This is quoted from a friend who I called attention to the extreme anti-American bias on Pravda.
"Well considering pravda is the voice of the russians it isn't much of a reach to understand them putting the US in the worst possible light, they tend to be more open about it I think, than we are. That is one thing that bugs me about the current state of communications, I see very little direct communication, always a dance around the facts and hazy correct information on the periphery of the conversation."
Yes, if someone does attempt some direct conversation between governments like that, they are accused by the American extremists (conservatives) as being in league with them. Horrors! You don't want to try to establish rapport, that is forbidden, not kosher, anti-American. At least anti-conservative.
Before I leave that one, the hypocritical liberals are no better.
I have a little concern over what my friend said in the quotation. Simply think about the low-brain politicians and how they throw harpoons around, very often not really knowing in depth what they are talking about, because they have not been at the ground level with the people they are throwing harpoons at. It's the age old thing of running off to the opposite end of the playing field and being competitive opponents. Competition pretty well wipes out compassion, empathy, and genuine understanding, in general.
The latter mentality is why I used the title I put on this post.
I will probably come back to this post with a valid discussion of the great benefits of establishing rapport, building bridges, even though it should not involve compromise of values. When people establish friendships, they come closer to agreeing or at least not initiating hostile action. (Leave Putin out of this dialog; I would not trust him regardless.)
Caveat: Friendship does not always guarantee avoidance of hostile action. A great many Jews were betrayed and murdered by friends.
