The Germanic and Slavonic nations have been hereditary arch-enemies as from times immemorial. Any thought that they ever could be friends is delusive. This does not mean that they could not live in peace - when they manage to observing a adequate distance from each other. Alas, Germanic nations are imbued with missionary zeal to spread their way of life and their view on society to the world's non-Germanic nations. Periodic clashes are unavoidable. So keep your defenses up!

I had to laugh at your sarcastic comment: "Yes, that’s right; Putin enjoying a shirtless day on the range in Siberia somehow demonstrates Russia’s innate desire to conquer the world." Hmm, well, he WAS kind of cute in that picture. If he IS going to invade other countries, he should take his shirt off and immediately half of the population will capitulate! Or at least start to compare him favorably with their own leaders. I think some of the paranoia in the west is a form of entertainment. We cannot decide if Putin is evil in a sexy way, or sexy in an evil way. To quote Gomez Addams, "either way, what bliss!" Thanks for the chuckle.

I don't see any hostility toward Russia at all. Honestly, Russia is seldom mentioned in our regular news reports. In fact, very seldom is ANY country mentioned, unless we have troops involved with it or they pose a threat to our nation, like Iran or North Korea. Russia is covered about as much as Sweden here. Russia and the United States have more in common and proportionately/historically have always been on the same page. We have no inferiority complex to overcome, but rather the other problem. We are too smug - that is our problem.

The US is in trouble and has been for a long time,a nation living beyond its means can not sustain such excesses for to long.This economic meltdown has been largely caused by greedy US banks and financial institutions.The world will now hopefully divorce itself from the American system of financial adventurism and begin the long slow road of real investment in all of man kind.China will surge ahead but will have to uplift its own people without being able to take advantage of the rest of the world buying its cheaply manufactured goods,manufactured at its own workforces sacrifice and suffering.The fate of the world economy lies in the hands of Europe and its partnership with Russia which has all the resources and the largest scientific community available.Russia has the ability to make bold moves in the new technology that will ensure the viability of this new world economic order.Hopefully Western Europe will embrace what a Russian partnership has to offer and overcome its cold war paranoia ...hopefully....!

Promoting such a dodo as Joe Biden for vice-president is just another indicator of how irretrievable the US's climbing down is. US doesn't need an "external enemy" (Russia, China, or others) for its collapse to be effectuated, for there is a 25 trillion depth that is going to do the job (some say it is really 35 trillion, or even more than that). A Biden's "15 years" term is way too long for US banking sector and US economy to survive, as at the end of the upcoming 15 years there will be only tales that "once, the US was on the top". To all appearances, US will be disintegrated then into a number of independent states, for having a central government in DC which expends uncontrollably tens of trillions is already too much for all American citizens.

Some of the comments made seem regrettable to me. At the very least, counterproductive to international cooperation coming from our leaders. The sentiment, at least in my part of the US, regarding Russia is one of respect and friendship. There are many Russians who are our neighbors and we know the difference between sincerity and political blustering. Unfortunately, plenty of negative sentiment can still be found eminating from the less-educated and more ignorant parts of our country. I imagine every country has similar problems. Overall, I think Russia and the USA have more friends looking back at eachotehr with a positive impression of respect than would have been thought.

The simplest answer to the US's quandary is on the one hand Illuminaty and their Federal Reserve Cassino; and on the other hand New World Order thirst for oil, gas and piplines. The third contender is the health care well of gold which Obama is trying to do something about it. Time will tell if 300 million Americans can unchain themselves from quagmire they have being migration to for over 300 hundred years. In my opinion, it will have to take the bigest revolution the world has ever seen.

An interesting thread runs through RT articles and comments which accurately mirrors Russia’s own self-perceptions. The Communist Revolution was financed by foreigners. The Molotov-Ribbentrop Pact was justified because of what Britain did. The invasion and occupation of the Baltics was financed by Swedes. And any unflattering present-day comments about Russia come because America has an inferiority complex. It is always, always someone else’s fault. Russia itself has never done any evil, thought any evil or planned any evil. It has never veered from the path of shining altruism, never misled, never lied, never failed, certainly never murdered, never oppressed and never occupied, and never expects to. So please, everyone, just get off Russia’s case. Praise it if you must, but anything else is unwarranted. It is definitely not deserving of any criticism, whether from sufferers of inferiority complexes or anyone else. It is Russia.

