2016 campaign, two themes predominate: They’re flattered that their country is seen as such a powerful threat, and they’re amazed that the United States is so preoccupied with the scandal.

This is the official line, to be sure, but it was also expressed by several critics of the regime I interviewed this week. People can’t quite believe the sudden reversal of fortunes: Russia is back as a global force, after decades of humiliation. And the United States, so long the dominant superpower, is now divided, disoriented and, to Russian eyes, in retreat.

For the Kremlin version, here’s how Sergey Karaganov, the head of Russia’s Council on Foreign and Defense Policy, describes his reaction to the investigation: “It’s a mixture of disgust and sympathy. Disgust because 99 percent of that is lies or a concoction, maybe 100 percent. As for sympathy, it’s a desperate picture when a great democracy is killing itself, committing collective suicide.”

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WNU editor: David Ignatius ignores a few points to make his case that Russia thinks that "Washington" has gone crazy .... like mentioning that Russians favoured Trump over Clinton but not explaining why. This is why .... Hillary Clinton Compares Russian President Putin And Russia To Hitler And The Nazis (March 5, 2014). Nor does he mentioned what Russian President Putin himself said two days ago on what was his take on why was Russia being targeted in the political debates in Washington .... his answer .... Democrat politics and their refusal to accept the idea that Trump won the election legitimately .... Russian President Putin: U.S. Election Meddling Charge A ‘Fiction’ By Defeated Democrats (May 31, 2017). Nope .... David Ignatius has to push his own narrative on what he thinks the view from Russia is .... and to cherry pick what he likes to make his case .... like quoting some Russian foreign policy analyst who compares President Trump to former Russian President Boris Yeltsin. Yup .... you have to throw in Boris Yeltsin. But the problem with this narrative is when it comes to people like me who are familiar on who and what Boris Yeltsin was .... and who can say this confidence .... President Trump is a lot of things but he is definitely no Boris Yeltsin. But like I said in the beginning .... David Ignatius has his own narrative to push .... about how Russians see themselves, and how they see the  U.S.. .... and he quotes those parts that supports his case.

On a side note .... I can also say this without hesitation. The view in Moscow is that it is the U.S. press that has gone insane .... Russia's Foreign Minister Trolls The U.S. (May 19, 2017). More here .... The Kremlin Voices Concerns Over The Future Of US Mainstream Media (May 11, 2017).