It’s still dangerous to be in the opposition in Russia: Boris Nemtsov, a towering figure in Russian post-Soviet politics and a biting critic of President Vladimir Putin, was gunned down steps from the Kremlin late Friday, authorities said. The drive-by … Continue reading →
There is a lot of other news today but I’ve run out of time to write about it right now, so here’s a roundup: A ceasefire in Ukraine—for the moment (see also this). Chris Cuomo shows his ignorance of a … Continue reading →
If you’re going to buy the venerable liberal publication The New Republic only to turn it into a “digital media company,” why bother to buy it at all? Why not just start your own digital media company and leave TNR … Continue reading →
In all the articles I’ve read that try to figure out what’s up with the Hagel ousting, I’ve been impressed by how little is actually known about it. What does it signal? My opinion is that it signals nothing more … Continue reading →
…lie murdered somewhere in Eastern Ukraine. And their family wants them back, along with the families of all the other Flight 17 victims: “No words can describe it,” Fredriksz-Hoogzand [the mother of one of the victims] told AP. “Bodies are … Continue reading →
…and recall how snarkily he mocked Romney in 2012. I’m not sure why I’m going there. After all, there’s nothing to be done about it now. Maybe I’m just a glutton for punishment. But when Russia invaded Ukraine, I thought … Continue reading →
I started this blog right before the 2004 election, and for the first few years a large percentage of my posts were about Iraq. That remained true through all the ups and downs of the surge and the Bush administration. … Continue reading →
The last couple of days the census has been in the news. I wrote about my suspicions regarding the timing of the census changes and the figures about health insurance enrollment under Obamacare here. I also recommend Ace’s piece about … Continue reading →
…Putin doesn’t. Europe has long relied on the US to save it. But courtesy one Barack Obama, America is now trying to be more like Europe. [*NOTE: The title of this post is a twist on a combination of the … Continue reading →
Scott Johnson writes the following about Obama’s recent statement “Russia is a regional power that is threatening some of its immediate neighbors, not out of strength, but out of weakness”: You have to wonder just how weak Russia is, in … Continue reading →
This seems reasonable to me: Putin has a strategy. And it’s working. What he most fears is that Ukraine might join NATO, removing yet another buffer state between himself and the West and kiboshing his plans for the Eurasian Union, … Continue reading →
…say, “Sanctions? Schmanctions.” They’re kvelling, not kvetching. ADDENDUM: And openly mocking: Russia’s deputy prime minister laughed off President Obama’s sanction against him today asking “Comrade @BarackObama” if “some prankster” came up with the list. The Obama administration hit 11 Russian … Continue reading →