"How to Think About Putin’s Russia” - Christopher Caldwell

Christopher Caldwell is Senior Editor at the Weekly Standard.
Mr. Caldwell's lecture is part of Hillsdale College's National Leadership Seminar.
Watch more from this NLS at www.hillsdale.edu/live/educat...
Hillsdale College National Leadership Seminars are held in various locations across the country two to three times each year and address issues of politics, economics, and culture.
The first program was held in Colorado Springs, Colorado, in 1982 with about 200 business, education, and community leaders in attendance. Since then, more than 30,000 individuals have attended the programs.
The messages of these conferences have reached millions of Americans through Hillsdale’s national speech digest, Imprimis, as well as through coverage by media outlets including Newsweek, the Wall Street Journal, C-SPAN, and National Public Radio.
Learn more about Hillsdale College at www.hillsdale.edu/

[@jumpingjflash]

I'd love an update on this lecture, now 3 years later

[@patriciakimball8150]

I, too, would love an update (4 years later and after the G7 Summit at which Biden was ridiculous and Putin was a star in an hour-long+ interview).

[@africkinamerican]

now 5 years. Since seeing this printed in Imprimis way back then, it seems that it put the kibosh on ANY THING, even the slightest syllable, of good about Russia.

[@chicagocuesports200]

Right now as Putin's military are illegaly invading Ukraine might be a good time?

[@pas1prod563]

AT LAST! A lecture about Russia geopolitics and modern history that sticks to facts, reason, understanding of the different points of view, that without condoning, gives a somewhat realistic sense of what is on the other side, without the usual need to virtue signal and vilainize issues like most of media today. Thank you M. Caldwell, very interesting

[@Noitartst]

This is amoral! If you're gonna call Bush a bully over the Iraq invasion, then you'd blame better call and treat Putin similar, if you truly value international rule of law. Perversely, Iraq seems to have actually legitimized Putin, and that's disturbing. Also, as a conservative, I cannot see why other "conservatives" would like him.

[@RobBCactive]

Claiming Putin intervened against ISIS is ridiculously counter factual, they bombed and destroyed cities that rebelled against Assad. Propping up Assad was the goal.

[@RobBCactive]

@@Noitartst Invading Iraq and not finding WMDs was a strategic disaster. The forces between Gulf Sunni Arabs and Shia, give both a propaganda interest in using populist propaganda. Gulf oil money funded the Wahabbi sect following Taliban, so the Afghan invasion and empowerment of the Shia in Iraq mean an unholy trinity all have common interest in blaming all ills to the USA.

[@Noitartst]

@@RobBCactive WHy did finding or not finding WMDs a "strategic" disaster? THe left said it was, but they don't actually care and even defend and support strategic disaster all the time, in Syria, Vietnam, and Afghanistan, where the forces we supported in the end got routed. As for Iraq, our government we installed never collapsed like that Looking WMDs was the technical reason we were there, but not finding them doesn ot automatically mean that the Bush administration lied. If people used the "it's complicated" narrative to justify disastrous non-action in Syria, why did that same crow use the overly simplistic "Bush lied and people died" In Iraq? I am a waronger in protest of the anti-war movement and narrative's double standard, and demand they hold themselves to the exact same standard that they held the Bush administration.

[@RobBCactive]

@@Noitartst Because Saddam not having them meant there was no upside to invading, just the downsides. No urgency, weapons inspectors and diplomacy were appropriate. It diverted and delegitimatised the seld defence police action against Al Qaeda.

[@EphesianRose]

Putin does not advocate for communism but he maintains that Lenin’s open tomb remain on display in Red Square and that the communists had good intentions. He also calls Stalin ‘complex’ and an ‘effective manager’ and has so revamped Stalin’s image in the education system that many Russians today view him favorably. Preferring him even to Putin.

[@patriciakimball8150]

Superb presentation and discussion, and it was great to see Peter Robinson there

[@waynesprojects]

Thanks Hillsdale! And Christopher Caldwell for sharing truth

[@highpriority4015]

How cant people under stand the real meaning of the "greatest catastrophe"...our country was destroyed, economy collapsed, families got apart, five wars started in Abkhazia, Moldavia, Nagorniy Karabakh, Osetia, Chechnya.Wasn't that a catastrophe?

