Lionel Interviews the Inimitable and Ineffable Peter Lavelle, Host of RT's 'Cross Talk'

This is an absolutely fascinating interview of Peter Lavelle by Lionel Nation. Lionel is a liberal, like me, and it's interesting how Lionel keeps saying, 'but why don't like you like that, I don't get it?' [about liberal values]. Peter Lavelle is a moderate conservative and it's interesting to see things from his perspective.

Peter says how people in Russia are not much into small talk and are often just to the point, but he likes that. That's interesting because we in Britain are known to be too polite while Europeans and Americans tend to be more direct. I have read how Europeans and Americans don't like our politeness and we may even come across to them as lying. For instance, one American man described how in conversation with English people they may say that he should come around for tea some time but the invite never comes. Well, the invite sounds like a nice thing to say at the time but might soon be forgotten, sadly. Anyway, I love small talk and chatting about our lousy weather is a great way to get a conversation going.

Peter also says that women are women and men are men in Russia and there is none of this political correctness. Russians don't slouch, he says, and when women go out they make sure they look nice.

Peter says how Russians are moderate conservatives who don't like the extremes at all, especially after going through communism. He says how they are very anti war and that Americans have no idea what Russians are really like. They are sensible, thoughtful, moderates and they have a really pleasant society with Peter adores. He says how you can't tell the difference between Muslims and the Christians as they all dress the same and live peacefully with each other with lots of intermarriage.

Peter says that as Pussy Riot have no albums out, no gigs, and no jobs, then who's funding them?

Another interesting thing is how Peter is an arch conservative and yet here he praises Russia's 'free' public health care system which he says is top notch and second to none So here's some more common ground with us liberals.