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Green/Voell

Generic: Ideology
Index
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Green/Voell

1. Russian Nationalism

Paul Saunders 10 – Russians are willing to act with the US only under what they see
as the minimum conditions necessary to preserve Russian sovereignty and
independence
Paul J. Saunders, (is executive director of the Nixon Center and served as a political appointee in the State Department
during the George W. Bush administration), “Russian-American Obstacles Overshadow Obama-Medvedev Meeting”,
US News & World Report, June 23, 2010, <accessed June 24, 2010>,
http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2010/06/23/russian-american-obstacles-overshadow-obama-medvedev-
meeting.html?PageNr=2, (ZV)
“More fundamental, however, are differing expectations about Russia's relationship with
the United States and Europe. The global financial crisis and the resulting plunge in
energy prices have renewed interest among many Russians in integration into Western
institutions and deeper U.S.-European-Russian economic ties. But few Russians—except
for those who are politically irrelevant in their own country—are prepared to pursue this
course at any cost. Moscow's policy will be decided by pragmatic and unsentimental
officials who see potential advantages to a Western orientation, but are willing to pursue
it only under what they see as the minimum conditions necessary to preserve Russian
sovereignty and independence.”

Paul Saunders 10 - for Russia truly to join the West and its institutions, Moscow
would demand a voice in defining what the West is and what it does
Paul J. Saunders, (is executive director of the Nixon Center and served as a political appointee in the State Department
during the George W. Bush administration), “Russian-American Obstacles Overshadow Obama-Medvedev Meeting”,
US News & World Report, June 23, 2010, <accessed June 24, 2010>,
http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2010/06/23/russian-american-obstacles-overshadow-obama-medvedev-
meeting.html?PageNr=2, (ZV)
“Russians are proud of their country and determined that it should have a role in great
decisions and in shaping the institutions it joins. This means that for Russia truly to join
the West and its institutions, Moscow would demand a voice in defining what the West is
and what it does. This idea is deeply troubling to many in America and Europe, who are
alarmed by Russia's undemocratic politics and do not yet trust its foreign policy aims.”

Michael McFaul 08 - Russia’s current leaders are going to act based on their
calculations about Russia’s national interests and not as a favor to the United States
Michael McFaul, (the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Professor of Political Science,
and Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law, all at Stanford University. He is also a non-
resident Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.), “U.S.-Russia Relations in the
Aftermath of the Georgia Crisis”, published by Stanford University, September 9, 2008, <accessed June 24, 2010>,
http://iis-db.stanford.edu/pubs/22223/MCFAUL-Testimony-9-9-2008-FINAL.pdf, (ZV)
“For instance, we need Russia to help us on dealing with Iran -- so the argument goes --
so we should not make a big deal about Russian actions in Georgia. This way of thinking
misunderstands both the current Russian government and American national interests. On
Iran or any other issue in U.S-Russian relations today, Russia’s current leaders are going
to act based on their calculations about Russia’s national interests and not as a favor to
the United States. Trying to trade soft statements on Georgia for Russian votes on Iran at
the United Nations Security Council will never work.”

Paul Saunders 10 – US and Russia don’t see eye to eye on important stuff
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Paul J. Saunders, (is executive director of the Nixon Center and served as a political appointee in the State Department
during the George W. Bush administration), “Russian-American Obstacles Overshadow Obama-Medvedev Meeting”,
US News & World Report, June 23, 2010, <accessed June 24, 2010>,
http://politics.usnews.com/opinion/articles/2010/06/23/russian-american-obstacles-overshadow-obama-medvedev-
meeting.html?PageNr=2, (ZV)
“America and Russia are pursuing talks on a joint missile defense, but these discussions
are not new and have long been hampered by disagreements over the nature of the missile
threat; Russia does not view Iran as an immediate danger. U.S. concerns over granting access to its superior
technologies have also been significant. Russia's U.N. vote to support new but weak sanctions on Iran likewise papers
over major differences between American and Russian views and goals. Many Americans see the current
sanctions as the first step in a process leading to stronger sanctions (probably outside the
U.N.) intended to stop Tehran's nuclear program or destabilize its regime. On the
contrary, Russia's main goal is to encourage Iran to participate in new talks and thereby
to delay new sanctions or other action its government sees as destabilizing.”
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2. US Stupidity

