US Opinion and Commentary

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A Hawkish Hillary Clinton Distances Herself From Obama’s Putin Policy

Posted September 10th, 2015 at 4:21 pm (UTC-4)
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During her speech supporting the Iran nuclear deal, Hillary Clinton included a thinly veiled criticism of President Barack Obama’s Russia policy after Russian leader Vladimir Putin boldly annexed Crimea, and then sent support to Russian separatists in eastern Ukraine. Now, Russia says it’s sending military help to Syria to bolster the Assad regime. Clinton said she pressed hard for a tougher line against Putin, and vowed to carry it out if she becomes the next President of the United States.

Why Waiting for Russia to Collapse is Terrible Ukraine Policy

Posted September 1st, 2015 at 2:49 pm (UTC-4)
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In one narrative, the declining economy will galvanize widespread public opposition to the Putin government, as hundreds of thousands of Russians are set to fall below the poverty line … It seems quite dangerous, however, to base policy towards Russia on assumptions of a forthcoming economic disaster.

Force 2025 and Beyond: How the Army is Preparing for Its Future

Posted July 31st, 2015 at 2:21 pm (UTC-4)
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Global instability, coupled with the reduction in military capabilities of many of our allies, has emboldened potential adversaries and magnified the risk to U.S. interests around the world. The Army is meeting this challenge — to change itself and improve land power capabilities — through a strategy called Force 2025 and Beyond.  

Vladimir Putin is Suffocating His Own Nation

Posted July 30th, 2015 at 1:23 pm (UTC-4)
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In the tumult and uncertainty that marked Russia after the Soviet Union imploded … a vital lifeline was extended from the West. The U.S. government, as well as foundations and philanthropies, responded generously … Now, President Vladimir Putin is forcing these organizations out of Russia

Containing and Engaging Russia

Posted July 21st, 2015 at 11:43 am (UTC-4)
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Russia is working hard to weaken the European Union, courting the governments of Hungary and Greece, and funding extremist political parties in France, Bulgaria, Austria, Spain, Italy, Germany, and Belgium…. How to respond? The West needs to sharpen its approach.

Ukraine’s Bumpy Road to Normalcy

Posted June 30th, 2015 at 12:43 pm (UTC-4)
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The appearance of normalcy is both a façade and a coping mechanism. People know full well that times are hard and that soldiers are dying … They know that Vladimir Putin and his proxies are threatening to unleash a devastating war against Ukraine and kill thousands more.

The Next Iranian Revolution

Posted June 26th, 2015 at 9:23 am (UTC-4)
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While American and Saudi oilmen look warily at the prospect of an Iranian renaissance, plenty of others are all but banking on it. Europe, for example, has spent years trying to wean itself off reliance on Russian natural gas.

Riyadh Looks to Moscow

Posted June 18th, 2015 at 11:39 am (UTC-4)
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Prince Muhammad’s visit to Russia will increase speculation that Saudi Arabia’s relationship with the United States is changing.

Poroshenko Makes Putin Look Like a Wimp

Posted June 4th, 2015 at 4:10 pm (UTC-4)
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If Ukraine manages to pull out of the deepest crisis in its history and re-emerge as a functioning democratic country with a liberal economic model, it will do more to undermine Russians’ passive support for Putin than any Western pressure ever could.