Stuck in Cold War mentality Washington regards Russia's activities in the Middle East as a setback for the US. The White House should learn from Russia what the "realist" foreign policy means, CIA veteran Paul Pillar writes.


The deployment of�Russia's strategic bombers and fighter jets at�Hamadan in�Iran has become yet another lesson the US should learn from�Moscow, CIA veteran Paul Pillar stresses, adding that it has nothing to�do with�the ongoing military campaign or Russia's increasing presence in�Syria.


The US is stuck in�a Cold War mindset, "perceiving the world as�divided into�allies and adversaries," Pillar, a non-resident senior fellow of�the Brookings Institution notes in�his recent opinion piece for�The National Interest.

As a result, Washington "limits efforts at�cooperation with�the former, and sees the latter as�fit only for�confrontation, punishment, and isolation," he underscores.
In contrast, the Russian government is "able to�pursue its objectives and interests more fully and freely because it is willing to�do business with�anyone, not limiting itself to�business only with�states it considers allies and not letting old animosities or current differences get in�the way of�diplomatic initiatives and practical cooperation," according to�the CIA veteran.


Commenting on the Russo-Iranian agreement to�bolster military cooperation on�Syria Pillar remarks that Russians and Iranians can't be regarded as "buddies." Likewise, Russians and Turks aren't "buddies" either. But that fact does not prevent the Russian leadership from�building close ties with�both Tehran and Ankara in�the Middle East.


What is more interesting, Moscow is strengthening collaboration with�Turkey and Israel, regardless of�the fact that both countries remain political and economic allies of�the West.
"In practicing such flexible diplomacy, [Russian President Vladimir] Putin is operating in�the realist tradition," Pillar emphasizes.


"In that respect Russia is indeed one-upping the United States," he adds.


As for�Washington, it continues to�pursue what Pillar calls "a non-realist approach." However, according to�the CIA veteran, it is "a poor way to�protect and advance one's interests."

"It means associating too closely with�misadventures of�purported allies (as, for�example, the United States is today in�supporting the bloody Saudi-led military intervention in�Yemen) and missing opportunities to�build on�the parallel interests that invariably exist even with�those states firmly labeled as�adversaries," he elaborates.
�To make matters worse, while looking at�Russia through�the Cold War prism Washington perceives any activity of�Moscow, let alone its gains, in�the Middle East as "a setback for�the United States," the CIA veteran adds.
Thus, unsurprisingly, the Russian Air Force's deployment at�Hamadan airfield has immediately prompted criticism from�the West.According to�the US State Department spokesman Mark Toner, the move "continues to�complicate what is already a very dangerous situation."

"And so our concerns remain very vivid. We're trying to�remain focused on� trying to�get a cessation of�hostilities back in�place in�Syria. And this doesn't help it," Toner said, as�quoted by�Reuters.

Speaking to�Sputnik, Iranian lawyer Amir Hossein Norbakhsh called attention to�the fact that Washington does not give Russia and Iran credit for�their efforts aimed at�fighting Daesh (ISIS/ISIL).

"The United States has turned a blind eye on�how dangerous Daesh and other terrorist groups (some of�which received assistance from�the US) are to�the region and the world. At the same time, Washington does not give credit to�Russia and Iran for�their massive contribution to�tackling the threat that terrorists pose," Norbakhsh told Sputnik, stressing that Russia by�no means violates UN Security Council Resolution 2231.

Both Washington and Moscow are pursuing the very same goal in�the region�� they are trying to�defeat Daesh and al-Qaeda.
"A wiser United States would also think of�Russia itself, which has the label of�adversary firmly affixed to�it, in�realist terms in�which that label would not prevent the United States from�exploring and exploiting areas of�parallel interests," Pillar notes.


By Sputnik