Lee Harris turns on the sarcasm in Russia and The End of History:
There was a point in time when geopolitical cynics might have worried that Russia was trying to achieve what used to be called ‘a sphere of influence’ in Iran. These cynics might even have worried that Russia might be deliberately courting and coddling Iran so that Russia could exploit to its own selfish advantage the current division between the West and that oil-rich and militant Muslim nation. Fortunately for us, however, our leadership no longer tolerates such cynics in their midst. Foreign policy in both the United States and in Europe has been purged of all such illiberal skepticism about the sinister motives of others. We all want the same things, don’t we? Therefore, Vladimir Putin must be just as anxious to visualize global peace as any American soccer mom. As we all know, Russia is our friend, and not our enemy. Besides, we are at the End of History. Why would Mr. Putin want to start up history all over again — for example, by insisting that Russia should play a major role on the world’s stage, as it once did, and not so long ago?