Trump can forge a US-Russia alliance on basis of Christian
conservative values
Donald Trump could easily turn the tables on his
anti-Russian opponents if he'd galvanize his Christian conservative base. It
may be his only chance for long-term political survival.
The war in Syria is often described as a holy war waged by
Salafist Jihadists who want to impose a dark and frankly blasphemous version of
Sunni Islam on the wider community of moderate Sunni’s, Shia Muslims, including
Alawites, Christians, and secularists. But in spite of the declared Islamism of
the opponents of President Assad’s secular, tolerant government, the war is all
about power, resources, and money.
It is why the tyrannical states of the Gulf such as Saudi
Arabia and Qatar are happy to fund the terrorist groups occupying parts of
Syria. It is colonialism justified by an un-Godly version of Islam. No one,
least of all true Muslims, should buy into the lie. The Islamic State is
frankly neither Islamic nor a state.
By contrast, in America, there is a holy war transpiring and
it is not a recent phenomenon, but under Donald Trump, it has taken on a new,
internationalized character.
Many people underestimate the importance of religion in the
political alignments of a vast number of Americans. This is especially true
among registered Republicans and independent conservatives who often consult
the Bible rather than a newspaper before going to the polls.
I can already hear the laughs of those in New York, San
Francisco and Los Angeles who feel their atheism, agnosticism or hedonism makes
them superior to the God fearing Christians of middle America. But this is no
laughing matter for those who take world affairs seriously and it shouldn’t be
a laughing matter for anyone who would rather see Trump in the White House than
a Hillary clone.
Religion, a theme which tends to disproportionally dominate
US elections vis-à-vis neighboring Canada and European states with similar
living standards, was surprisingly absent in the Presidential election of 2016.
This was largely due to the fact that Donald Trump, whilst a
Christian, grew up in the multi-religious melting pot of New York. However, he
promised that he would defend Christianity in America and his inaugural address
was the most religiously orientated speech of his political life. His support
among Christian voters surprised many skeptics.
How does this relate to Russia ?
The Democrats, neo-con Republicans (think McCain and
Graham), members of Trump’s team including Vice President Pence and elements of
the military industrial complex are gung-ho for conflict with Russia. The lies
told about Russia’s geopolitical actions are often totally ludicrous. The
extent to which these bodies will go to prevent a more sensible US policy
towards Russia from taking shape is wide reaching. Michael Flynn was the first
political casualty of the Russophobic deep state’s war against Trump.
However, at a more grassroots level, many on the American
liberal left are openly critical of Russia’s cultural conservatism and
Christianity is an essential part of Russian culture.
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| Moscow’s Cathedral of Christ the Saviour. The 'Vatican' of Russia ? |
One needn’t be reminded of how many on the American left
rushed to the defense of the sick young women who called themselves ‘Pussy
Riot’ who conducted an insulting act of blasphemy inside Moscow’s Cathedral of
Christ the Saviour, one of the most important holy sites in Russia and indeed
in Orthodox Christianity.
- See inside the cathedral, in 360° with choir
If such an event took place in a church in America’s
so-called Bible belt, the conclusion of such an incident may have been far
different. It could have been much more violent.
Over the last hundred years, America’s Christians have
become far more ecumenical. Previous divides between Catholic and Protestant
and to some extent the Orthodox minority, have gradually transformed into a
politically and culturally united front against the forces of post-modern
ultra-liberalism who advocate the distribution of obscene materials, who try to
censor the public celebrations of Christian feasts and whom often treat
religious people with open disdain.
Many such American Christians know little of modern Russia
and care even less, but a growing number who are curious, have found that Russia
serves as an inspiration as Russia is a place where one can live as a
conservative Christian without rejecting the modern world and its positive
attributes and amenities.
Russia is an example of a successful, modern, wealthy,
powerful, conservative Christian country that many US Republicans and
independent conservatives would like America to be.
And this is where Trump could use a Trump card if only his
advisers developed an imagination and learned a thing or two about history and
geopolitics.
The same Democrats and leftist mainstream media who attack
Russia, also attack the US Bible Belt. What’s more is that their visceral
hatred of Russia is often derived directly from a hatred of conservatism and of
religion.
Those who also want the US to scale back from aggressive
posturing against Iran or China have not got this particular trump card as Iran
is an Islamic Republic and China is a communist/atheist country. But modern
Russia is neither. Russia is an increasingly Christian country and a moderately
but unmistakably conservative one.
Were Donald Trump to communicate to his supporters that the
anti-Russian brigades in Washington are the same people who deliver a
vociferously anti-Christian message towards ordinary Americans, he would go a
very long way in taking the wind out of the sails of the anti-Russian
hysterics.
If he does this, the burden of proof will be instantly
shifted from Trump to his opponents. Rather than having to either defend or
backtrack on his desire to foster better relations with Russia, the
ultra-liberals at CNN, New York Times and the Democratic Party would have to
demonstrate why provoking a Christian, conservative superpower is in the
interests of conservative Americans.
Such an argument would be virtually impossible to win unless
one lies as Russia has no desire to cause America an iota of harm. Russia
frankly threatens no one except the extremist terrorists that it is fighting
alongside the Syrian government, a government which incidentally is widely
supported by Syria’s besieged Christian minority.
The neo-cons would become irrelevant to some and suspicious
to others should Trump make this appeal.
One needn’t be religious to understand the importance of
this argument. It is an argument in the service of peace, more than anything
else and what’s more, unlike the fake news merchants, it relies on factual
realities rather than the alternative facts of those living in a parallel
universe.
This
is the key to Trump’s political survival and also the key to avoiding
confrontation between nuclear superpowers. par Adam Garrie, Source
LINK :
Russia limits freedom of religion. (.fr)
Trump, message to Catholics (.en, .fr)
