Is it high time that we restore the political unity of Europe on the basis of pragmatism?
In the euphoria of the peaceful fall of the Berlin Wall long 30 years ago quite a few hopeful predictions were made for restoration of political unity of Europe, for a Europe whole and free, practically as a matter of course. But all those hopes and pan-European enthusiasm, they generated were not to come true.
One has to admit, that European elites have proved themselves unprepared, both politically and...
... based approach to opportunity-oriented. However, several factors will limit the implementation of Moscow’s policies: 1) the desire of the states of the region to diversify their ties does not mean a lack of desire to cooperate with the EU and the USA. Regional elites can use their contacts with Moscow to get greater benefits from the West by showing that they have alternative pole; 2) the state of Russia’s own economy and limited resources to support its new role in the region; 3) strengthening ...
Full Briefing with 36 Slides Here:
https://phibetaiota.net/2019/08/robert-steele-if-i-were-president/
Robert David Steele
... that letter almost as an anti-Russia manifesto. In fact, it is a pragmatic and balanced, if unpleasant, description of the state of our relations. True, he described the situation from the perspective of US interests, but these are not the words of a crusader. The ambassador admitted that a “reset or restart” was not possible, while at the same time pointing to the importance of understanding “our interests and values.” He said it is critical to work in areas of common interest. The traditional ...
... could, perhaps, help us settle some issues,” a senior Russian diplomat told Al-Monitor on the basis of anonymity. “If the Turks attack the Kurds, this may make the latter more flexible in terms of reaching an agreement with Damascus.”
Bye-bye, USA
Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov voiced Moscow's view of the desired outcome shortly after US President Donald Trump announced the withdrawal of US forces from Syria last December. “The weapons, the territories and the military facilities ...
... the parties of their obligations.
At the same time, it seems to me that the parties got somewhat “carried away” in their efforts to predict and then detect using technical means even the most minute violations. This resulted in numerous mutual accusations over extremely minor “violations” that had virtually no effect on the balance of powers of the two countries. However, the more presence of these accusations impeded the enforcement of particular agreements. The number of alleged breaches ...
The measures hardly pose any serious threat to Russia
On August 1, US President Donald Trump signed Executive
Order 13883 “Administration of Proliferation Sanctions and Amendment of Executive Order 12851.”
Media outside Russia were quick to label the move as a second round of sanctions against Russia over the alleged use of chemical weapons in the Skripal case. What is this all about, specifically, and what new sanctions could Russia face?
Trump’s executive order was preceded by a letter from...
For more than two decades I have written about missed opportunities and egregious missteps on the part of America (sometimes accidental, sometimes seemingly deliberate) when it comes to establishing a new relationship dynamic with Russia that could be positive strategic if not necessarily truly friendly. For about that same amount of time I have traveled all across my native country of America, openly inviting and challenging any and all comers to respectfully but critically debate the issues and...
... out the fire started by the “fab four,” but is seeking to fan the flames with inflammatory tweets and acerbic comments during press appearances. The president probably understands the collateral damage that comes with such statements, such as accusations of racism and sexism, and considers them acceptable costs in the struggle to hold onto his electoral base. Personal animosity is also an important factor. The far left represents everything Donald Trump hated and derided back when he worked as ...
.... presidential race while letting Washington know that, from now on, it is not just the U.S. but also its geopolitical rivals that can influence political processes in other countries.
Lost in translation
How should Russia respond to the constant accusations of revisionism? Before we answer this question, one needs to understand the causes of this revisionism. There are two, and they are not hard to grasp.
First
, Russia and its political elites are suffering from a post-Soviet inferiority complex....
