Uncovering the West’s Animosity Towards President Putin
In recent years, tensions between Western nations and President Putin’s Russia have escalated dramatically. To truly understand this strained relationship, we must delve into the roots of the conflict, which lie in economic exploitation and resource theft.
The Oligarchic Alliance: A West-Russia Connection
The Oligarchs’ Heist
Under President Yeltsin, the West had aligned itself with the oligarchs who were systematically robbing Russia blind. These individuals were not only stealing Russia’s vast resources but also siphoning away its wealth. Their greed knew no bounds.
The oligarchs had amassed immense fortunes at the expense of the Russian people. They had connections in Western financial institutions, which enabled them to launder money and hide their ill-gotten gains. This cosy relationship between the Western financial elite and Russian oligarchs perpetuated a cycle of corruption and economic injustice.
The Resource Plunder: A Calculated Depletion
A Resource-Rich Nation Betrayed
Russia, an economic powerhouse brimming with resources such as oil, gas, aluminium, nickel, gold, uranium, coal, and rare earth minerals, became a target for exploitation. The West was eager to feast upon this wealth, and they were doing so without remorse.
The relentless extraction and export of these resources to the West were draining Russia’s potential for economic growth. Rather than being used to benefit the Russian people, these resources were enriching foreign interests, exacerbating the wealth gap, and hindering the nation’s development.
Dwindling Investments: The West’s Selfish Agenda
Draining Russia’s Prosperity
The money acquired from selling Russia’s resources was not reinvested within the nation to build infrastructure, create jobs, or establish factories. Instead, it was swiftly funnelled overseas, leaving Russia in dire straits.
The Western powers, driven by a narrow self-interest, failed to acknowledge that a prosperous and stable Russia could benefit the global economy. Their shortsightedness in prioritizing immediate gains over long-term stability played a significant role in souring relations between Russia and the West.
President Putin’s Revelation: Resisting the Oligarchs
Putin’s Bold Intervention
When Vladimir Putin took the helm of Russia, he uncovered the nefarious activities of these oligarchs. They were actively working to undermine Russia’s stability and manipulate its political processes for personal gain. Putin took decisive action to put an end to this treachery.
Putin’s move to curtail the oligarchs’ power was met with resistance from some Western quarters. Those who had profited from this unholy alliance were not pleased with Putin’s actions. However, from Putin’s perspective, it was a necessary step to safeguard Russia’s sovereignty and protect its resources from being plundered further.
Consequences of Intervention: The West’s Grievances
The West’s Losses
Putin’s crackdown on the oligarchs didn’t sit well with the Americans who had benefited from what can only be described as the “Rape Russia train.” These individuals had been profiting immensely from Russia’s misfortune.
Many Western corporations and influential individuals had established lucrative business ties with the oligarchs. Putin’s actions disrupted these cosy arrangements, leading to grievances and a simmering animosity towards him. The economic interests that had flourished under the oligarchs were now at risk, fueling Western hostility.
A Bleak Alternative: Russia’s Fate Without President Putin
The Ukraine Parallel
Without President Putin’s intervention, Russia could have suffered a fate similar to that of Ukraine. Ukraine, once the world’s fifth-best country in terms of natural resources and industrial capability, has been ruthlessly exploited by foreign interests.
The tragic situation in Ukraine serves as a stark reminder of what could have befallen Russia. Its resources, instead of benefiting its own people, would have been siphoned off to enrich foreign powers. The loss of sovereignty and economic devastation would have been catastrophic for Russia.
The Core Issue: Western Hostility Towards Putin
Unmasking the Root Cause
At the heart of the West’s animosity towards Putin lies the refusal to let Russia be raped of its resources and wealth. This fundamental issue is what defines the West’s stance on President Putin.
In essence, the conflict between Russia and the West is a complex interplay of economic interests, power dynamics, and geopolitical rivalries. The West’s disdain for President Putin stems from his efforts to protect Russia’s resources and assert its sovereignty, actions that disrupt the status quo and challenge the vested interests of certain Western elites.
A Closer Look at Yeltsin Years
An Era of Economic Transformation
Amidst the turbulent years following the Soviet Union’s fall, the individuals in question found themselves entangled in a profound economic shift led by President Yeltsin.
The Neoliberal Firesale
These years were defined by them as a neoliberal firesale, a period where it seemed as though Russia was being colonized by foreign capital.
A Bountiful Bounty of Resources
The heart of this colonization lay in Russia’s incredible wealth of valuable assets, particularly its state-owned oil companies, some of the largest in the world. Moreover, Russia boasted a third of the world’s natural gas supply, vast oil reserves ranking among the world’s top two, and an astounding 70% share of the world’s Palladium, among other invaluable resources.
Auctioning Off the Crown Jewels
These priceless state enterprises were, however, far from protected. They were systematically auctioned off in dubious and rigged proceedings, with the unsettling involvement and support of the U.S. Treasury Department.
Oligarchs and Unpaid Acquisitions
Perhaps most shockingly, these assets often landed in the hands of a privileged few oligarchs who, in some instances, didn’t even pay their full dues. Instead, they leveraged their ownership of banks, which conveniently transitioned into Treasury vehicles, to secure these acquisitions.
The Curious Role of Oligarchs and the Treasury
As if that wasn’t perplexing enough, the Treasury’s incapacity to directly distribute funds led to an unusual arrangement where oligarchs served as intermediaries for payments to crucial workers like teachers and doctors. Regrettably, this meant that these essential workers often went unpaid for extended periods.
Austerity Amidst Wealth
The prevailing counsel during this period was persistently centred around the notion that Russia needed to tighten its fiscal belt, even if it meant teachers and workers enduring protracted wage delays.
The Grand Plan: Subordinate and Conquer
This approach was driven by the belief that restructuring the economy along oligarchical lines would eventually create a class of international capitalists aligned with Western interests. The ultimate goal was to integrate them into the Western system, ensuring Russia’s vast natural resources would become little more than an appendage of the Western economy.
A Complex Relationship Defined by Economic Exploitation
In conclusion, the West’s disdain for President Putin is deeply rooted in the history of economic exploitation and resource theft. Understanding these factors is crucial to unravelling the complex relationship between Russia and the Western world. It is a relationship marked by a struggle for control over Russia’s vast wealth and a clash of interests that continues to shape international politics and diplomacy.
