The United States has criticised Russia for expanding its military budget dramatically in the past five years. Russia has indeed done so; its emerging status as an oil giant has improved its fortunes and it can now expand its antiquated forces. Russia has justly complained that the U.S. is unfair in its criticisms; U.S. secretary of Defence, Robert Gates, has just approved expanding the Army by 65,000 troops. It is rather hypocritical.

Unfortunately, both countries are mired in Cold War perspectives. The U.S. erroneously views Putin’s former Communist ties and growing domestic power, as well as its continuing alliance with China, as indications that Russia is reverting to its ideological Communist past (which includes threatening the world militarily), and President Bush is determined not to let that happen. Russia, meanwhile, views the U.S. as imperialistic and bent on controlling the world.Neither view is entirely accurate. Russia’s strongest ideological bent at this time is rather natural; it wants to be Russian. The Orthodox Church now has official recognition and even encouragement from the State, precisely the opposite of what occurred under Soviet rule. Capitalism thrives…as long as corporate leaders don’t cross the government. Traditional Russian culture is being fostered by the State. In foreign policy, the most important thing to realise about Russia is that it wishes most of all to be independent and powerful; without any uber ideology driving its actions. The alliance with China serves to keep that expanding giant at bay and secure Russia’s most vulnerable border. Putin has also stated that he plans to step down when his term expires, which will shortly take place.

The U.S., meanwhile, since 911, is interested in the Middle East nearly to the point of neglecting the rest of the planet. Even the military has eclusively focused on technology and tactics for small-scale guerilla fighting (such intense focus has reaped excellent results in Iraq and Afganistan). Russia has pulled a lot of gutsy moves, including claiming most of the Arctic Ocean as Russian territory, since 911, but the U.S. has dismissed such drastic actions with a few condemnations and little else. Meanwhile, any move Russia makes in the Middle East, such as it’s interesting intervention in Iran, garners swift and dramatic U.S. response. The U.S. is actually interested in working with Russia (space exploration is an excellent example), as long as Russia does not threaten its perceived vital interests, and vice versa.

Russia and the U.S. are neither natural enemies nor friends. Suspicion is healthy, but prejudice is not. Russia and the U.S. can work together to limit the power of expanding Great Powers like the European Union and China, while pursuing independent national goals. A strong and independent Russia is in the long-term interests of the United States. Sergey Lavrov, the Russian Foreign Secretary, said something I like: “I would say that like the U.S. is interested in a strong and a democratic Russia that could play its active role internationally, we are also interested that the U.S. should be a strong and democratic partner and country playing an active role internationally.”