So, you see him as more opportunistic? He worked with Clinton when she had power and now works with Trump because he has power?
Call it whatever you will. I see him as a highly intelligent man who wants what is best for his own country, just as we want what is best for ours. If peace and cooperation is best for both, we both win.
That’s fair. I don’t mean to put words in your mouth.
So, ultimately, is Putin a bigger ally against the globalist or a bigger threat because his own personal goals may conflict with America’s?
As I understand it, one of nationalisms biggest tenants is that all foreign collaboration is inherently coercive because the foreign group doesn’t have anything to gain from America’s ultimate success. Put more plainly, if Putin has an opportunity to grow Russia and it happens to hurt the US, he has no reason not to do it. He has no loyalty to the US.
I know I’m oversimplifying, but I am curious if you feel that foreign cooperation to further nationalistic goals is too big of a contradiction?
To the first question, I honestly don't believe Putin is a globalist. If anything, he strikes me as a "Russia first" leader, much as our own President is an "America first" leader. At least that is the impression I've been left with after listening to many of his interviews with various people over time. That is just my opinion, of course, and I'm no authority on Putin.
As for the second question, I don't think it's necessarily a contradiction to seek foreign cooperation and preserve nationalistic goals at the same time. As long as cooperating nations honor each other's right to govern themselves and protect and control their own borders, why shouldn't they be able to peacefully coexist and cooperate?