A plausible hypothesis for anti-Russia hysteria.

One of several:

It is a difficult situation for the Russian government. The Russians mistakenly believed that the demise of the Soviet Union made us all friends. It seems only Gorbachev understands that the Soviet collapse removed all constraint on Washington’s hegemonic behavior. Few in Russia seem to understand that the enormous budget and power of the US military/security complex, about which President Eisenhower, warned in 1961, needs an enemy for its justification, and that the Soviet collapse had removed the enemy. The very minute that Russia stood up for its national interest, Washington filled the desperately needed category of “The Enemy” with Putin’s Russia.

That's one theory. I've also seen it argued that some Jewish émigrés from Russia have a particular animus toward Russia. I also think that Russians' coming to the aid of Syria was distressing to the Israeli government which I believe wants civil turmoil in or the dismemberment of Syria and others of its neighbors. Russia is also aligned with Iran which Israel views as its number one threat.

There are no a few who also argue that it's all about gas pipelines and the "monstrous" nature of the Assad "regime." As a commenter elsewhere on the web observed, once your government is referred to a the ____ "regime" you know that international law no longer applies to you.

Readers are welcome to suggest other reasons for our bizarre hostility to Russia. Paul Hill in my post immediately preceding this one touches on the U.S. interventions around the world. Neil Clark has a more comprehensive list. In light of this history it's a bit much to hear the anti-Russia zealots go on about Russian "intervention" and "expansionism."

"Washington Pushes Harder Against Russia." By Paul Craig Roberts, Information Clearing House, 8/1/17.