[@africkinamerican]

plus, Western hubris and NATO expansion

[@patriciakimball8150]

Sovereignty and self determination. Yes.

[@Herm.M.]

Nothing new, but a good neutral view on the events. Greetings from Germany

[@jollyroger7102]

Sorry, I don’t agree about “neutral”. Why does Caldwell refer to the Putin “regime”, yet any American government is always called an “administration”? Then he says Russia is a “corrupt” country. Okay, perhaps it is but he should remember how corrupt the U S is. (The best government money can buy!) Putin is an ex KJB agent. What about Geo. H. W. Bush, an ex CIA boss? He twisted Putin’s statement about “ The Greatest Tragedy”. Putin has explained exactly what he meant, yet it’s ignored or twisted. To me, Caldwell comes across as just another American brainwashed jerk, albeit not the worst example by a long chalk, lecturing to an audience of like minded brainwashed people. Russia is said by Americans to be America’s greatest “enemy.” Russia refers to America as “partners”. The rest of the world thinks America is the greatest threat to world peace, not Russia.

[@OldRight]

@@jollyroger7102 very interesting.

[@LLlap]

Hello putineversteher! You cool?

[@Herm.M.]

@@jollyroger7102 I think my comment at the time, it was ironic in nature. Greetings

[@nuggetoftruth-ericking7489]

Thank you Hillsdale! I truly believe that Putin will be gone soon and just posted a message regarding this issue.

[@lakonmichael1092]

Thanks sir, for deep inside and vast historical knowledge and illustration, so that the US who don't know foreign policy and Russia history, because Americans sees Putin as a tyrant' no, Putin is in the right path or track, thanks sir,

[@t.l.1610]

Huh. Do you still believe this?

[@RobBCactive]

Incorrect he's a strategically incompetent genocidal war criminal who's lied to Russia and done nothing for ordinary Russians.

[@dkudlay]

17:20 if you actually listened to his speech, youd know that he was referring to the people which were left abandoned in breakaway republics.

[@ion-christopherstudio490ac3]

No DATE for this Lecture? No date anywhere. Hillsdale wants you to apply for college instead. That makes sense.

[@tracysparmer7952]

he posting is dated April 2017 right at the top (or if you prefer AOC-speak - the very tippety-top ;)

[@briceogan2129]

@@tracysparmer7952 Actually this was recorded February 15th 2017 according to the Imprimis news letter Hillsdale College puts out.

[@ViktorOstafeychuk]

05:30 Christopher Caldwell: "Putin is the most successful political statesman over time" )))

[@paulblinder5729]

Today he wrote a NYT opinion blaming the United States for creating "ambigous situation" into "Conflageration" This guy is a joke.

[@eleonoraformatoneeszczepan8807]

4:32 min ... 4:58 min ... "evidence connecting ... is circumstantial" ... yet ... "the incidence should not be ignored or downplayed." ... ?

[@africkinamerican]

Ikr..... I had the same issue...

[@DinamoDeet101]

thanks...the same heppen in CROATIA..SERBIA...

[@qwertyuiopzxcvbnm9890]

And I wonder what happened in Ukraine...

[@granskare]

I was in Turkey in the 1950's. I am a Finnish-American guy. - Hi Minna :) in Turkey we spied in the USSR - listing in on their rocketry programs. I did see sputnik 3 at that time.

[@charleslane8602]

41:00 Guy talking is grabbing the microphone girls hand and she looks So uncomfortable

[@zabdas83]

I fair and balanced view of this history!

[@jophoenix3919]

As the Ashkenazim Jews look around This their hatred of Caucasian is a strange thing because their skin is also White!

