Armstrong Williams op-ed: America will have to deal with Putin’s Russia long after Trump leaves office

This latest storyline between yet another senior administration official and Russia is a bit unsettling. And the attorney general’s decision to recuse himself from this matter moving forward is a signal that he is taking this seriously. Optics are important, and I give Jeff Sessions credit for stepping up responsibly on this issue.

Aside from the vitriolic banter we hear from the left lately, Russia and our geopolitical status with them are important items we cannot underestimate. As I write this, I feel the term “underestimate” is one we will use often in dealing with Mother Russia moving throughout the Trump presidency.

Here’s why: President Trump has repeatedly expressed a desire for a détente of sorts with Russian President Vladimir Putin, arguing that a good relationship with Russia is a good thing for America. But as I see the situation unfolding in these recent months, we are borderline naive if we believe that a partnership with Putin will yield lasting benefits for anyone other than Putin.

Two things to keep in mind: First, I’m not convinced that Putin is a “strong leader,” as President Trump has called him, but rather a paranoid dictator. Strong leaders remain in power by defeating their rivals in open and fair elections; paranoid dictators remain in power by jailing their opponents.

Putin’s sky-high popularity ratings shouldn’t be taken too seriously in a country where citizens are jailed for critical Twitter posts. While strong leaders want their entire country to rise, paranoid dictators are obsessed with keeping their own grip on power, and a friend with one singular, selfish goal is not likely to be a friend you can trust — especially when that goal is achieved at the direct expense of America’s stability.

Which brings us to another inconvenient truth: To stay in power, Putin seeks to create chaos outside his borders in order to prevent chaos within them.

The challenge for Russia’s leaders since Soviet times has been to convince their citizens that Russia’s way of life is superior to the West. But Russians today can see for themselves that Americans live with greater freedom, wealth and opportunity than they do. Putin’s job is to highlight — and in some cases, even create — problems facing open, democratic societies, such as the refugee crisis in Europe, ongoing bloodshed in Syria, and the chaos surrounding President Trump’s election.

With thousands of Americans marching in the streets in January, Russia looks united and stable in comparison. Putin’s next election is only one year away, and we can bet that he will be anxious to continue making Western leaders look weak so that he can appear strong.

And don’t get me started on Crimea and Ukraine. What’s troubling is these issues remain the backdrop for the current theater of domestic politics here at home. We can’t afford these distractions when the times call for deft diplomatic relations with a very powerful country that, until only a few decades ago, was considered the enemy.

Putin has been playing this game far longer than President Trump, and he is exceptionally masterful at playing a weak hand. His rule over Russia is likely to extend well past Trump’s presidency. The State Department and our allies also understand this. We cannot afford to underestimate a force and a nation led by such a seemingly volatile ruler.

Armstrong Williams served as an advisor and spokesman for Dr. Ben Carson’s presidential campaign. He is Manager and Sole Owner of Howard Stirk Holdings I & II Broadcast Television Stations and the 2016 Multicultural Media Broadcast Owner of the year. Listen to Mr. Williams on Sirius XM126 Urban View nightly 6:00-8:00pm EST. Follow him on Twitter @arightside.

The views of contributors are their own and not the views of The Hill.