Book interview: Russia Upside Down is a radical view from a former CIA recruit

Author Joe Weisberg claims that ending US sanctions against Russia could be a useful step to reduce tensions. Picture: Rich Fury/Getty Images
MOST western authors writing about contemporary Russian politics tend to present a narrative that doesn’t try to hide its obvious ideological bias. Typically, it’s pro-Washington and anti-Kremlin.
This western-centric story stresses how Russia’s patriotic-aggressive brand of social conservatism fits perfectly with a political mantra that, under current president Vladimir Putin, follows three dominant themes — prestige, power, and pride. However, does the headline-grabbing image of Putin as a deceitful Machiavellian murderous political cynic, devoid of any credibility, really stand up?