[@tuck-brainwks-eutent-hidva1098]

This speaker's perspective that Putin's return of Russia to its authentic Orthodox Christian roots is not central to the topic of how to think about him/Russia seems classically emblematic of the understanding gap between the West and the East. We simply do not fully grasp the centrality of faith as a cultural organizing principle in those cultures without an "Enlightenment default." Partial (cognitive-only) understanding is, in fact, endemic to our limiting Enlightenment box; repatriating certain helpful ancient forms of wisdom (without relinquishing the best gifts of modernity) could pave the way toward a deeper understanding of (and coping with!) threats to our national interests in the East. The East has found a way to pick and choose -- both for good and for ill -- from the Enlightenment menu; maintaining our geopolitical and economic stability will pose difficulty as long as we neglect to engage with, and make wise selections from, the panoply of long-established ways of knowing things and being in the world.

[@jamiekloer6534]

I like this comment. We need balance between revelation and rationality. We need both to survive. Can’t destroy either or you will lose balance. I’m an American I don’t understand Russia at all. When I hear Putin speak he makes sense to me. With news today I don’t know what to believe about anything. I want to understand Russia I did not appreciate the attacks on Russia during the elections feel like they are trying to take us back to a time in history that is over.

[@tuck-brainwks-eutent-hidva1098]

@@jamiekloer6534 Balance is key -- human history is longer (a LOT longer) than just 500 years! And the sweep of created Reality is grander than just human experience. The east gets this; the west has amazing tools for structuring and communicating it. I find myself in an interesting position, emerging from life as a Cold War kid/young adult (U.S. military brat) -- with a strong awareness of the perils of Putin! At the same time moving more deeply into the heart of Orthodox Christianity (as a catechumen) and feeling at home there. I find the cognitive map of east and west as opposites to be artificial; I experience them as complementary...?

[@marrion8235]

actually Russia is one of the most atheistic countries in the world and Russian church is basically branch of KGB. the Bible belt of Soviet Union was Ukraine especially Western Ukraine which had more churches than Russia. just look at the AIDS and abortion rates etc there. Russia Orthodoxy is top-down response of KGB mafia against democracy threat to their cleptocracy.

[@africkinamerican]

@@marrion8235 What? KGB? Did you just time travel here from 1955?

[@RobBCactive]

Hardly there's nothing Christian about Putin's manner of running Russia. Ruthless dictatorship and disregard for UN charter and treaties providing peace is emblematic of Putin. Russia's trapped in an authoritarian cycle of absolute personal leadership.

[@miyojewoltsnasonth2159]

17:05 Putin: The fall of the Soviet Union was "the greatest geopolitical catastrophe of the 20th century." Christopher Caldwell: "I believe when he's talking about that, he's talking about the humiliation of Russia and not the return to communism." Exactly. Thank you for being one of the few people who understands that it was the loss of the empiric aspect with Russia at the heart of the Soviet Union, not a desire to return to communism. This shouldn't be difficult to understand, yet nearly 20 years later people are still misunderstanding his obvious intent.

[@DynaCatlovesme]

So you think Putin wanted Gorbachev to succeed? But that was impossible, in retrospect, and Putin didn't help him. Replacing a communist empire with a neo-fascist empire is hardly an admirable aspiration!

[@brankomilicevic6904]

not people, just moron boomers.

[@brankomilicevic6904]

@@DynaCatlovesme feed your cats, this stuff is way over your head, you'll only end up with a migraine.

[@pdd60absorbed12]

Russian romanticists prefer and are subservient to Mother (fucker) Russia. Fair enough....stay poor, drunk, and snitch out your neighbor. Just stay out of Monroe's Doctrine, OK, Ivan?

[@EphesianRose]

1) Have you lived in Russia? I have. You would know then that Putin has revamped Stalin’s image in Russia’s education system and distorted the historical narratives of Soviet terror. Way too many young people know nothing of his purges, vaguely of the Gulag, and what little of the horrors they know or hear about from their grandparents are justified and excused as all having been necessary of the effort to win WWII and modernize Russia. Until these painful and suppressed truths are properly dealt with in their historical memorialization, and Russia learns and comes to terms its PTSD, the country will fail to move forward in a meaningful way. Period.

