Judging by the reaction to Stone’s film, we appear doomed to repeat the history of the first Cold War and McCarthy era..
Analysis
To Deal with the Russians, America Must Think Like the Russians (Bruce Allyn)
The risk of nuclear miscalculation is now higher than at any time since the Cuban Missile Crisis. There’s a simple way to avoid it.
Sen. Sam Nunn: ‘We Have a Choice Between Cooperation or Catastrophe’
We have continued the model of the U.S. being the dominant partner for longer than we should have.
From Reagan and Gorbachev to Trump and Putin (Edward Lozansky)
In the current climate, one can expect at almost any time that the two powers will go into direct military confrontation with catastrophic results for all.
Why There Are Still Only Two Choices in Syria — Bad and Worse
The mysterious visit to Moscow in late July by Iran’s international troublemaker-in-chief, the shadowy head of the feared Quds Force, may just have found an explanation. It’s either terrifying or vaguely reassuring, depending on how you read the Middle East. Specifically, how you feel about the Moscow visit will depend on whom you’d rather see winning the Syrian civil war, Bashar al-Assad or the Islamic State group.
You might prefer a third option. But there isn’t one
As Syria’s war enters its endgame, the risk of a US-Russia conflict escalates (Mary Dejevsky)
Competition between Washington and Moscow for a say in any peace deal is increasing the danger of a wider war starting by accident.
The FBI Relied on a Private Firm’s Investigation of the DNC Hack (Slate)
Neither the DNC nor the FBI should have been satisfied with an investigation that did not involve the FBI conducting a first-hand look at the compromised systems.
Only a US-Russian agreement can spur a settlement in Syria
Western leaders have a curiously ambivalent attitude towards Russia in which it is, at one moment, a diplomatic mouse that can be safely ignored and, at another, a reborn Soviet Union whose imperial ambitions must be restrained. In handling the Syrian crisis, Russia is bound to be a leading player in stopping Isis because it supplies the weapons to do so and, similarly, in negotiating a peace because Assad must keep in step with Russia if he is to survive.
Behind the ‘Scapegoating’ of Russia (Rick Sterling)
The media/political hysteria over Russia-gate is leading the world to possible nuclear annihilation with few serious questions asked. But a new book, The Plot to Scapegoat Russia, tries to supply some context, writes Rick Sterling.
IMF head is “extremely encouraged” by the economic disaster in Ukraine
Ukraine’s economy is in a severe freefall. GDP is expected to contract this year by nine per cent. GDP fell by 14 per cent in the first six months of the year. Inflation is projected at 47 per cent for 2015. In 2014, the economy retracted by seven per cent and inflation was 24 per cent.
VIDEO: Prof. Stephen F. Cohen Talks With TYT’s Michael Tracey
TYT Politics Reporter Michael Tracey sits down with NYU & Princeton Professor Stephen F. Cohen to discuss the establishments response to the Russia investigation. What role has the establishment played in the Russia hysteria?
Eager for World War III on MSNBC (Eion Higgins)
If we’re heading toward World War III, let’s hope that some episodes of MSNBC‘s Andrea Mitchell Reports survive the nuclear winter to provide future civilizations with some clues as to how we got there.
Close to 8,000 people killed in eastern Ukraine, says UN human rights report
Close to 8,000 people have lost their lives in eastern Ukraine since mid-April 2014, according to the latest report by the United Nations Human Rights Monitoring Mission in the country which was released today.
The report, which covers the period from 16 May to 15 August 2015, notes that the number of civilian casualties more than doubled by comparison with the previous three months, with at least 105 people killed and 308 injured compared to 60 killed and 102 injured between 16 February and 15 May.
Russia-gate Flops as Democrats’ Golden Ticket (Robert Parry)
The national Democrats saw Russia-gate and the drive to impeach President Trump as their golden ticket back to power, but so far the ticket seems to be made of fool’s gold, writes Robert Parry.
VIDEO: Sen. Chris Murphy on MSNBC
Murphy tells Morning Joe that in light of the results of the recent Congressional race in Georgia, he believes that the Russia issue is a distraction that is hurting Democrats….
PODCAST: Was a Cuban Missile Crisis Averted in Syria, the Trans-Atlantic Alliance Ruptured, and Intelgate Exposed? (Stephen F. Cohen)
Princeton and NYU Professor Emeritus Stephen F. Cohen thinks three moments of truth about the current state of American-Russian relations were recently revealed, but so little covered in the mainstream media that he was reminded of an old routine by the comedian George Carlin. A local radio newscaster begins his report: “Nuclear war in Europe. Details after the sports.” Cohen and John Batchelor discuss each of the developments at some length
US Leads World in Credulous Reports of ‘Lagging Behind’ Russia
Ominous warnings about “gaps” with the Russians are a decades-long tradition in US and Western media. Over the past few years alone, the US has “lagged behind” the dreaded Russians in the following departments: Cyber security Online and traditional propaganda Space race “Military tactics” Nuclear technology
Now let’s remember: Russia’s military budget is one-eighth the size of the US’s—and 1/14th as large as NATO’s cumulative $1 trillion in annual military spending.
Russia cancels talks after US imposes new sanctions over Ukraine conflict (The Guardian)
Russia has canceled a planned round of talks with the US in protest at new sanctions imposed this week over Moscow’s military intervention in Ukraine.
Prof. Paul Robinson Comments on Timothy Snyder
I think it is fair to say that Snyder and I have very different views of the conflict in Ukraine. He has acquired a reputation as one of the more outspoken supporters of the Maidan revolution and as a fierce opponent of ‘Russian aggression’. He says a lot of silly things, in my opinion, but in this segment he outdoes himself.
4 US Ambassadors Offer a Positive Agenda for US-Russian Relations
Last month in Moscow, we gathered with a group of Russian and American policy practitioners and scholars to discuss the current dismal state of U.S.-Russian relations and possible ways forward.