ISIS trumps Russian threat
Terrorism remains superior threat amidst other diplomatic tensions abroad
When a disease is not fully treated, it can resurface with the same intensity, perhaps with even more intensity than its previous appearance. History provides many instances of this happening figuratively, and many Americans believe this is occurring today in the form of Russia.
Tense — Diplomatic dealings have been rough between President Barack Obama and President Vladimir Putin. Google Images
According to a Gallup pole shown in an article from The Week, 18 percent of Americans surveyed say that Russia is the United States’ greatest enemy. This is compared to only 3 percent of Americans in 2011. Russia even topped Iraq — at 9 percent — in 2015.
This is mostly due to Russia’s recent acts of aggression toward Ukraine and its annexation of a Ukrainian province, Crimea, last year, according to the BBC. These issues appear to be the kindling for a fire that could spark a new Cold War between the United States and Russia.
Ever since 1991, when Communism and the Cold War ended in Russia, a reemergence of the Cold War loomed on the horizon but has only fully shown itself in recent years.
Despite the U.S. having a military budget more than seven times that of Russia, Americans fear the return of a war between two vastly different political ideologies.
Yet, Russia has done nothing blatant to America to spark this fear. Russia has neither taken Americans hostage nor committed acts of terror against our nation. Russia may have a large army and may also have plans the West is unaware of, but it is only one country against many.
At this point in time, Americans have bigger issues with which to be concerned. America is currently at war against terrorism, a radical ideology dedicated to seeing the destruction of the West and Israel.
The number of Islamic nations desiring to eradicate America pose a much greater threat than Russia does. ISIS is openly courting war with America and the West. Other terrorist-related issues in places such as Palestine and Nigeria also pose potential threats to America. Additionally, the U.S. faces several non-Islamic international issues, including the Communist nation of North Korea with its cyber hackers.
Domestically, America is also facing economic issues such as unemployment and growing national debt — issues much more likely to impact Americans at a personal level. In the Gallup poll, 2 percent of Americans said they believed the United States itself was its own deadliest enemy.
All of this is not to say that President Barack Obama should sit by and watch idly while Russian President Vladimir Putin bullies Ukraine and potentially other Eastern European nations, sucking them into a neo-Communist vacuum. The U.S. should do something more than just giving Russia another sanction.
However, right now, Americans have larger issues to worry about. Russia left unchecked would be less dangerous than an unchecked and uncontrolled ISIS.
DEPIERO is an opinion writer.