[@lukelewkowicz2233]

Country that feels itself robed, humiliated and bled is a country of its' own creation especially in case of Russia. There is no other place on this planet that has absolutely everything under its' feet as in case of Russia. It has reached an absolute dissarray by lacking a purpose of its' own existance. Ideology embraced milenia ago did not take root as some sharlatans hope for. For too many years yoke of subserviance to mongol empire left the character frame on its' population. All too often subsequent governing bodies relied on power of fear. The desperation on both sides of the devide is all is espessially visible on account of todays' advances in effective spread of information. Interernet at hand for anyone in possesion of a cell phone makes " what you see is what it is" all rocognisable. No wonder to politicians everywhere phony news came as a blessing. Reaching backward at every opportunity in order to sustain status quo to simply hold to power at any cost. It would of benefit to all that the fashist an comunism is at all purpose the same with one fundumental diference first as exclusive to one nation whreas the second one was for export. Boths seek all too apparent hegemony over the world. Swastika vs hummer and sicle. Russia becoming victorious stiil likes to implore a full credit for what would be a lie. The drums of war still echo in russians heads when a near centurry passed from the time of undoubty worst calamity that befallen on human kind. Would there be milions trying to enter Europe if millions did not perish due to politics of hate?. Seventy milions of casualties would be conservative in number of over an additional one hundred million today.

[@johnfranklin1955]

Looting if Russian Resources?? See Bill Browder!!

[@ajisenramen888]

John Franklin he is lying low at the moment.

[@jollyroger7102]

@@ajisenramen888 well he is a lowlife.

[@alexhayden2303]

Not what we're used to?

[@michaelvainer3350]

Gray zone of lawlessness !

[@elenailyina436]

The very best explanation of Russian politics under Putin and people’s support of him, despite wide critics of Putin by many in Russia

[@dw110774]

52.5 mins in, the red-headed lady is completely misinformed about Russian Orthodoxy. Though lacking in passion such as the Western Evangelicals have, its tenets are far more "Christian" and traditional/original than the 45,000+ denominations of Protestant Christianity we find in the West. Sad that she has such an ignorant view. Other than that, I thought this lecture was excellent and "spot on". Thank You, Hillsdale.

[@EphesianRose]

Putin’s personal life from marriage to business to militarism is not exactly what I would call Christian but the epitome of corruption. And Stalin was anti-gay and socially conservative too, it doesn’t justify the horrors of his dictatorship.

[@tuck-brainwks-eutent-hidva1098]

Personal perspective: I am just a catechumen in the Eastern Church (Orthodox, Antiochian "flavor" -- it's all one Body, one faith, not denominational; different parishes are connected to different original/Old World/autocephalous church "clans," if you will -- all one "tribe"), but Veronika is right about the comparative ignorance of most of the West (U.S., at least) re: Orthodoxy. It is the continuation of the Church Christ founded, and more folks who are longing for the life of the early Church are finding out all the time that it still exists! Such a blessing to feel spiritually "at home" after decades of wandering and struggle in different Christian communities of sincere, well-meaning, faithful people (whom I still love!), but where I was out-of-place, and something always felt incomplete....

[@tuck-brainwks-eutent-hidva1098]

Also -- an important focus of the earliest time of the Church was on repentance, and the humility of recognizing that ultimately, we don't know anything about another's repentance, no matter what his sins have been. (As with other key aspects of Orthodox faith, the early practices have been preserved.) Putin (and much more Stalin) have been murderous; so was King David, who was "a man after God's own heart" -- go figure! 🥴 I recently saw an interesting piece on Putin that described his recounting of his baptism (by his devout mother, in secret from his communist father) -- the 20th century may have been complex and confusing in some of the same ways as the first few (A.D.)!

[@ricardosoto5770]

Western Evangelicals are a more or less modern invention.. early christianity was even closer to Orthodoxy than anything else.

[@tuck-brainwks-eutent-hidva1098]

@@ricardosoto5770 Right? 500 years seems like forever when the U.S. is less than half as old, but compared to the 2000 years that the Church has been around... 😏

[@americaswayout4489]

Very good talk, I was reminded of what my own research found about him several years ago. He was actually a hero in 2008 when he rescued South Ossetia from a Georgia that determined to kill off. That was the day John McCain lost my respect.

