Every year Russian President Vladimir Putin speaks at the Valdai Economic Forum. And each year his talk is important. Putin isn't one to mince words on important issues. With tensions between Russia and the West reaching Cold War levels, Valdai represented the first time we've heard Putin speak in a long-form discussion since Helsinki and … Continue reading Putin Lays Down the Law at Valdai
Putin
Decoding Putin’s Response to Attack in Syria
The fog of war and geopolitics makes initial responses to the attack on Russian and Syrian forces recently difficult to assess. Russian President Vladimir Putin's response seemed timid and was at odds with statements from his Defense Minister Sergei Shoigu and more recent statements from Russia's Foreign Ministry. Putin backed off on explicitly blaming Israel … Continue reading Decoding Putin’s Response to Attack in Syria
Is Trump Pushing Germany and Russia Together?
Vladimir Putin's charm tour of Germany and Austria last weekend is a significant sign of change to come. To the U.S. and European press Putin is only a step or two away from Hitler reincarnated (thanks chiefly to Bill Browder). It serves the purpose of maintaining the post WWII institutional order. But, Putin is always … Continue reading Is Trump Pushing Germany and Russia Together?
Lira Collapse To Jump the Mediterranean
The Turkish Lira crisis is fundamentally different than the Russian Ruble crisis of 2014/15. This one has contagion risk. Back then no one was worried about the fall of the ruble having spillover effect. If Sberbank failed, it wouldn't jump to Europe. Then again, there was little worry about that since the Russians had more … Continue reading Lira Collapse To Jump the Mediterranean
The Curious Case of Bill Browder
"Deserve's got nuthin' to do with it." — William Munny, Unforgiven A couple of weeks ago I told you the first U.S. Civil War was here. What I didn’t tell you was the face of that Civil War is Bill Browder. Browder was responsible for The Magnitsky Act. It handed our government insane sanctions powers on individuals and … Continue reading The Curious Case of Bill Browder
The “Magnitsky Trio” Pushes For War With Russia with New Sanctions
If half of what I have come to understand about the Curious Case of Bill Browder is true, then the "Magnitsky Trio" of Senators John McCain, Lindsay Graham and Ben Cardin are guilty of espionage, at a minimum. Why? Because they know that Browder's story about Sergei Magnitsky is a lie. And that means that … Continue reading The “Magnitsky Trio” Pushes For War With Russia with New Sanctions
In U.S., Sometimes CIA Eat You
The First U.S. Civil War is here. The real Civil War. The one between We the People and the Government itself. The U.S. Civil War fought by Lincoln is badly mis-named. Rightly considered it was a war to prevent independence of the South from the united States (not a mistake in capitalization). The South seceded. Just like … Continue reading In U.S., Sometimes CIA Eat You
Russia, Insanity and the Treason that Wasn’t
It's become clear to me U.S. politics is reaching a breaking point. The level of hysteria over Donald Trump's summit with Vladimir Putin is wholly disproportionate to what actually occurred. Putin declared the Cold War over. Pat Buchanan agrees and so do I. For as much grief as I give Donald Trump for his many … Continue reading Russia, Insanity and the Treason that Wasn’t