Today’s dividing lines are between Germans who have accepted the reality of globalization and those who deny it by shrouding themselves in nationalism.
Anniversaries
Moscow Uses Tanks, Berlin Words in World War II Commemorations
In an irony of history, Germany is now the one country that has the moral authority to bridge the contradictions in remembering World War II.
How Vladimir Putin’s Skewed View of World War II Threatens his Neighbors and the West
Remembering the Great Victory is more than an instrument to consolidate Russians. It has also become a way to prepare people for war.
Kremlin TV
Putin takes perverse pride in revealing the details of the secret mission to bring Crimea “home.” He gloats in the big lie and invites Russians to join him.
How War in Ukraine Led to Russian Opposition Leader Boris Nemtsov’s Death
The conflict between Ukraine and Russia isn’t about ethnicity or language — it’s about the kind of country that people want to live in.
Violent Spring
Is it just 10 years since Bush Jr. launched his disastrous invasion of Iraq? It feels more like a hundred.
The lives lost and treasure squandered seem a disproportionate price for yet another lesson in human hubris and the irony of history.
Behind the Scenes of a Protest Blog
I’ll make a confession: the anti-government rallies that broke out in Moscow a year ago really annoyed me. Like Vladimir Putin, I had completely different plans than to worry about protesting middle-class Muscovites.
Partying from Dushanbe to Grozny
When Tajik President Emomali Rahmon turned 60, Vladimir Putin gave him a sniper rifle and promised to keep Russian troops stationed in Tajikistan until his 90th birthday.
Happy Birthday, Viktor Tsoi
My first visit to Moscow in 1991 was a trip into a surreal world. Amid so much strangeness, I was hardly surprised to discover that the Soviet Union’s greatest rock star was, like me, half Korean.
Tina Turner, Deep Purple Play Kremlin at Gazprom Birthday Bash
When Tina Turner asked the audience: “Is everybody all right?” her question was met with silence. Most of the guests were middle-aged managers who remained in their seats during the show.
