NATO and the EU raised membership expectations without ever intending to follow through. As a result, Ukraine became vulnerable to Russian revanchism.
Bush
Arms Control: When Biden Takes Office, Clock Will Be Ticking To Save New START Treaty
“The danger is that to get to the point of a new détente, we may have to go through a period when it will be pretty scary, and we are not there yet.”
What Putin Wants From His G-20 Meeting With President Trump
Clinton, Bush and Obama first met their Russian counterparts at full-scale bilateral summits. Trump is different.
How NATO Really Provoked Putin
From the Kremlin’s point of view, it’s infinitely worse to be ignored than to be considered a worthy rival.
He Came, He Saw, He Withdrew From Syria
The main unspoken reason for the Kremlin’s Syria mission was to re-establish Russia as a global player on par with the United States.
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.
Vladimir Putin’s Religious, Ethnic Rhetoric Gets a Little Scary in Russian State-of-the-Union Address
Putin shared no vision of where the country is heading. Instead he looked back, portraying Russia as a besieged fortress since time immemorial.
25 Years After Its Fall, Vladimir Putin Puts Berlin Wall’s Lessons Front and Center
Putin punished Ukrainians by dismembering their country not only because he saw a threat to his power. It was late revenge for the world he lost in 1989.
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.
Hail to the Chief
Eight years ago, I watched in despair as Bush Jr. was reelected. I felt no vindication when his presidency ended in disaster.
Obama is the antidote to W’s betrayal of America’s ideals. He can work no miracles. But he must try.