[@russiauncensored7788]

LMFAO!

[@africkinamerican]

And Saakashvili was sacked, run out of his country for corruption. Ended up as a politician where? UKRAINE, where else?

[@pdd60absorbed12]

Kotkin, Brent, and Satter agree with Caldwell. After all....what's a Russian know about their own Soviet history that wasn't taught to them from a drunk Uncle Igor?

[@christophermwanje8508]

Great lecture! Russia is not an enemy unless you make it one.

[@Noitartst]

I'm sorry, but every president since Bush kept doubling down on sucking up to Putin, and relations still got steadily worse. If he acts like a bully, why isn't Putin a bully again? And all the belligerent things Putin does is ALL our fault? Seems to me that we in the West want Putin to be an ally more than Putin wants to be ours, and Putin apologists can't see it, even to the point of being willing to bear all the sins of the world in Christ-like parody. Oh please.

[@africkinamerican]

They have been spending every waking hour making Russia the enemy.

[@iggykarpov]

Russia is an enemy unless you're a stoolie

[@user-jl9in3hh1s]

Уже решаются проблемы россиян, которые обратились на «Прямую линию» к Владимиру Путину. Разбираться с жалобами людей - чиновники, местные власти, следователи, прокуратура - начали еще до окончания программы. И вот конкретные результаты. В Свердловской области в городе Верхняя Салда уже убрали мусор, который накануне на фотографиях увидела вся страна.

[@cska2001]

И что?! Закусывать надо!

[@iggykarpov]

​@@cska2001Он прав. Ещё 150 тысяч миллионов звонков путлеру от нищих россиян и Россия окажется впереди планеты всей.

[@DinamoDeet101]

Former comunist over night became rudless ,,capitalits,, and stole everything they could

[@bhagwansatenderraghav0330]

Same as India ....indian people's are also known as corrupted , but not rude you can check me

[@americaswayout4489]

Many of the Oligarchs he tried for their corrupt deals were found out to be agents of the Rothschilds ?

[@gibertusalbans1779]

"liberal progressivism" is an oxymoron. authoritarian progressivism fits.

[@isismccain915]

You can not have a 100% socialist economy without having a 100% authoritarian police state to operate it, as most of the folks are not going to want to comply, and will need to be forced to comply. Why don't these instructors at State U teach their students that one reality????

[@DinamoDeet101]

happend

[@bhagwansatenderraghav0330]

I don't know too much about Putin but some of his strategic decisions are really appreciative

[@TheAlubimtsev]

I’m disappointed by this lecture. I watched quite a few lectures by Hillsdale College, particularly regarding the subjects I know little about, for example, Swedish socialism. Since I know more about Russia than the lecturer, I found some plainly wrong statements about Putin, his intentions and the danger he brings to the USA and to the world. It is said by multiple Putin opponents that he is an existential threat to the planet. You can ask Garry Kasparov or Andrey Piontkovsky about it. As a matter of fact, I would recommend Hillsdale College to invite one of them to give a lecture regarding Putin. You would hear more realistic judgement of the criminal Russian regime. Since the view of the lecturer regarding Putin is questionable, I became doubtful of his views regarding other subjects.

[@qwertyuiopzxcvbnm9890]

LOL you are judging the policies of a government by the character of the leader ? Seriously ?

[@TheAlubimtsev]

__ what government? There is no government! There is mafia, criminals, and Putin isn’t a government leader, he is a mafiosi, who took the entire country. You cannot deal with criminals as you deal with governments. Western leaders must deal with Putin as an outlaw.

[@TheAlubimtsev]

__ in dictatorship the leaders such as Hitler, Stalin, and Putin are the ‘governments’, therefore judging their character means judging the policy of the government they represent.

[@qwertyuiopzxcvbnm9890]

@@TheAlubimtsev You are in love with simplicity. There is more than you said: Putin is a collective judgement of players like: The FSB Igor Sechin Kleb Pavlovski Alexei Kudrin Alexandr Dugin Sergei Ivanov Dmitri Medvedev Vladislav Surkov the "Yeltsin Clan" conservative christians. In your language of course they are mafiosi and criminals. Hitler came to power with popular support in a young democracy. There were Generals with the courage to argue with him and were not purged. Not sure about Stalin. He instead purged many of his Generals.

[@TheAlubimtsev]

__ Well, one said “The definition of genius is taking the complex and making it simple.” Of course, nothing is simple, but simplification is necessary. I do understand that there are clans among Putin’s elite. Putin played a role of a mediator. But he gained the power far beyond of being just a mediator. Stalin in 1924 didn’t have as much power as he had it decade later. Putin created National Guards with more than 400,000 servicemen for a reason. After being in power for two decades, you bet, there is no one around Putin, who is not afraid of him. It is as simple as it can be. Hitler or Stalin, or any other dictators, for that matter, they all have similar stories. They gain confidence overtime. I would recommend everyone to stop asking question: “Who is Mr. Putin”. He is a threat to the world! Simple as that! Good luck!

[@KaushikMajumdarKopiteForever]

Hello we have a border with Pakistan and Bangladesh! Referring to Russia and Israel having the only large borders with Islamic countries!! This is why Americans miss so many terrorism alerts as they look at everything in an myopic lense.

[@donaldedwards8180]

Bb

[@donaldedwards8180]

T

[@iggykarpov]

I used to love Hillsdale. I am hugely disappointed after this horror. Putin is the new Hitler, but without charisma.

[@vinzholton]

this is a meeting of KGB officers!

[@bigdramashow9934]

/do not you have got your own challenges down there? Deal all those transgenders in a million row instead if meddling into Putin's Russia! Care less about Russia, do a favor/ the westerners and brits have never benefited to anybody since 1800/ The West has always been eger to see Russia in the state it was back in 1990s. All those university professors diatribe is next to nothing! American democrats better clear up their own mess!!!

[@lh5108]

I am not sure which American President can compare to Putin.

[@adamradziwill]

Цыганский барон, жулик, хам...А тем временем банки Беларуси предлагают Беларусам кредиты на продукты питания под 24% ......

[@manatee2500]

David Satter is worth listening to, not this guy.

[@EphesianRose]

Satter also speaks Russian and has lived there extensively.

[@jollyroger7102]

@@EphesianRose what about Vladimir Posner and Prof. Stephen Cohen?

[@EphesianRose]

Roger G - Hi Roger! I am not familiar with them. I think more important than current events it’s important to examine Russian literature (especially 19th and 20th Century. Still so relevant!) - I highly recommend the lectures of Professor Gary Saul Morson of Northwestern University. Many of which are avail on KZbin. I also recommend books by Belarusian writer and Nobel laureate Svetlana Alexievich. The Amazon series “Chernobyl” was based on her work.)

[@jollyroger7102]

@@EphesianRoseHello Rose, Thanks for your posting. Please find lectures by Posner and Cohen on KZbin. It’s the current situation that interests me most, especially the prevailing attitude of America and The Brits towards Russia. It’s unnecessary and dangerous in imho. I have read a lot of Russian history, visited Russia five times since perestroika and am currently in voluntary lockdown in Russia due to Covid-19. I’ve also spent a lot of time visiting and doing business in the States. The constant blaming of Russia for so many unproven events is sick making. Russians have no wish to fight anyone, or enlarge their already huge country, and just want to live in peace. They know what war is, America has never been invaded or lost 25 million people. The regular belittling of President Putin is insulting to the Russian people and encourages them to see Americans with deserved contempt. The sooner the propaganda from both sides stops the better it will be for the world. Please bear in mind that Russia has not attacked any country in the last 25 years while America and the so-called coalition of the willing have killed hundreds of thousands, if not millions of innocent people in different countries that do not pose any threat to American security. Calling it a war on terror is a convenient excuse for the inability to settle things diplomatically. Sadly, America is seen, by the majority of the world’s population, as the greatest threat to world peace. Israel second by quite away down the threat barometer. Bombing nations to encourage “democracy” is ridiculous, particularly when American failing democracy is so visible right now. PEACE.