Just one small point.... It isn't that the media is 'hiding' the war -- the typical American's attention span is *very* short. As a nation, they are generally ignorant of the rest of the world and proud of that. That's not too surprising, actually, when you consider that for 50 years everything revolved around what America did or said. They simply didn't need to know anything else to be successful. Even now, with the rise of other countries' economic power, they still see things through that same filter -- with their economic situation as a proxy for the world's economy. But that isn't going to hold true this time around, I think.

@Marzipan6 I consider your diligent historical tracking and your right to judge the facts along with other commentators. In the end all of this work is not more than an unwarranted symmetry. But the point misses with the conclusion “It is Russia”. My perception is – it remained Russia. Not pretending to be a part of anyone’s grandeur – very subjectively, I must admit: what an achievement!

I think this boy-writer is able to see more than it's intended to say from America. Some journalists that write informing about Cuba at Novosti's www.rian.ru - Spanish version - refer about Cuba as the "Island of Liberty," this expression used just for a single report, and without a real motive, makes me think about how involved could get a journalist working for this Russian state's informative agency, which by the way, is linked to this informative services. I invite you to read some of the Opinion Articles that came from Latin America published at that Spanish version website to get into the "spirit" - use the translator if you'r not able to understand Spanish. I think the best way to stay free from blemish is acting clear - sending the right signal - so no missleading could be on stage. Regarding the boy-writer of the article, clik over his name and take a look at his photo - he looks inmature - I wonder how he managed to get a job as a Editorial Staff. His article is not good enough to be published. In Spanish -No me parece que el artículo llegue en valor al rango de ser publicado en estas páginas; me parece inmaduramente probocador, pues no es capaz de articular del todo justamente sus razonamientos. Si este periodista especializado en Opinión - tanto editorial, como de otro tipo - escribe de la misma manera todos sus artículos, le recomiendo a RussiaToday. com que trate de conseguirse otro periodista más capacitado para representar la seriedad y el profesionalismo, que desea alcanzar a travez de estas páginas. En las palabras y espíritu del Presidente de Rusia, se expresa el deseo unificante de cooperación entre los pueblos y naciones del mundo, y artículos como este, a la verdad que no aportan nada en ese espíritu. Por favor, traten de estar a la altura, madurez y seriedad de vuestro máximo representante - el Presidente de la Federación Rusa - por vuestro propio bien os lo digo, pues están asiendo quedar mal a él y a Rusia.

The only Americans still thinking about Cold War Russia are pundits born before 1960. This includes Biden, and the managing editors of many newspapers, but almost no one else. Their voices are loud, but not representative. And more of them are retiring every year. Your other comments are generally accurate: America's financial decline and its causes; its confused relationship with the word "socialism;" its ill-considered military adventures and consequent loss of trust and respect. All true.

@Bob: I'd say that's about right. The only news source I know of that constantly publishes on Russia is The Economist, which is British. I would say having troops in a country, though, is not the only precondition for us to be obsessed with it: three examples are Mexico, Venezuela, and Iran. @koutstaal: Thank you for racializing the conversation. It clearly had room to degenerate, and you have helped put us on that path.

Orwell pegged it 60 years ago. Elites need to keep a war going somewhere in order to prevent a general rise in living conditions which would make them irrelevant.

Usa is form on stolen land after genocide on natives wish live there 50000 years.Usa policy was always in line with Anglo-Saxon nature-their toalet rubish is worth much more then any human!In their "divide a rule" policy-finger is always point at wrong direction.English alone commit genocide unseen in human history-total wipe out of natives and stole 30% of the world land mass-Usa,Canada,Australia,New Zeland-A" coalition of the willing"today!A blood brothers in crimes-a hiden state,with united policy on world stage-in order to keep stolen property and not to be held in account for commited genocide! Usa ambasador 1937 to Germany said:We will copy your sistem-we like the way how you organize things.It will fit our state perfect"Done or not -Grand-grand father of last president Bush support nazis in Usa at that time.They drop 2 nuclear bombs for experiment on Japan.From 1945 Usa make 72 intervention and kill 23-27 million people with fake excuses on foreign soil.They fake moon landing,Rachak masacre in Kosovo,WMD,9/11-more than1000 evidence!By attacking Russia-they try divide Europe in their hiden Anglo-Saxon policy hiden in NATO.Russia is moral state wich Usa will never be!A dream state for you...EU plus Russia will happend in future-you can not stop that-UK is your trojan horse in Europe?!With Balcans and Georgia wars they try to make Europe to commit suisside! Their main press is form, or on the pay-direct from Pentagon or other states ag.-never- was free and democratic.Honest-0%...Even in kids movie we see their nazi flag!90%of people in Usa are brainwashed-always"best,bigger,higher,Most this and that-a joke!I admit they are no.1 terrorist and mafia state wich ever was form on planet till now-a genocide DNA state! How do you sleep after so many millions innorcent people you burn,kill or burry alive? Well??

