US Opinion and Commentary

“VOA will present the policies of the United States clearly and effectively, and will also present responsible discussion and opinion on these policies.” — VOA Charter

Showing Archived Posts

The Real Risk of Unintended U.S.-Russia Conflict

Posted July 27th, 2016 at 1:43 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

It is only a matter of time before more such dangerous incidents between Russian and U.S. or NATO forces occur. The question then will be how well-equipped both sides are to manage the consequences. Judging by the state of the relationship overall, the answer is not very well at all.

The U.S. Can’t Ignore Russia, or its Increasingly Horrendous Behavior

Posted July 6th, 2016 at 11:26 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The White House and State Department believe the only way to make progress in Syria is to work with Moscow, even if that means setting the isolation effort aside. That makes some sense, only if Russia actually honors its agreements in Syria and makes progress resolving the Ukraine crisis. But neither of these things is happening.

Russia Is a Poor, Drunk Soccer Hooligan

Posted June 22nd, 2016 at 3:20 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

According to the International Monetary Fund’s most recent data, the Russian economy is approximately the same size as Australia and slightly smaller than South Korea. As an exporter, it is now less important than Belgium, Mexico, and Singapore. And it is poor.

Putin’s Choice

Posted June 16th, 2016 at 3:25 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Putin has fallen into the same trap that lured Brezhnev, then left Gorbachev to pick up the pieces. The Russian system is vulnerable to shocks, both internal and external….it is becoming more obvious that, facing problems at home and pressures abroad, Russians in and out of government are starting to consider the country’s next stage.

Why the West Misunderstands Russia’s Challenge

Posted June 14th, 2016 at 10:34 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Rather than contemplating the actual nature, real risks and final purposes of Russia’s demonstratively aggressive posture, NATO’s generals are fighting the last war – the Cold one – over again….NATO’s/EU’s resulting incomplete and misconceived rebuttals are serving, rather than containing, the Kremlin. And they are increasing insecurity in Eastern Europe, rather than decreasing it.

The Resolve Behind Russia Sanctions Is Weakening

Posted May 31st, 2016 at 11:33 am (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Each time the European Union’s sanctions against Russia come up for renewal, there’s speculation that some countries might break ranks and vote against the trade and financing restrictions. There will probably be no deserters this time around either; but a softening of the sanctions is on the cards in the near future.

A Pivotal Time for Ukraine: The U.S. Should Redouble Its Support

Posted April 18th, 2016 at 2:41 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Russia’s goals in Ukraine are both geopolitical and imperial. Without Ukraine, or at least without considerable influence in Ukraine, Russia sees itself only as an Asian power, not as a European power. Now is not the time for the United States to abandon the people of Ukraine.

Putin Fills Another Leadership Void in Nagorno-Karabakh

Posted April 12th, 2016 at 4:09 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

The overstretched Obama White House may view Putin’s gains as a price worth paying to quell the current violence and keep an additional crisis off its plate. Such benign neglect, however, creates opportunities for Kremlin exploitation in a region that connects Turkey, Russia, Iran, Central Asia and Caspian energy supplies.

Putin Shrugs off Panama Papers

Posted April 6th, 2016 at 12:28 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

By Barbara Slavin The massive leak of documents from a Panamanian law firm that specialized in setting up offshore tax shelters has rattled world political leaders and claimed at least one victim. Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson was forced to step aside following a public uproar over an offshore company he created just before his country’s […]

Following the Money from ‘Panama’

Posted April 5th, 2016 at 4:32 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Tax shelters. Money laundering. Dodging sanctions. Shell companies. Tax havens. These are the loaded phrases associated with the findings of the so-called Panama Papers — documents that were leaked from the Panamanian law firm Mossack Fonseca detailing how the rich and powerful park their assets to avoid scrutiny. Among those named in the year-long probe of millions of documents by the International Consortium of Investigative Journalists: 12 current or former heads of state, including Iceland’s Prime Minister Sigmundur David Gunnlaugsson, who resigned today amid questions of a conflict of interest regarding his holdings. The documents also indicate $2-billion in transactions were secretly shuffled through banks and shadow companies by associates of Russian President Vladimir Putin. Putting money in offshore banks is not necessarily illegal. And there are many legal tax shelters and legitimate reasons to establish a holding company in another country. But ordinary citizens become outraged when their politicians and their close associates are the ones involved.

How Russia Is ‘Weaponizing’ Migration to Destabilize Europe

Posted March 25th, 2016 at 1:06 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

[A]ccording to European officials, other migrants are traveling into the Nordic and Baltic states from Russia and are not fleeing the fighting in Syria, Iraq or Afghanistan, but rather have been living in Russia and are being encouraged by the Kremlin to join the tide in Western Europe.

A Hollow Superpower

Posted March 18th, 2016 at 1:04 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Judging by the pictures on television, Vladimir Putin won a famous victory in Syria this week. After his unexpected declaration that the campaign is over, Mr Putin is claiming credit for a ceasefire and the start of peace talks…. Look closer, however, and Russia’s victory rings hollow.

The Obama Doctrine and Ukraine

Posted March 17th, 2016 at 1:17 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

What should Washington do? It should keep providing Kyiv political support, and work with the European Union to offer additional financial assistance, provided that Ukraine accelerates reforms and anti-corruption measures. It should also provide additional military assistance.

Russian-Iranian Relations: Troubled Ties

Posted March 15th, 2016 at 2:54 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Despite their numerous anti-Western interests, Russia and Iran are not allies. Neither is willing to give up much of anything for the sake of good relations with the other. Washington, then, cannot expect that Tehran will consider binding any agreement reached with Moscow regarding the settlement of the conflict in Syria.

The World Through Obama’s Eyes

Posted March 11th, 2016 at 4:23 pm (UTC-4)
Comments are closed

Fresh chum was tossed into Washington’s foreign policy fishbowl Thursday with publication of “The Obama Doctrine” by The Atlantic. Using President Barack Obama’s decision to back away from the red line he drew over Syria’s use of chemical weapons as a central theme, author Jeffrey Goldberg gave readers tremendous insight into Obama’s decision-making process and how he thinks U.S. muscle should be flexed. Goldberg reveals details of Obama’s sometimes curt interactions with his national security staff, his disdain for Washington’s think-tank establishment and his admission of failure with regards to Libya. It’s not a light read; more than 19,000 words (some of which are, shall we say, salty.) And thousands more words have already been written in reaction.