Category Archives: In the United States
Ukraine: Cool the Rhetoric; Focus on the Outcome
In his interview with Thomas Friedman published on August 9, President Obama gave a convincing explanation of why the United States could not create an effective government in Iraq: “We cannot do for them what they are unwilling to do … Continue reading
Stupid Stuff: Hillary Clinton on Syria
Former Secretary of State Clinton remarked in her interview with Jeffrey Goldberg of The Atlantic that President Obama’s admonition not to do stupid stuff “is not an organizing principle.” Quite true. But then, the opinion she expressed regarding Obama’s early … Continue reading
USSR 1987-91: An Empire Self-Destructs
There seems to be a prevailing opinion in Russia and elsewhere that the Soviet Union broke up under the pressures of the Cold War. Wrong! The Cold War ended before the USSR fell apart. There also seems to be a … Continue reading
Johanna Granville on Poker with Putin
Dr. Johanna Granville, a professor at the American University of Bulgaria, who has conducted extensive research in Ukraine, has written a thoughtful policy paper (“The Folly of Playing High-Stakes Poker with Putin”) that identifies some of the dangers that can … Continue reading
РАСШИРЕНИЕ НАТО: А БЫЛО ЛИ ОБЕЩАНИЕ?
Pavel Palazhchenko kindly translated an article I wrote for Комсомольская правда, but which was published in a garbled and, in places, inaccurate translation. I am much obliged to him for making clear to the Russian reader what I wrote.
Why Putin Should Thank Obama
Igor Oleynik, CEO of International Business Publications in Washington, DC, has sent me a spoof letter from Putin to Obama. Like most satire, it is over the top in some of its points, but it does illustrate the obvious fact … Continue reading
Iran: Time to Give Diplomacy a New Try
The recent effort in the House of Representatives to intensify sanctions on Iran is the wrong policy at the wrong time. American Congressmen should keep their attention on negotiating a budget that the president will sign and that will support … Continue reading
Stay Out of Syria!
This is the title of an article by David Bromwich to appear in the June 20 issue of The New York Review of Books. It is the best summary I have seen of the reasons President Obama should resist pressure … Continue reading
U.S.-Russian Juvenilia
A student at the University of Virginia asked my opinion of the Magnitsky Act and the Russian counter actions. I gave a reply in the discussion of Reagan and Gorbachev but will repeat what I wrote and elaborate on it … Continue reading
Did We Really Win in Iraq?
The general opinion seems to be, “Yes. We removed a vicious dictator!” However, it is difficult to argue that removing that dictator, who was no threat to the United States, was worth the cost of lives and treasure when the … Continue reading