What Putin Is More Worried About

On Friday, Oct. 2, Christopher Murphy, the junior senator from Connecticut, tried to reenergize the now 4-year-old discredited Trump/Russia collusion hoax by claiming that, since Donald Trump was down with the coronavirus, his surrogate, Vladimir Putin would have to increase his pro-Trump interference activities. With Robert Mueller having uncovered, in three years of investigation, exactly zero evidence of any collusion between Trump and Putin and having seen Trump treat Putin/ Russia in far less than favorable manner, the whole idea of Putin viewing Trump as the man to support seems ludicrous on its face.

A more thorough examination of the world, however, may lead to a different conclusion. Putin may be a thug and a merciless player when it comes to consolidating his own dictatorial powers. But he is also pro-Russia and is a clear-eyed pragmatist when it comes to protecting his nation. Putin looks at the United States as a long-term rival but not a direct threat to Russian territory or sovereignty. China, on the other hand, is both. Anyone paying attention to world events can see China trying to establish hegemony worldwide militarily, economically and culturally. Having this increasingly more powerful enemy in the south is Putin’s major strategic worry.

The only person in the world at the present time who is trying and, perhaps, succeeding in making a dent in China’s expansion is Donald Trump. The feckless Joe Biden, whose son has received payments from the Chinese Communist Party, which places Biden in the CCP’s pocket, has no desire let alone ability to engage in the same way. From this consideration Putin would naturally prefer Trump. So should we.

Does this mean that Putin is Trump’s surrogate as Murphy claims? Hardly! That charge is still ridiculous.

John Weaver Valencia