[@EphesianRose]

Roger G - Having lived there also. I think Russia has a lot of internal demons to fight, irrespective of the West. And a lot of it has to do with confronting their own history and not laying so much blame on external forces for what holds the country back from truly blossoming into its fullness and potential.

[@TaniaRouserArt]

Part true part lies, which is a more dangerous kind of poison

[@humungushumungus213]

Same old russophobes spewing

[@fkurcik]

He briefly mentioned that Crimea was a Russian territory anyway...I wonder what he meant by that. It almost sounded like he believes that Russian Federation should be free to annex any territory or a country whenever they wish to do so.

[@santibanks]

it sounded to me like he was still explaining the Russian view, not his own opinion.

[@rocscssrs]

It was indeed part of Russia, I believe since at least the 19th century. Officially, control was given to the Ukraine in 1954, when both Russia and Ukraine were part of the Soviet Union. But many ethnic Russians lived there.

[@keemm1]

@rocscssrs Crimea became a part of Russia In 1783 under Catherine the Great.

[@TocTeplv]

Cremea is Russia, was Russia, and will be Russia.

[@luckychops2162]

All of you miss the point of what the west has done. Without Crimea the Ukraine has secured pro western leaders in perpetuity, especially when added to the fact Russia violated their sovereignty. So Russia gained a port and lost their buffer state. At the same time the west was given an excuse to seize Russian assets and put sanctions on the country. Lets just ignore the Saudis being pushed into the Yemeni war at the same time America became a major oil producer themselves. All of this has undermined Russia's economy.

[@dlee732ad]

This guy appears to have a poor understanding of geo-politics. Also, the best treatise on the manufacturing of consent was written by Noel Chomsky.. Walter Lippman and Eddy Benase loved to manufacture consent- it was their job. So where is this Calwell guy coming from anyway......

[@africkinamerican]

You would rather have him manufacturing consent for war on Russia?

[@dlee732ad]

@@africkinamerican ??

[@rstefan250]

This didn't age well

[@joskojansa1235]

How to think? Try wiping your nose, at whats availabe to the right of your talking organ.

[@vwalewv]

Привет если ты русский лайк поставь, буду знать что не один

[@ctcole77]

Сколько украинских детей ты убил сегодня?

[@thusspokezarathustra5179]

I'm not the JUDEO. I'm Christian. There is only one Judeo. And this is Judeo-Bolshevism.

[@patriciakimball8150]

There would be and is now no Christianity without Judaism. And only some small percentage of Jews were Bolshevist; the rich fled, the religious prayed (and many were murdered), the Zionists went to Israel, and some in these groups and others escaped one way or another. What you say is incorrect, pernicious, and hateful. P.S. There would be no United States of America without Judaism either. The founding fathers were all well versed in the Old Testament (the Jewish Bible) and incorporated its teachings into the founding documents.

[@maymac2012]

People say Washington is swamped with Putin money. This guy above seems like to have some that money. He really sounds like a Putin defender. He uses a lot of words like "maybe" "I think" etc. which means he is not sure what he says then he tries to sound like a Putin expert. This is rather absurd

[@TocTeplv]

Do you feel offended, american man?

[@mchristr]

He doesn't at all seem to be defending Putin. Caldwell is attempting to offer a perspective many Westerners won't get from the popular media.

[@zabdas83]

mchristr that's why he is all flustered - he's been told some truth and it's hurting him, and so he must attack said truth! I guess he still gets his news from the lamestream media. . .

[@africkinamerican]

"People say" you're a bigoted ignoramus. See how easy it is to "argue" your way?

[@juniordexter3214]

Propaganda against Russia

[@rocketman475]

Stephen Kotkin understands Russia best. He's Not an apologist for their leadership. Caldwell's view might as well be paid Russian propaganda, if that is not already the case.

[@nataliebrown2658]

BS PROPAGANDA !!! 5 minutes was enough. Big DISLIKE 👎

[@kathrynludrick4821]

I'm a conservative and I certainly do not consider Putin to be a hero!

[@SteveTheFazeman]

Wouldn't pay admission to this simpleton lecture.