ABSTRACT
The aim of promoting democracy in target countries, of strategic interest to the United States, did not strike a chord with the US public, whereas an emphasis on creating US jobs by opening Russian markets did. Russia policy in the second term initially concentrated on further economic progress. Larry Summers and Robert Rubin were pleased with economic progress in Russia and maintained their support for International Monetary Fund and World Bank loans, conditional on increased reform. In the face of congressional opposition and growing anger at the level of corruption revealed in Russia, the administration were forced to retreat from continued assistance. Russian forces committed gross human rights violations in Chechnya and levelled the capital Grozny to the ground. The Russia policy was a demonstration of the presidential framework emphasis on American Exceptionalism, as a pervading ideology. This exceptionalism was implicit in all the administration's dealings with Russia.
