Cold War Illusions

When Maidan happened under U.S. supervision, I realized that it would lead to war because, growing up in the U.S., I understood the mentality of the American political establishment. Strangely, the Russians appeared surprised and continued to expect some normalcy from the West. The Americans fund the Zelensky regime, pay all the civil servants in Ukraine, and run the war. Yet, Russia hopes to edge the Americans out of the game before a world war is ignited. What Russia might not get is that there is nothing to trust with the Americans or the West.Yesterday, in fact, The Duran spoke about that illusion. The older generation in Moscow clearly remembers the summits of the Cold War when each side respected and feared the other. But the world is dealing with a West that doesn't respect its own citizens and can't get rid of their own rulers, no matter how low the ratings. Think of Britain, France, and Germany. What agreement for peace could Russia trust when the West shows no honor, has no shame, and has no care about their own citizenships?The palpable degradation in services and infrastructure as well as shopping and public places can be seen in the West. Every time we visited the U.S., the dumpier the country looked. Meanwhile, in Russia, the cities and towns are getting updated with massive spending allocated. In traveling up to Tara in the Omsk Oblast, I was amazed at the scenery, the rich open landscapes, and the city sitting on the edge of the taiga. The city itself was seeing all of its parks refitted with new walkways and fountains and, overall, made a good impression.On the American political scene, Trump and the Republicans will likely lose the House & Senate in the midterms, and much that Trump is boasting about will be overturned. And the deep state swamp is absolutely thriving in D.C., especially with the dismantling of DOGE and throwing Musk under the bus. Trump did an about-face, and I would wager that it is connected to Epstein files that will never see the light of day.Any so-called peace agreement will only be a sham, and the sooner Russia owns that fact, the better. Trump said one thing in Alaska to President Putin but then immediately walked it back and included a new set of sanctions against Russia. In short, there is no way to trust the West in any shape, form, idea, or purpose. You don't ask an alligator to sing a concerto or a lizard to bleat like a lamb.