Inside Putin’s Head

[Cynthia M. Lardner] Russian President Vladimir Putin tries to legitimize his disregard of the 'rule of law' by claiming that all former territories dating back to the Byzantine Era and native Russian speakers must be protected by “Mother Russia”. However, the reality is: these territories give Russia access to warm water ports necessary to ship its oil and weapons.

Time to Re-Examine the Atlantic Alliance

[Conn M. Hallinan] The NATO was a child of the Cold War, when the West believed that the Soviets were a threat. But Russia today is not the Soviet Union, and there is no way Moscow would be stupid enough to attack a superior military force. It's time the NATO went the way of the Warsaw Pact and recognize that the old ways of thinking are not only outdated but also dangerous.

The Spanish Labyrinth

As the socialist-led government takes over in Spain, newly minted Prime Minister Pedro Sanchez faces at least two daunting tasks: cleaning up the wreckage wrought by years of European Union (EU) enforced austerity and resolving the Catalan crisis exacerbated by Madrid’s violent reaction to last fall’s independence referendum. Unfortunately, his Party’s track record is not … Continue reading The Spanish Labyrinth

The Iran Nuclear Agreement is not Worth Saving

[Daniel Wagner] The US made its position on Iran deal perfectly clear and soon Europe’s position will be as well. It is now up to the Iranians whether the Iran deal continues to exist, or a new, improved agreement is ultimately crafted.

Turkey’s President: Short Term Victory, Long Term Trouble

When Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan called for a presidential and parliamentary election June 24—jumping the gun by more than a year—the outcome seemed foreordained: the country is under a state of emergency, Erdogan has imprisoned more than 50,000 of his opponents, dismissed 140,000 from their jobs, jailed a presidential candidate, and launched an … Continue reading Turkey’s President: Short Term Victory, Long Term Trouble