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Stalin had opted for a Russia that was isolationist, which meant, among other things, the isolation (even more than the segregation) of foreign diplomats from contacts with almost any Russian; this included, too, close and constant secret police accompaniment and supervision. Because of his great interest in Russia, because of his affection for its people, [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
One thing that can be said for Obama’s cautious response to the conflict in Libya so far is that it has annoyed all of the right people. The signatories to the letter Rogin cites is a Who’s Who of hawkish interventionists whose advice should be ignored as often as possible. Of the five specific recommendations [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
Ian Birrell argues that Western nations should stop being chastened by the horrible decision to invade Iraq so that we can get on with the important business of invading Libya: And if Nato can impose a no-fly zone then they should do so immediately – even if this means bombing the airports being used to [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
What we could be seeing is the rise of a third paradigm – a more liberal paradigm embodied by Egypt that will diminish the influence of not just Saudi Arabia, but of Iran as well. While a democratic outcome in Egypt, Tunisia, and Libya and elsewhere is far from certain, the popular revolts were clearly [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
After plausibly arguing that democratization in the Near East could lead to “geostrategic disaster” for the United States, Ari Shavit concludes that the answer to all this is to embrace the most foolish courses of action available: There is only one way out of this catch-22. Moving from defense to offense. Is Barack Obama the [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
Interventionists routinely assume that the U.S. should insert itself into other nations’ internal conflicts, but something that has an even more distorting effect on the debate is the assumption shared by almost all Americans that the U.S. can effectively insert itself in a foreign conflict very quickly. Stephen Hayes spoke with Secretary Gates about the [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
What does it say about us that the Obama administration has such trouble even finding the words to describe the horrors that Muammar Qaddafi is now inflicting on his people? ~Matt Continetti Perhaps it says that the U.S. government still regards its responsibility for its own citizens as more important than it does issuing satisfying, [...]
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Speaking of public opinion and foreign policy, Scoblete cites a new Rasmussen poll that casts more doubt on Mead’s tendentious interpretation of “the commonsense reasoning of the American people”: However, as with the recent turmoil in Egypt, most Americans (67%) say the United States should leave the situation in the Arab countries alone. Just 17% [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
As of Tuesday, the State Department had been unable to get Libya’s permission to fly American citizens out of the country, officials said, prompting the U.S. government to temper its response to the Libyan crackdown. —— Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton reiterated her “alarm” Tuesday about the loss of protesters’ lives in Libya but [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics
Ex-New Mexico Gov. Bill Richardson, U.N. ambassador during the Clinton administration, said the “thirst for freedom and democracy” in the Mideast and the failure to win concessions on Iran’s nuclear program had built support for the MEK in Washington. He said the designation “makes no sense at all” and predicted it would likely be lifted [...]
Filed under: foreign policy, politics