CBS News 06 – Rumsfeld (basically): US Sucks a battling ideas

Joel Roberts, (reporter), “Rumsfeld: U.S. Losing War Of Ideas”, CBS News, March 27, 2006, <accessed August 13,
2010>, http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/03/27/terror/main1442811.shtml, (ZV)
“(Secretary of Defense Donald) Rumsfeld made the remark in response to a question from a
member of his audience at the Army War College, where he delivered a speech on the challenges facing the country in
fighting a global war on terrorism. "If I were grading I would say we probably deserve a 'D' or a
'D-plus' as a country as to how well we're doing in the battle of ideas that's taking place in
the world today," he told his questioner. "I'm not going to suggest that it's easy, but we have not found the
formula as a country" for countering the extremists' message.”

Michael McFaul 08 - Given the stakes at play, now is not the time to reduce
American foreign policy to one-line sound bites or bumper sticker phrases
Michael McFaul, (the Peter and Helen Bing Senior Fellow at the Hoover Institution, Professor of Political Science,
and Director of the Center on Democracy, Development, and Rule of Law, all at Stanford University. He is also a non-
resident Senior Associate at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace.), “U.S.-Russia Relations in the
Aftermath of the Georgia Crisis”, published by Stanford University, September 9, 2008, <accessed June 24, 2010>,
http://iis-db.stanford.edu/pubs/22223/MCFAUL-Testimony-9-9-2008-FINAL.pdf, (ZV)
“Given the stakes at play, now is not the time to reduce American foreign policy to one-
line sound bites or bumper sticker phrases. Nor is it a time to conduct business as usual.
Complex new challenges require complex new solutions.”
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3. Ideological Clash

Leon Aron 06 - Thus, the relations between one country and another usually reflect
the regimes’ ideologies—The relations between the United States and Russia today
are no exception
Leon Aron, (a resident scholar and the director of Russian Studies at AEI), “The United States and Russia: Ideologies,
Policies, and Relations”, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Summer 2006, <accessed June 24,
2010>, http://www.aei.org/outlook/24606, (ZV)
“In turn, perception and interpretation of national interests are determined by the ideology
of the regimes, that is, by their leaders’ ideas of how their countries should live and what
they should strive for. Thus, the relations between one country and another usually reflect
the regimes’ ideologies. The latter dictate foreign policy goals and shape the dealings
with other countries depending on the roles they play in the attainment of these
objectives. The relations between the United States and Russia today are no exception. No
cabal, plot, or personal ill-will is to blame for the fact that their ties have deteriorated markedly in the past three years
and are likely to continue to get worse before they improve. Instead, the current state of affairs is the result of each
side’s pursuit of its ideologically determined strategic agendas and of its perceptions of each other’s reaction to the
implementation of these agendas.”

Leon Aron 06 - Formerly coinciding or running in close parallel, the paths have
begun to diverge or even cross and this state of affairs will continue until one or
both sides revise the vision of their nations’ interests
Leon Aron, (a resident scholar and the director of Russian Studies at AEI), “The United States and Russia: Ideologies,
Policies, and Relations”, American Enterprise Institute for Public Policy Research, Summer 2006, <accessed June 24,
2010>, http://www.aei.org/outlook/24606, (ZV)
“Changed sharply since they were discussed in these pages four and a half years ago,[19]
U.S.-Russian relations have followed the trajectories of shifting ideological priorities in
Moscow and Washington. Formerly coinciding or running in close parallel, the paths
began to diverge or even cross. This state of affairs will continue until one or both sides
revise the vision of their nations’ interests. Although a massive confrontation and a
descent into a new Cold War are highly unlikely, the situation is not likely to improve
and may get worse. The ships will not collide. But there will be a great deal of tossing,
rocking, pitching, and seasickness. Don the lifejackets and stay calm.”