The foreign adventures of Russia in the U.S. and in Europe, with varying degrees of success, have all illustrated a cardinal thrust of Russia's policy: the desire to influence the politics of democratic countries and prevent the expansion of Western influence.  In June 2017, in one of his last publications, Senator John McCain warned of the Russian threat and called on Congress to send a message to President Vladimir Putin that America will stand strong in defense of U.S. democracy.  More specifically, on September 17, 2018, U.S. secretary of defense James Mattis warned, as did leaders of NATO countries, while he was in Skopje, capital of Macedonia, that Russian efforts, money, and influence were trying to prevent the success of the referendum in that country on September 30, 2018. Politics in the Balkans resembles the behavior and style of the great Hollywood films noirs, reflecting internal instability and threats from outside forces, with an ominous...(Read Full Article)