In recent years, Russia and the United States have started rebuilding their Cold War nuclear arsenals, putting the world on the threshold of a dangerous new arms race. But we don’t have to repeat the perilous drama of the 20th century. We can maintain our country’s strength and security and still do away with the worst of the Cold War weapons.
Paul Saunders: Why Bloomberg Got It Wrong
Bloomberg provides yet another example of shoddy journalism in the service of RussiaGate – Editor.
Our Eternal Enemy: We Must Stop the New Cold War (Huffington Post)
The post-Cold war opportunity to forge a more equal and peaceful international system has been squandered as the United States is once again embroiled in proxy conflicts in Eastern Europe, the Middle East, and now in cyberspace.
Matthew Bunn: In Gorky Park, with nuclear worries
The nuclear danger remains very real, and we need urgent action to address it — including public pressure.
The Russian Blitzkrieg on Aleppo Is a Direct Challenge to Washington (Patrick Lawrence)
The Syrian cease-fire was already in tatters. But the new offensive is also early preparation for a hawkish Clinton presidency.
Ben Aris: US declares economic war on Russia
“The US has declared economic war on Russia,” Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev said on August 10 in remarks that set the stage for a real military clash between the two countries.
U.S. close to suspending Syria talks with Russia as Aleppo battle rages (Reuters)
The United States is close to suspending talks with Russia on a ceasefire in Syria, U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry said on Thursday, as the Kremlin vowed to press on with an assault on the city of Aleppo.
Lyle J. Goldstein: A Decade After the Georgia War
As NATO military forces roll into the Caucasus region, Moscow observes and calculates its next move.
PODCAST: More Squandered Opportunities to Deal With the New Cold War (Stephen F. Cohen)
Nation Contributing Editor Stephen F. Cohen and John Batchelor continue their weekly discussions of the new US-Russian Cold War. (Previous installments are at TheNation.com.) In this installment, discussion focuses again on the two most dangerous Cold War fronts, Syria and Ukraine, and the failure of the two main American presidential candidates, abetted by the mainstream media, to address these issues in any meaningful way.
NYT: In Moscow’s Newest Park, All of Russia Comes Together Image
That the park was built at all — let alone by an American-led design team — is mildly improbable.
The Flimsy Case Against No-First-Use of Nuclear Weapons (Bruce Blair)
Obama wants to do it, but his advisers are squeamish. Here’s why they shouldn’t be.
Paul Robinson: The Use of Force
There are occasions when statements of the blindingly obvious are rather revealing, although not in the way that those making the statements intend.
Syria’s ‘WMD moment’: Don’t be duped again (Peter Hitchens)
Under immense pressure from the despots of Saudi Arabia, the USA will not give up its efforts to overthrow the Syrian government. It is clear that it is now prepared to risk an open confrontation with Moscow to achieve this. Why? Who do they think they are, and how can their cause be so good that they take such risks?
William Potter and Sarah Bidgood: US-Russia Cooperation on Nonproliferation
The chill in the air was palpable at the 2018 meeting on the Treaty on the Nonproliferation of Nuclear Weapons (NPT) in Geneva.
New Cold War Spins Out of Control (Alistair Crooke)
In the aftermath of the U.S. attack on the Syrian army positions overlooking and commanding the Dier A-Zor airfield – the airfield, whose daily “Berlin air-bridge” style flights, are the sole lifeline to a city long besieged by ISIS – the Russian U.N. Ambassador asked a pertinent rhetorical question at the United Nations Security Council: Who is running U.S. policy: Is it the Pentagon or the White House?
George Beebe: Is Russia Really Trying to Sway the Midterm Elections?
The Washington consensus holds that Moscow has no genuine interest in rapprochement. Rather, it bears an ideological hatred of democracy and hopes to undermine our system of government by exploiting social divisions. This explanation is not implausible, but it ignores the reality that Russia has friendly relations with many of the world’s prominent democracies, including Israel, India and Japan.
Kerry defends diplomacy as Russian-backed forces pound Aleppo (Reuters)
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry defended his efforts to negotiate with Moscow over the war in Syria on Monday, despite the collapse of a ceasefire that has led to a massive Russian-backed assault on the besieged rebel-held sector of Aleppo.
Gordon Bardos: Montenegro and NATO’s Faustian Bargain
Did Montenegro’s NATO accession increase the collective defense of the West or merely protect a corrupt regime?
Trading Insults (Paul Robinson)
The moral posturing concerning the war in Syria is entirely unwarranted. Neither side is in the clear, although for different reasons…
Reuters: Factbox: U.S. companies with exposure to Russia
Although the United States and Russia have imposed economic sanctions on each other since 2014, several large U.S. corporations, including PepsiCo Inc (PEP.O) and McDonald’s Corp (MCD.N), still count Russia as a growth market.