When the Russian leadership decided to annex the Crimea, it hardly was conceived on possible ways of retreat. Thought about something else: how to swallow the peninsula soon, so nobody had time to recover. The calculation was that, if the complete operation quickly and without blood, the West pošumit a little and stop. And will not make noise. But calculation turned out to be incorrect. The West is not calmed down and did not calm down for many more years. Most likely, he will not rest until the current Russian regime remains in power. Russia did not take into account one important factor is signing the agreement concerning the adoption of the two new members of the Federation, she signed and application for participation in the tender. The tender for the title of the main world villain. And the Russian application was so powerful that all possible competitors immediately left.
September 11, 2001 year, America has a new mighty enemy-Islamic terrorist organization Al-Qaeda. Within days, if not hours, it became the main enemy is not only the United States but also the entire Western world.
Not to say that it was the new enemy — United States have long fought terrorists in General and with Al-Qaeda in particular. In 1998, the Organization had undermined the u.s. embassies in Kenya and Tanzania, killing 225 people and injuring more than 4000. In 2000, blasted the American destroyer. And the United States met with Al-Qaeda in 1993, when for the first time tried to topple the World Trade Center using a van packed with explosives. Then it failed, as a result of the attack, six people were killed.
But before 2001 year Al Qaeda was just one of the many enemies of America, far from being the most significant. Actually, the really significant opponent United States have not been nearly 10 with superfluous years, since the failure of the GKCHP coup and the subsequent collapse of the Soviet Union. Two planes crashing into the towers of the World Trade Center, completed this peaceful period.
As sad as it may sound, but people need an enemy. Just psychologically. Enemy structures life, making it narrative helps to gather and mobilize. Allows you to satisfactorily explain the woes and troubles. Finally, serves as the target for release of negative emotions. When an external enemy is not visible, people find it in yourself (laziness, nesobrannost′, spineless) or in the supernatural (machinations of the devil, evil eye and spoilage, bad Feng Shui). It might seem that the presence of the enemy makes life worse, but actually all exactly the opposite — a good enemy gives confidence. Much calmer knowing what ills you must someone or something specific to what they called a coincidence. With the enemy (including myself) can and must be fought, and before the game the fate of man is defenseless.
Not all enemies are equally useful. The most useful is the enemy of the General, as opposed to not only you, but also around your environment. Common enemy helps unite people, to overcome differences and conflicts, find a compromise and make common cause. Before the common threat of strife have become a luxury, and cooperation is imperative. Common enemy unites people in the community and the States in unions.
In the year 2001 so the main enemy for the Western world became Al-Qaida with Osama bin-Laden is headed. Or, increasingly, terrorism, the war which George Bush declared October 7, 2001.
For the powers that be terrorism there are two very important advantages. First, an enemy cannot be localized and isolated. He is everywhere, you can impact wait anywhere. This is well justified restriction of civil freedoms: speech, Assembly, privacy. And the restriction of freedoms — the natural desire of any group in power, because it allows you to enhance and strengthen this regime. Secondly, in the war against terrorism could not be defeated. Therefore it can be endlessly. That is, indefinitely to maintain emergency restrictions on civil liberties.
But in a democratic State, where the authorities really affects people the same virtues and flaws are. What the enemy can be anywhere, in fact deprives its primary function for society. It is very difficult to unite in the face of the enemy, if you cannot understand where the enemy is and how to unite against him. And the fact that the war on terrorism cannot be won, causing people to fatigue and hinders the hunt for something to do. Moreover, while the 1990 's lack of Al Qaeda and was the most powerful enemy of America, compared with its previous enemies-Nazi Germany and the SOVIET UNION — it was very weak. Germany and even more so the USSR could theoretically destroy the United States. Al-Qaeda could not do this, even if she managed to get hold of an atomic bomb.
Terrorism in the role of villain world with each passing year looked less convincing. The benefits of his tenure in this role seemed increasingly negligible, and social costs in the form of an actual repeal of Habeas Corpus, the legalization of eavesdropping and searches without warrants and, most importantly, which began use of anti-terrorism laws against whom horrible became increasingly serious. So when three years ago, the American Navy Seals killed the head of the world's terrorism, Osama bin Laden, terrorism in the eyes of the population of Western countries has ceased to be the number one hazard. Place the enemy turned out to be vacant.
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The main enemy is in any country, but choose it differently. In authoritarian countries like Russia the main enemy as faucets and floor mats in the Kremlin, determines the ruling based on their personal tastes. And then controlled the MEDIA impose this enemy populations. Almost always the enemy — United States. Alternatives are not supposed to.
