So you put putin power and empire above US freedom, that of our allies and all other nations wanting to be free of his influence and the Russian empire he aspires to build? It’s odd how much goodwill he got from losing his career as a KGB Colonel with the collapse of communism and his embrace of Russian chauvinism.
It depends on what you mean by “power and empire”. I have no objection to Russia being involved in Afghanistan in the same way that so many other countries already are. I do object if they do something that threatens our interests. There is a huge range of acceptable Russian actions in that window, and I have seen no sign that they are outside that range.