The End of an Empire

The Russian Federation, accused by everyone of unwillingness to cooperate with the “progressive global community” in the fight against international terrorism, recently tried to send a delegation to the United States. A delegation even led, not by the minister of foreign affairs, but by the prime minister, the second-highest ranking member of the government. A delegation meant to discuss issues of cooperation and joining forces in our shared holy work …

The United States of America, the leader in the fight against international terrorism, a persistent critic of Russia’s reluctance to cooperate with the “progressive global community” in the holy work of a sacred fight, refused to meet the Russian representatives. It also refused to send its own representatives to Moscow.

With this simple act, Vladimir Putin spoiled the plans of the free world to finish with international terrorism once and for all.

Up to this point, there had been an entertaining exchange of opinions. The U.S. accused the Russian Federation of launching strikes against “moderate terrorists.” In response, the Russian Federation announced that it has yet to figure out the difference between regular terrorists and “moderate” ones. The Federation added that if the United States is willing to share its information on Syria revealing actual Islamic State targets, then of course the Russian Federation will happily rush to our dear partners’ aid. However, for some reason, our partners have yet to share their information.

Thus, Russia has once again thrown a wrench into the process of uniting global efforts in the fight against international terrorism.

Seriously, though, the current state of global politics only evokes a sad smile. Listening to yet another secretary of state, I can’t even bring myself to make jokes anymore. The great empire, which so recently won the title of global hegemon and universal recognition as the world’s No. 1 superpower, is collapsing before our eyes.

The Americans’ geopolitical struggle with Moscow over the past few years is ending with the Russians’ brilliant operation in Syria, the thunder of “Sizzler” missiles changing the entire global geopolitical landscape and a powerful Russian military base in the Near East.

How have the Americans responded?

Just yesterday, the No. 1 superpower showed itself to be completely helpless to do anything against its unexpectedly resurgent old rival. “You’re not bombing the right terrorists, but we won’t give you the coordinates of the right targets!” “You don’t want to cooperate with the global community, so we won’t receive your delegation on issues of cooperation!”

Absolute power and uncontested leadership have played a cruel trick on the U.S. by becoming completely ineffective. After losing the Soviet Union as a rival in 1991, the Americans’ growing power in foreign affairs was matched by the rapid decline of its governmental structures. All enemies had been defeated. There was nothing to fear.

What followed was a quarter century of rapid decline, in which insincerity and hypocrisy became the governing principle of international relations. Deceit was elevated to a moral absolute. Those who disagreed were simply ignored while America wiped its feet with decency and common sense and trampled the fates of entire continents.

The United States has continued the fight against the Islamic State group for an entire year within the bounds of the very “international coalition” it created. Thousands of air strikes and missile attacks have been launched against terrorists’ positions. The result? I honestly can’t recall a single video of these strikes. Russia, on the other hand, had only to begin its attacks before the entire Internet exploded for two weeks, with all manner of recordings showing the concrete results of our operations.

Moscow’s trump card isn’t our modern army. It isn’t our efficient and well-thought-out foreign policy. It isn’t Putin’s colossal ratings at home and abroad. Our trump card is the United States of America, which is doing the lion’s share of the work for us in discrediting itself.

People simply don’t believe them anymore. They don’t trust them either. Before, that didn’t mean anything and there were no consequences. People understood 10 years ago that Washington had little interest in the state of democracy around the world, and was much more concerned about its own interests. However, 10 years ago there was no other choice.

Now, everything is different. Now, on the one hand, the planet sees a power completely transformed into a hopeless liar. They don’t even want to listen anymore; they’re sick of the demagoguery, paid for in revolutions and wars by other countries. On the other hand, the whole world is looking at Russia. Although it’s a mystery, at least it doesn’t wave around dubious test tubes in the United Nations.

We don’t need to go to any great lengths in this geopolitical skirmish. We just need to be ourselves. The Americans will do the rest for us.