Different Software.

Recall Vladislav Surkov's excellent piece on Russia being lonely and half-blooded nation couple of years ago. I think, this article was one of the most important geopolitical statement of the 21st century, so far. Akin to  Mackinder's The Geographical Pivot of History. Let's recall some Surkov's conclusions. 

Despite outward appearance of a similarity between Russian and European cultural models, they have different software and ports. These models cannot constitute a common system. Today, when this ancient suspicion turned into the obvious fact, new suggestions are beginning to be heard—why don't we rush to the other side, to Asia, to Orient. No, this is not necessary and here is why—Russia has been there already....   Our cultural and geopolitical affiliation is reminiscent of a wandering identity of a human born into the mixed wedlock.This human is a relative to everyone but is not dear to anyone either. He is his own among strangers, a stranger among his own. He understands everyone but is not understood by anyone. Half-blooded, metis, a very strange one. Russia is a Western-Eastern half-blooded country. With her two-headed statehood, hybrid mentality, intercontinental territory, bi-polar history, she, as it is predetermined for half-blooded, is charismatic, talented, beautiful and lonely.  

The discussion on Russia's civilizational affinity never stopped for centuries, but new emerging facts confirm Surkov's, albeit not his alone, his is just laid out in the best style, diagnosis being absolutely correct. I know it is not fair to many non-Russian speakers of this blog to post here yesterday's discussion on Solovyov's Show precisely on this matter because it is in Russian and I am not sure when Russia Insight will close caption this piece in English (hopefully) but Karen Shahnazarov's thoughts are important, even if I do not agree with them completely. 

The point is simple, new amendment to Russia's Constitution, which proclaims priority of Russian Laws over International Law is one among several indicators of Russia settling in her, desired by the overwhelming majority of Russians, "loneliness". But Karen, interestingly, arrives to a conclusion to which I arrived long time ago--China is not the main concern or enemy to the United States, it is Russia which is. I write about this for years. Karen also makes this important point--the United States is in the full departure mode, especially militarily, which determines the rest of it, but American "elites" are very slow in accepting this fact and many still reside in their "exceptionalist" bubble, not understanding that they are nothing more than an entertainment for those who, like viewers outside cages in the zoo, remain outside this bubble. Of course, the analogy of a violent patient in the psychiatric ward placed in the padded room while being observed through the small window in the door will be more apt at describing the situation, but it still has to account for a still very significant danger such a patient, if not restrained, represents for himself and those around him. 

So, what's the balance, so to speak, or the hand, using card games' term, Russia is dealt. What many in the West overlooked (not surprisingly), is the fact that the new Cold War finally ignited in the realm of essences: metaphysics and history. Putin's public rise, unprecedented throughout his term at the helm of Russia, in defense of Soviet/Russian WWII history and the role Soviet Union and the Red Army played in stopping Nazi evil created a stir, to put it mildly. And here is the deal: Poland and her version of WW II "history" (supplemented with Ukrainian "take" on it) which is gladly being disseminated in the West was shut down abruptly and in the most dramatic fashion. But Poland, let alone Ukraine, are merely America's lap dogs, granted with large and influential diasporas in the United States and Canada, such as one of their representatives from Canada, a granddaughter of Nazi collaborator, Canada's Foreign Minister Chrystia Freeland, not to mention Ukrainian American "hero" Lt.Colonel Vindman, who turned out to be one of the key figures (together with his brother) in the Ukrainegate affair having committed no less than a state treason. Now get this--this kind of people are not exceptions, they are the rule in the Western in general, and American in particular, "elites". They, quoting Mike Pompeo's definition of their MO (not just CIA's), will "lie, cheat, steal". This is what they do, this is how they live, they hate Russian guts by definition, because  world history unfolded in the last 80 years not to their liking. 

Historic Russia defeated combined West in 1945, it is also the WW II which spurred the United States' rise from the ashes of the two (not just one) Great Depressions to emerge as a superpower amidst the world which laid in ruins by the end of the WWII. The only thing which stood in the way of the United States' rule over the whole world was Soviet Union, today it is Russia. Russia's emergence of the superpower is also rooted in the WW II, but the path to superpowerdom was opposite to that of the United States--it was through enormous sacrifice while bearing the brunt of the war. This CAN NOT stand for the American "elites", because this removes the key component of the American mythology and, with it, a key tenet of the Western version of 20 and 21st centuries' history, in the worlds of Fukuyama, the end of it, with West sitting on top of the world. Thus, the history of WW II, a crucible of modern world, MUST be rewritten and it is being rewritten non-stop. But it is also for the first time in 30 years when Russia, at the highest political level, said that she had enough. It was Soviet/Russian collectivism which stopped Hitler's combined Western hordes, not  liberal democracy which took the credit for that immense historic achievement. It was not Soviet Union which unleashed that war. Combined West was. This is what at the root of West's hostility to Russia. This is this metaphysical never-ending chicken-and-egg problem in relation to the modern world. And that is why Russia will always remain the enemy for the West. Because she beat it many times before, China, incidentally, didn't.

Putin declared the creation of the, opened to general public, on-line archive of the WW II. Finally! Better late than never. It is an enormously significant effort which, hopefully, will send many Western "military historians" packing and their academic "careers" in falsification destroyed, which they fully deserve. Putin, of course, knows that his call for what amounts to new Yalta Conference will be sabotaged by the West, as were calls of Maxim Litvinov (and Stalin) for Collective Security 85 years before. But he still calls:

“I am convinced that it is high time for a serious and direct discussion about the basic principles of a stable world order and the most acute problems that humanity is facing. It is necessary to show political will, wisdom and courage. The time demands an awareness of our shared responsibility and real actions.”

In the world of post-truth and non-stop media manipulation such calls matter, even if for the sake of the principle that forms must be obeyed. The 75th Anniversary of the Victory is coming. I can only imagine what will be the scale of festivities and remembrance in Russia. If 2015 celebration is any indication--it will be huge. Important still, however, will be the list, no doubt impressive, of luminaries who will attend Parade on the Red Square and the March of Immortal Regiment. Invitations have been issued already. Emmanuel Macron and French Delegation will be present, so will be Serbia's leadership with Serbian troops participating in the parade. India's leadership will attend too, among others. United States was invited, including troops for the march at the Red Square. Trump expressed desire to attend. It is only proper to see British and American troops marching there. Putin understands the immense symbolism and importance of such an event. Many in Washington and London do too. The point will be not just to go back in time when British Empire, United States and USSR were allies but also to stake out the historic truth for which, it seems, for the first time in 30 years Russia began a truly serious fight.

It was Tolstoy through Pierre in War and Piece who conveyed this idea:

and then my idea is so clear and simple. You see, I don't say that we ought to oppose this and that. We may be mistaken. What I say is: 'Join hands, you who love the right, and let there be but one banner- that of active virtue.' 

Russia is trying that, for all her flaws and failures, therein grows a new social model, and that model represents clear and present danger for the modern combined West because it is THE alternative to a chaos and withering--the only future modern liberalism can offer. Russia understands that she will always be alone, outside any meaningful alliances, but recent events inside Russia speak clearly that for the first time in many years Russia introduces a very strong moral element to her foreign policy and will defend it with everything she has got. Active virtue is what draws people around the world towards Russia. This is not an empty bluster, already in 2020, RT (formerly known as Russia Today) hit an immense 10 billion views, putting it way ahead of any MSM in the US and UK. As jack Nicholson once famously said: