“What provokes Lieven to such harsh criticism is his conviction that Russian liberals who insist that U.S. policy toward Russia must include a moral commitment to freedom are aiding ‘liberal interventionists and neocons’ with their dangerous agendas. He also believes they are giving Western journalists a skewed view of Russia and its people. The Russian liberals may be overly optimistic about their countrymen’s support for democratic values. But how realistic are the ‘realists?’ The Hart-Hagel report is chock-full of meaningless platitudes: recognize Russia’s ‘legitimate interests’ in ex-Soviet territories but without allowing Russian dominance; remind Russian leaders of their commitments on human rights ‘while respecting Russia’s sovereignty, history, and traditions and recognizing that Russian society will evolve at its own pace.’” (07/01/09)