Too many on the American political Right are suffering from the delusion that President Vladimir Putin’s Russia is a land of traditional Christian values and honorable patriotism. A former enemy, yes, but not a nation that holds any true contemporary hostility toward America. They assume that most disputes between the United States and Russia could be resolved by greater U.S. deference to legitimate Russian foreign policy interests. They believe that existing disputes can then give way to a successful American effort to draw Russia out of China‘s orbit.

If only these delusions were true. Unfortunately, the mistaken nature of this misunderstanding is made apparent by Russia’s conduct daily.