Why Is the United States More Afraid of the Islamic State Than Russia?

In this week’s episode of The E.R., David Rothkopf, David Sanger, Kori Schake, and Yochi Dreazen discuss the looming threat of Russia’s growing influence and whether Western powers — namely, the Obama administration — are doing enough to quash potential problems ahead, opting instead to focus on threats like the Islamic State. The panel discusses why it’s time for the United States to stop painting Putin as a weak and unthreatening presence in the world, as weak countries can actually be the most dangerous.

From Crimea to its involvement in Syria, Russia has been a disruptive actor in the world. This week, The E.R. panel addresses the question of whether Vladimir Putin has more global influence now than he did 8 years ago. Is he a threat to be contained, or is the Russian president causing just enough disruption to get what he wants?

Yochi Dreazen is the managing editor for news at FP and author of The Invisible Front. Follow him on Twitter: @YochiDreazen.

David Sanger is the chief Washington correspondent for the New York Times and is an expert on cybersecurity. Follow him on Twitter: @SangerNYT.

Kori Schake is a research fellow at the Hoover Institution, where she focuses on military history. She is also a former foreign-policy advisor to Sen. John McCain. Follow her on Twitter: @KoriSchake.

David Rothkopf is the CEO and editor of the FP Group. Follow him on Twitter: @djrothkopf.

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