Amnesty International evicted from Moscow office

Amnesty International evicted from Moscow office

Amnesty International, a campaign group which has accused the Kremlin of violating human rights with its bombing campaign in Syria, was evicted from its Moscow office on Wednesday. The Moscow city government, from which Amnesty leased the premises in the Russian capital’s center, said the group was behind on the rent, but Amnesty said it […]

A simple perspective on Russian and U.S. Policy

A simple perspective on Russian and U.S. Policy

Russia and the USA are two fundamentally different countries in how engage in the world. It seems that we can’t get along and Russia is gaining on us. Maybe, in the long term, we’ll have a more envious position. But, it’s difficult to deny that’s something has gone awry with our Russian policy. We’ve lost […]

Veteran spy gives material to FBI alleging Russia intended to cultivate Donald Trump

Veteran spy gives material to FBI alleging Russia intended to cultivate Donald Trump

Reports have emerged claiming that a veteran spy has handed over information to the FBI alleging a Russian operation to cultivate Donald Trump. There isn’t a lot of authority behind this claim and media development. But is there a direct connection, relationship, between Vladimir Putin and Donald Trump? Probably not. Trump’s connection to Putin may […]

Bitter Rift Deepens as Russia Rejects Findings on Syria’s Use of Chlorine Bombs

Bitter Rift Deepens as Russia Rejects Findings on Syria’s Use of Chlorine Bombs

Russia on Thursday rejected the findings of a chemical weapons investigation led by the United Nations that found Syrian forces had used chlorine bombs at least three times in the past two years. During a Security Council meeting, Russia called the investigators’ findings inconclusive and no basis for punitive action. The response intensified the bitter […]

Putin says U.S. hysteria over Russia is an election ploy

Putin says U.S. hysteria over Russia is an election ploy

Russian President Vladimir Putin said on Thursday that American politicians were whipping up hysteria about a mythical Russian threat in the U.S. presidential campaign as a ploy to distract voters from their own failings. Putin, addressing an audience of foreign policy experts gathered in southern Russia, said he found it hard to believe that anyone […]

Obama weighing new military options in Syria today

Obama weighing new military options in Syria today

U.S. President Barack Obama and his top foreign policy advisers are expected to meet on Friday to consider their military and other options in Syria as Syrian and Russian aircraft continue to pummel Aleppo and other targets, U.S. officials said. Some top officials argue the United States must act more forcefully in Syria or risk […]

Putin, Erdogan Boost Russian-Turkish Trade Ties

Putin, Erdogan Boost Russian-Turkish Trade Ties

The Turkish and Russian leaders strengthened their rapprochement on Monday by emphasizing new trade deals that boost their ailing economies while minimizing their deep tensions on security matters. On the sidelines of a global energy summit in Istanbul, Presidents Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Vladimir Putin signed a deal for the long-delayed TurkStream natural gas project that would allow Russia […]

US blames Russia for hacking political sites

US blames Russia for hacking political sites

The U.S. on Friday blamed the Russian government for the hacking of political sites and accused Moscow of trying to interfere with the upcoming presidential election. Pressure has been mounting on the Obama administration to call out Russia for the hacking of U.S. political sites and email accounts. The hacking claim Friday was another setback […]

Russia suspends weapons-grade plutonium deal with US

Russia suspends weapons-grade plutonium deal with US

In a decree, President Vladimir Putin accused the US of creating “a threat to strategic stability, as a result of unfriendly actions” towards Russia. Moscow also set pre-conditions for the US for the deal to be resumed. Under the 2000 deal, each side is supposed to get rid of 34 tonnes of plutonium by burning it […]

Kurds won’t have friends as ISIL fades to the background

Kurds won’t have friends as ISIL fades to the background

The Kurds ought to be our focus in the Middle East. They’re legitimately our friends. At this point, it’s clear we don’t know the Middle East better than Middle Easterners. But, we do know who has performed and helped us in the past. We ought to give the Kurds some measure of solidarity, because once […]

China humiliates America at G20

China humiliates America at G20

This time the G20 was different. Intentionally so. The Chinese had prepared it and planned it to be so.  Yet, as always, with the G20 meetings, there was little that is tangible to show for it all. No big solutions. No ‘in the margins’ progress on Syria, Ukraine, Yemen, or on a supposed ploy to manage […]

My high school football coach may as well be in charge of foreign policy

My high school football coach may as well be in charge of foreign policy

He was an idiot. As a result, we sucked. We scheduled a game with some prison school for homecoming, because that’s how unsure of victory we were. It was the worst. Much of our weakness as a team had to do with flawed planning and stupidity at the helm. I think there are very enlightened and […]