Putin Unlikely to Be Much Help Against Islamic State
Russia’s priority in Syria is propping up Bashar Assad, not defeating the self-styled caliphate.
Vladimir Putin
Obama Challenges Notion Putin Bested Him in Syria
The American argues that Russia’s intervention in Syria is a sign of weakness, not strength.
Let’s Not Fall into Assad’s and Putin’s Trap in Syria
Syria’s Bashar Assad is not a bulwark against fanaticism and war. He is the enabler of both.
Russia’s Putin Seeks to “Rescue” Syrian Dictatorship
The Russian leader argues that the alternative to Bashar Assad is the disintegration of Syria.
In Fortress Russia, Putin Only Listens to Hardliners Anymore
The removal of pro-Western liberals has reduced the Russian president’s inner circle to hardliners.
The Psychology of Loose Wheels
As the Russian economy tanks, the wheels are starting to come off Vladimir Putin’s regime.
Don’t Admire the Big Man
Admiration for strongmen reveals an unhealthy desire to be led and a misjudgment of sound politics.
Putin’s Holy War: A Challenge the West Underestimates
Secular Westerners underestimate the ideological challenge posed by Vladimir Putin’s Russia.
Putin Doesn’t Care About the Rules Anymore
The Russian leader has decided that if Western countries don’t keep their commitments, neither should he.
Why Even an Airplane Crash Won’t Make Putin Back Down
Russia’s propaganda has so strongly made the Ukrainian separatists’ case that it cannot back down now.
Federalization is Russian Design to Weaken, Not Save Ukraine
Russia’s “solution” for the crisis in Ukraine would stop the country from deepening its ties with the West.
Defense of Ethnic Russians Complicates Putin’s Eurasia Agenda
The Russian leader’s justification for annexing the Crimea defies his warnings against ethnic nationalism.
Putin Denies Troops in Crimea, Says Force “Last Resort”
The Russian leader denies that his soldiers have taken control of Ukraine’s Crimean Peninsula.
Crimea Invasion Putin’s Mistake? Too Soon to Tell
Whoever claims Russia’s incursion was a mistake at this point is probably making a moral argument, not a neutral analysis.
Flying Russian Tricolor Part of Putin’s Nationalist Revival
The Russian leaders appeals to patriotism and tradition to shore up his popularity.