The Russia Speech The President Should Have Given

Posting this two weeks after the speech, in an era of instant news, would seem a little OBE, except for articles like John Vinocur’s Central and Eastern European Countries Issue Rare Warning for U.S. on Russian Policy in today’s New York Times.  Mr. Vinocur, who really ought to know better, seems unaware that all the [...]

The Political Economy of Cowardice and the Russian Connection

Run yesterday in The Seattle Post-Intelligencer.    Guest Columnist: The political economy of cowardice and the Russian connection ERIN SOLARO “The only thing we have to fear is fear itself.” So said Franklin D. Roosevelt in his 1933 first inaugural address, in the depths of the Great Depression that American greed and excess had done [...]

Vladimir Putin, Neo-Con, Redux

The New York Times has just published an article calling into strong question Georgian claims that it was acting defensively and against Russian and separatist aggression.  Nice work:  I didn’t do so bad, for free, in September in this essay. You do not have to be an apologist for Russia to wonder how the nation’s [...]

The Political Psychology of National Self-Respect: Vladimir V. Putin, Neo-Con

Vladimir V. Putin:  Neo-Con About a year ago, the Bush administration and the neocon babble-ocracy began touting Vladimir Putin as America’s next Man We Love to Hate.  This is odd, since by nearly all standards, Mr. Putin is the most successful neocon on the planet.  Or perhaps it’s jealousy.  Since taking power in 2000, Mr. [...]