Russia’s President Vladimir Putin chairs a government meeting at the Novo-Ogaryovo state residence outside Moscow, July 30, 2014. REUTERS/Alexei Nikolskyi/RIA Novosti/Kremlin
Leonid Bershidsky, Bloomberg: To Deal With Putin, First Know His Goals
Russian President Vladimir Putin is on a roll. The catalog of his alarming moves is well-known: Aggression in Ukraine, interference in Syria on the side of President Bashar al-Assad, stepped-up intelligence efforts that may include a hybrid operation to discredit Hillary Clinton, a slick, prolific propaganda machine, support for nationalist and populist movements in Europe. But why is Putin doing all this?
The common explanation is that Putin and his circle see Russia's relationship with the West as a zero-sum game. Molly McKew, a former adviser to anti-Russian leaders of Georgia and Moldova, recently wrote a much-shared article expounding the view that this is a war and urging the West to act to defeat the aggressive Russian leader.
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Commentaries, Analysis, And Editorials -- January 6, 2017
Vladimir Putin: The Troublemaker -- Massimo Calabresi, Time
U.S. moves against Putin just a slap -- Peter Brookes,
Boston Herald
Is Trump Headed for a Showdown With America’s Spy Agencies? -- Rob Garver, Fiscal Times
How the U.S. Hobbled Its Hacking Case Against Russia and Enabled Truthers -- Kevin Poulsen, Daily Beast
It’s time for Trump to explain what will happen in Afghanistan -- Adam Gallagher, The Hill
Can a President Trump avoid conflict of interests? -- Michael Knigge, DW
Will Donald Trump destroy America’s global role? -- Andrew J. Bacevich, The Spectator
Trump to Stress Unity in Inaugural Speech, Aide Says -- Rebecca Berg, RCP Staff
Syria's Tangled Trilateral Road to Peace -- Fritz Lodge, Cipher Brief
Iran sees hailing Assad as top priority -- Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, Al Arabiya
Istanbul attack: Why China's Uighurs are joining global jihadist groups -- Shamil Shams, DW
How a pair of US stopovers could reshape Taiwan's ties with US, China -- Ralph Jennings, CSM
In Gambia, the defeated President who would go -- Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker
Why 2017 is a crunch year for Spain’s four main political parties -- Rafa De Miguel, El Pais
How Edward Snowden Sabotaged the War on Terrorism -- Edward Jay Epstein, Newsweek
Is Trump Headed for a Showdown With America’s Spy Agencies? -- Rob Garver, Fiscal Times
How the U.S. Hobbled Its Hacking Case Against Russia and Enabled Truthers -- Kevin Poulsen, Daily Beast
It’s time for Trump to explain what will happen in Afghanistan -- Adam Gallagher, The Hill
Can a President Trump avoid conflict of interests? -- Michael Knigge, DW
Will Donald Trump destroy America’s global role? -- Andrew J. Bacevich, The Spectator
Trump to Stress Unity in Inaugural Speech, Aide Says -- Rebecca Berg, RCP Staff
Syria's Tangled Trilateral Road to Peace -- Fritz Lodge, Cipher Brief
Iran sees hailing Assad as top priority -- Dr. Majid Rafizadeh, Al Arabiya
Istanbul attack: Why China's Uighurs are joining global jihadist groups -- Shamil Shams, DW
How a pair of US stopovers could reshape Taiwan's ties with US, China -- Ralph Jennings, CSM
In Gambia, the defeated President who would go -- Alexis Okeowo, New Yorker
Why 2017 is a crunch year for Spain’s four main political parties -- Rafa De Miguel, El Pais
How Edward Snowden Sabotaged the War on Terrorism -- Edward Jay Epstein, Newsweek