USA is far from being perfect, however, nobody is being jailed here just for voicing an opposition to our government or certain officials. In Russia people are beaten, arrested and jailed within minutes when some make an "illegal demonstration", or allow an honest opinion about Russian authorities Remember countless journalists KILLED for their opposition to the Kremlin resume, war in Chechnia, etc. A few lost jobs and were prosecuted for writing about tragic accident in giant Saino-Shushenskaya power station. America's "inferiority"??? Just look like Russia trys very hard to bully Ukraine, Moldova, Georgia, and years before Baltic States, Poland, etc. Russian people are great, however many want their harbored inferiority complex to be replaced with dreams of "great Russia". Because of arrogance and rudeness of so called Russian Big Brother not many from Russian neighbours, want to experience Russian model of "democracy". By being and acting arrogant Russia does not have many friends. China? Sure, with the last one Russians should prepare to defend its 1/6 of the world with 150-100 millions population, not to waste time talking about disintegration of the US. Many respected Russian analists never lived in America, and know a little about the country. Idiots who wear general stars and making career. Russia cover bombed Chechen capital a few years ago, and that also was an act of genocide, and much bigger than provoked war in Georgia. Some history? In 1939 USSR Spetsnaz shoot at their own border guards to start a war with Finland. Can a small country really attack a giant? Russia has strong culture, but its government as well as people often act in uncivilized way, thus Russians should stay where they are, don't interfere with their neighboring countries. When we, the people of this world, can better use new green energy both Russia and the U.S. should work on welfare of their own citizens.

To Rikard Baric: Russia is such a contradiction. It is a beautiful soulful country of many, many lovely people. Russian science is first-rate, its music is spine-tingling, its literature is profound, its ballet is magic, its cusine is delightful. The world would be such a poorer place if there had been no Russia. And at the same time, the world is such a poorer place precisely because there is a Russia. So much suffering caused, so much tragedy unleashed, so much healing made impossible to happen because of Russia’s point-blank refusal to look at realities in the face and acknowledge them. Imagine all the millions of innocent people killed outright, and all the many millions of others whose lives were distorted and twisted right out of shape because of Russia chasing its hopeless messianic ideology. Imagine how many brilliant scientists, musicians, writers, there might have been amongst Russians and their neighbours, but never were because Russia killed them, and through them, all their descendants. Or damaged them beyond healing. Imagine how many millions of more ordinary people, living ordinary, fulfilled lives, and adding their own special part to the tapestry of humanity. Or, even with the damage of the past having happened, imagine how much healing and recovery there still could have been in Russia and amongst its neighbours, but has not been able to happen, because of Russia’s ongoing actions and policies. Yes, Rikard, Russia is - and remains - Russia. A reason both for much celebration, and much mourning.

@Marzipan6 Appreciate you remained with us!

to Marzipan6--you seem to be a fixture attached to these pages as if by virtue of your job description. Besides that, let' say the following. Russia had and has no monopoly on suffering or denials. Russia, as you rightly noted, is a soulful country, which cannot be said equally of other powers such as the US unless one mistakes the soul for an ego on stereoids. Moreover, Russia a s soulful nation has been undertaken a truly astounding soul-searching. The stance of the U.S. is very antithetical to such a soul-searching--its party line is: "the US is the greatest nation on earth--regardless of what it does, has doing, or is doing or because of that"--and the U.S. should never apologize for anything it has done whether unleashing death squads throughout Latin America or invading other countries through wars of choice as Obama himself put it in his Cairo speech. Unlike the US, the Russians are not beating themselves into their chest; the Russians have freed themselves a while ago from the hubris of "nation-building" or making and unmaking other nations at will while ignoring these nations' character, history, and their own souls. Russia shows that, while knowing something of the soul, it does also recognize and understand realities.