Russponsibility to Protect

Vladimir Putin says the U.S. needs more evidence before any military action in Syria could possibly be justified. And even if conclusive proof of Assad's use of chemical weapons were to be found, our favorite amateur aquatic archaeologist continues, any military action would have to have the approval of the UN Security Council.

One may well ask, as Jonathan did today: doesn't Putin remember his own 2008 "intervention" in Georgia?

Authoritarianism is alive and well

I stumbled across a very interesting article on authoritarianism and its shortcomings against democracy.  It wasn't anything that I didn't already know, but the author uses a few good cases to prove his point.  What is most surprising is the countries that consider themselves modern (cough cough, Russia and Turkey) can still commit such egregious violations of the democratic system which they seem committed to upholding.

What is more surprising is that it was actually published in Russia (albeit in a Western newspaper).

Eight problems with Romney's eight problems, or an open letter to Mitt Romney

Dear Mr. Romney,

Your efforts to restart the Cold War are valiant, but when Henry Kissinger is siding with the Democrats on national security, you can solidly be assured that you are in the wrong.  I hate to tell you, but Secretary of Defense Robert Gates also disagrees with you.  At this point, you should just try to save your rapport, instead of making waves.  But that’s just my advice, who am I to judge?

Russia to resume military cooperation with NATO

New START, a hands-off response in Kyrgyzstan, and now Russia's ready to provide logistical support for the war in Afghanistan.There are plenty of factors at play in this move, not least of which is the fact that Georgian and Ukrainian efforts to join NATO have stalled.

But it looks like Russia is finally starting to see relations with the West in something other than zero-sum terms, and you can't tell me the "Reset" hasn't had something to do with that.