In democratic countries, the selection process is quite different. This is essentially a tender, in which potential enemies make their bids, and the people — it is the people, not the Government — selects the most compelling. And only when the choice is obvious, the Government establishes its own solutions. Not even the Government, and the Government. This is the Russian leadership could choose their enemy on their own, not looking even if selected himself to be an enemy of Russia. A suspended West, IE countries relating to defensive alliances — the United States, Canada, the EU, Australia, Japan and New Zealand-have to agree on the candidacy of the enemy to each other. It is a long and difficult process, which produces a result only in exceptional cases, when the candidate is so strong that no doubt.
Three years after the death of bin Laden such unambiguous candidacy was not. The main competitor was Iran, although his claim was weak and unconvincing. Despite the nuclear program and repressions against the opposition, Iran essentially have nothing to offer the free world is a serious threat to the United States, Japan or Germany, he could not be, and does not become still lots and lots of years, even if it will develop nuclear weapons. However, there was little choice, other applications — from Syria, Venezuela and North Korea — were entirely helpless.
So at the end of last year it seemed that contract, in the absence of other more or less serious competitor, reluctantly yet will give Iran. Also, the lack, the main enemy of the West since the end of the cold war was Iraq. But Russia entered the tender proposal, from which it is impossible to refuse. Such powerful suggestions the current generation of Western politicians have not yet seen.
Russia has done what no one in Europe has been doing already 70 years — annexed part of another European State. The latter did Stalin in 1940 year by attaching the Baltic States, it is Hitler in 1938 and 1939. After the second world war, despite the wars and conflicts in the Balkans, no European country is neither in Kosovo nor Albania Turkey in Northern Cyprus is not attempted to join someone else's territory. Yes, and in the world for such cases can be counted on the fingers, and almost all such annexation has not been recognized by the world community. The only attempt at annexation after the collapse of the Soviet Union was the seizure of Kuwait. Kuwait quickly repulsed, and Iraq was appointed Chief Global villain, with very unfortunate consequences for themselves.
Application of Russia where stronger application of Iraq, as Russia itself is much stronger. Iraq does not pose a serious threat to anyone except its neighbouring Arab countries. Russia, according to Dmitry Kiselev, can transform America, and along with it and Europe, nuclear dust. Nobody, however, knows exactly whether will soar from its mines, missiles whose service is long gone, so much so that now they may stay and without maintenance. But check it out for yourself no one surely wants. This means that the release of Crimea by force, as Kuwait, the West will not. But then this and that Russia, as the main world evil would be much greater than Iraq. And in this role Russia will be delayed much longer. Because the enemy need all but kill the Russian request, it looks like nobody. Unless China, but he is unlikely to want to do it. At least all the past 25 years, China has stubbornly refused to participate in this contest.
It is often said that the Russian elite is beneficial to conflict with the West and even isolation, because it will strengthen the vertical inside the country and isolate the opposition. The conflict is possible and beneficial, but the role of the main enemy of the free world is not. This role is, of course, very honorable profession, but do not pay for it. On the contrary, it brings its enormous Executive costs. It hinders to conclude contracts, obtain credit, import technology. Not only from Europe and the United States, but also, for example, of those countries that are under u.s. protection,-Japan, South Korea, Taiwan, Israel. It makes spending retirement savings of the population to the manufacture of tanks and planes, but instead of investing in the development of Siberia and the far East to invest in the loyalty of allies in Africa and Latin America.
The USSR such costs in the end destroyed, though on this and it took 45 years. Predict how many will hold on Russia, it is impossible, it is better to not even try. Of course, Russia as the USSR at the time, will the allies — small regional villains, although they will be much less. Of course, Russia like the USSR, will try to maneuver and split the West, but now, after the reunification of Europe, to do this will be much more difficult. Of course, like in Soviet times, some Western politicians, mostly leftists, will call to take into account the interests of Russia and criticize American imperialism — and Russian newspapers will be pleased to quote them. Of course, Obama and Merkel will for some time continue to talk about cooperation with Russia on the issue of Iran. But the overall picture all this won't change. It will cooperate with Iran against Russia, rather than vice versa. Friends of Russia in the West would be considered marginalized and most countries negotiations it will not be as a partner, but as the enemy, that is, at best, to the Armistice.
All the past 10 years, the Russian authorities called the West their main enemy, and the West don't like to believe it. But Russia has found the arguments. Now America with Europe and true look at Russia as an enemy. And abandon this role so easy. It is said that reputation is hard to earn, but it is very easy to lose. It is true, but only about positive reputation. Negative make too easy — Russia had to try up to 10 years. But it, unlike positive, almost impossible to lose.
