The past lives on in each of us, in what is known as culture. One such element, autocracy, had only occasional challenge until revolutions of 1848. Vladimir Putin, in collaboration with the Russian Orthodox Church, has latched onto the divine right of kings. With the demise of Communism in China except in name, elements of … Continue reading Putin, Xi, and the Mandate of Heaven
Popular speculation on Surovikin’s demotion centers on his “alliance” with Prigozhin, implying conflict with the Russian M.O.D., which is presumably alleviated by the appointment of Gerasimov as the new theater commander. If Putin’s former reputation as a coldly logical thinker were not diminished, this reasoning would not be so attractive. The explanation for why some … Continue reading Putin Replaces Surovikin; the Search for a Suvorov Ends
(CNN) Biden offers stark ‘Armageddon’ warning on the dangers of Putin’s nuclear threats. Quoting, “I’m trying to figure out what is Putin’s off ramp?” Biden said during the event, “Where does he find a way out? Where does he find himself in a position that he does not not only lose face but lose significant … Continue reading (CNN) Biden: Off Ramp for Putin
(CNN) ‘I’m smiling’: Ret. Lt. Gen. Hertling reacts to Putin news. The news that Putin has fired under-performing generals and taken personal command of tactical decisions has General Hertling in a gleeful mood. I share with him the sentiment that bad news for Russia is good news for Ukraine. My glee is tempered by the … Continue reading (CNN) ‘I’m smiling’: Ret. Lt. Gen. Hertling reacts to Putin news; Putin takes Command
(Reuters, 5/9/22) Biden says he is worried Putin does not have a way out of Ukraine war. Quoting, Biden said Putin is a very calculating man and the problem he worries about now is that the Russian leader “doesn’t have a way out right now, and I’m trying to figure out what we do about … Continue reading Biden Looking for an “Out” for Putin — Ideas
The sanctions against Russia’s central bank and sovereign wealth fund, and disconnection of major banks from SWIFT, make long term economic pressure feasible. If Russia cuts off gas and oil deliveries, Russia’s internal politics become unsustainable. A more complex scenario arises if Russia chooses to accelerate oil/gas deliveries. Specialists hold that Russia’s economy will eventually … Continue reading Exploiting Cracks in the Kremlin; Putin, the New Stalin?
Our reveries are always a bit more vivid than reality. We don’t fault them for this. Whatever piece of a reverie comes to life could not have happened had our thoughts been restricted to the day’s reality. Joe Biden’s dreams, blazing with optimism, lit up the House Chamber. I heard one word, over and over, … Continue reading Joe Biden’s State of the Union; Volodymyr Zelensky; Vladimir Putin
In Putin,…, Lycurgus, the Ruble, and War, Part 2, I wrote But for someone who consciously went shopping for the constitution of a warrior state, we must look to antiquity, to Lycurgus of Sparta. His virtues are remarkably easy to understand: equality (among citizens), military fitness, and austerity. The Spartan system was cruel by western … Continue reading Russia, the new Sparta; Putin, Lycurgus & Oswald Spengler
(CNN) US weighs more military support for Ukraine to resist Russia if it invades. Quoting, US officials left the meetings in Europe last week even more pessimistic about what Putin could be planning, and how limited the west’s leverage is to stop it—even with the punishing sanctions and increased NATO presence in eastern Europe currently … Continue reading Ukraine; Let’s Make a Deal; Suggestion to Vladimir Putin
Let’s have a theological discussion. Does Putin have a soul? About Cardinal Richelieu, Kissinger wrote, “the charting genius of a new concept of centralized statecraft and foreign policy based on the balance of power.” The Texas National Security Review article is an excellent description of the first modern statement of diplomacy, Raison d’Etat, (Reason of … Continue reading Biden-Putin Summit, Part 1, Putin’s Soul; Dumbing-Down