Nearly everyone, regardless of personal political beliefs, will agree that President Obama’s stance(s) on Syria has been perplexing. Syria’s conflict began back in March 2011 as a popular uprising during the Arab Spring. As the conflict transformed into a civil war, rumblings grew for international intervention. On August 20, 2012, Obama stated that his red … Continue reading
After leaking details of a classified surveillance program and briefly stopping over in Hong Kong, former NSA contractor Edward Snowden has been hanging out in a transit zone at Sheremetyevo International Airport in Moscow. Russian President Vladimir Putin has stated that he will not be extradited, citing the absence of an extradition treaty and the … Continue reading
Events from last week highlight two very different faces of the Syrian intervention movement and how each is evolving: Senator John McCain’s visit with rebel leaders, and the as yet unconfirmed report of an American combatant’s death. These developments have attracted increased attention to the possibility of U.S. intervention in Syria, a prospect which seemed … Continue reading
As if US-Russian relations weren’t already complicated enough, a breaking spy scandal has resulted in the expulsion of Ryan Christopher Fogle, a junior diplomat at the US Embassy in Moscow, who allegedly attempted to recruit a Russian intelligence officer to spy for the CIA. Reading the American and Russian press in the wake of the … Continue reading
My newsfeed headlines have been dominated by news that Russian President Vladimir Putin has been named second most influential man in the world. Although there are many other newsworthy stories to report, I believe that this story deserves a nod. According to Ian Bremmer, President of the Eurasia Group, influential, charismatic leaders still run the … Continue reading
Most common, national identity is created through a shared language and culture, but most recently, shared history has risen as the predominant factor in uniting people who share a passport. Among the former Soviet countries, shared history is the essence of national identity; citizens of Russia are united in referencing World War II as the … Continue reading
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