@stephenjudkins @crookedfootball I'd say that national norms and traditions are fairer to critique outside of the context of a bitter, criminal conflict likely to promote motivated reasoning. For all one might want to say about Russian chauvinism and imperialism—and yes, there is a vast trove!—how able are you to distinguish it from British or French antecedents, or US manifest destiny? What is more likely of the exercise, to inform or reinforce convenient views? 1/

@stephenjudkins @crookedfootball That said, I think it is perfectly fair and useful to point out the ways that *actual protagonists* of the war revert to ugly cultural antecedents. Putin openly invokes "great" conquerors of the past as points of comparison with his exercise. I think it far to tar *him* as elevating and succumbing to the worst parts of Russia's cultural legacy. But I don't think now is a time when we can make fair evaluations of "Russian culture". /fin