US media and politicians set Russians against Americans

Most Russians consider the current state of affairs in the relations with the United States of America strained. The index has reached its peak since 2001. According to a recent opinion poll conducted by Levada Center, 45 percent of Russians agree that the US-Russian relations have been extremely intense recently. Twenty-nine percent of the polled said that the relations between the United States and Russia are hostile. This is considerably lower than in September 2014, when 39 percent of the polled declared hostility in the relations. At the same time, the index is higher in comparison with March of the same year (12 percent). 

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Only four percent of the polled said that the relations between Russian and the USA were normal. One percent described them as "good," and less than one percent said that the current relations between the two countries were "friendly."

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As for Russia's relations with the European Union, 42 percent of the polled said that they were strained too. According to 32 percent of respondents, they are "cool", whereas 12 percent described them as hostile. Seven percent of the polled said that the relations with the European Union were normal, whereas two percent believe that they are friendly. 

The participants of the poll were also offered to answer the question whether they considered the Western variant of democracy acceptable for Russia. Forty-six percent of the polled said that the  Western style of democracy was destructive for Russia. Thirty-six percent believe that it suits Russia, but requires considerable changes associated with peculiarities of the Russians reality. Every tenth respondent said that Western democracy was required for the development of Russia. 

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Two-thirds of respondents stated that the largest countries of the West - the USA, Germany, Great Britain and others - were Russia's adversaries that tend to solve their problems at Russia's expense and cause damage to Russia's national interests every time they can. 

Only seven percent said that the largest countries of the West were Russia's partners that share common interests with our country, such as the struggle against terrorism and ecological disasters, development of science, culture and economy, Pravda.Ru reports with reference to Interfax. 

According to 71 percent of respondents, the USA plays a negative role in the modern world. Only four percent think of the opposite, and three percent said that the role of the USA in the world was neutral. Nineteen percent of respondents pointed out that the role of the United States was sometimes negative and sometimes positive. 

The poll was conducted on October 2-5 among 1600 people in 134 settlements of 46 regions of the Russian Federation. 

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Some may explain the above anti-American sentiments in Russia with anti-American propaganda in the Russian media. However, one does not need any propaganda to set the majority of Russians against the United States. They can only listen to US President Barack Obama, who puts Russia next to ISIL on the list of global threats. They can also listen to Pentagon chief Ashton Carter, who promised that Russia would suffer losses in Syria in the near future. Politicians of lower rank are eager to put Russia in place only if they had such an opportunity at hand. In addition, Western media explode in comments about the Russian Buk missile system that shot down the Malaysian Boeing. In general, Western officials and media outlets are the best source of propaganda that makes most Russians despise America. 

Anton Kulikov 

Pravda.Ru

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