Amid endless talks about the ramifications of sanctions imposed against Russia, Western commentators and policy pundits are missing a critical point. Economic coercion imposed against Moscow, their argument runs, will enfeeble the Russian government and force it to yield to Western demands. Part of the logic is that Russia's extractive economy is…

In light of the Ukrainian crisis, Sweden has started to consider providing a financial assistance package to Ukraine. While such a decision does not seem out of character for the beneficent country who has taken in almost 20 percent of the European Union’s asylum seekers last year[1], there may be other factors that have led Sweden towards this…

Less than two weeks ago President Obama, sitting for an interview with The Economist magazine, basically went ‘old school’ on President Putin, dismissing his Presidency, his country, and the future of both. While his words were certainly blatant and blunt, what might be even more revealing is the subtle subtext hidden inside his cavalier…

 
Reprinted from The National Interest, 8/22/2014
For many, the collapse of Russo-U.S. relations over Moscow’s (bloodless) invasion of Crimea and proxy war in eastern Ukraine points to the beginnings of a new Cold War. However, Russia has not irrevocably transformed itself from limited partner into implacable foe. Washington and Moscow…

For almost a hundred years the United States has been the primary instigator of international drug prohibition. Recent developments, however, have been challenging the Washington’s ability to maintain this position. Relaxation of cannabis law in Washington and Colorado, as well as passive affirmation from the Obama administration, have reduced…

Latent tensions have loomed before civil strife actually irrupted in Ukraine amid deep-rooted political uncertainties. That claims upon the Crimean peninsula would be eventually raised by Putin’s Russia, concentrating troops at the borders and effecting what appeared to be a military invasion, followed by a political validation (i.e. the…

Although some pundits believe that no nation should consider joining NATO in light of Ukraine’s situation[1], the crisis nevertheless has fundamentally changed NATO’s relationship with Sweden. This change for Sweden comes due to a combination of already present concerns such as defense capabilities and reliability of alliances that have…

To be sure, the current conflict between the US and Russia over Ukraine is a mismatch, given the disparity in power between the two sides. Russia is not, and cannot even pretend to be, a contender for world domination. Unlike the Soviet Union, it is not driven by some universal ideology, does not lead a bloc of states ruled by the same ideology…

We are gratified that our vacationing president has finally been moved to airlift supplies to thousands of Yezadi Christians, driven to a hot, bare mountaintop  by ISIS.  Let us also thank him for air support and at least small arms to the heroic Kurds, the only Iraqi, ethnic force now fighting ISIS. Of course they need the…

As the inaugural Russia-China Expo ended in Harbin last week, which was attended by more than 1,500 exhibitors, the event has created another momentum for Russia-China relations since the Russian-Chinese “gas deal of the century” was signed in May. As apparently Russia is looking east to diversify its economy amidst economic sanctions from…

 
2014 is starting to look and sound and feel an awful lot like 1964. If you find yourself sitting at home wondering how 50 years could go by with so much historical change and global shifting and yet still end up basically back at the starting point of a quasi-Cold War between the United States and Russia, then please allow me to offer one…

If the next world war is to happen, it will most likely be in Asia and feature a clash between the incumbent hegemon, the United States, and the principal challenger, China. The good news is China does not want war now and in the foreseeable future, primarily because Beijing knows too well that the odds are not on its side. But if we look ahead 20…