Supergenius Vladimir Putin gets everything he wanted in Ukraine, except the things he wanted

We're back on the "Vladimir Putin is an all-knowing, all-powerful demon-king" beat, I guess. That's the best takeaway from this piece at The New Republic yesterday: Putin Just Got Exactly What He Wanted in Eastern Ukraine Let's...maybe take a step back here. If you were Vladimir Putin, when the big ball dropped in Times Square … Continue reading Supergenius Vladimir Putin gets everything he wanted in Ukraine, except the things he wanted

Mission creep, an illusion in three parts

Prologue: The Problem President Obama and European leaders called Thursday for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to resign, after months of his violent crackdown on protesters. The rhetorical escalation was backed by new U.S. sanctions designed to undermine Assad’s ability to finance his military operation. “The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but … Continue reading Mission creep, an illusion in three parts

When is a ceasefire not a ceasefire?

How about when nobody has actually ceased firing? Shelling has killed six people and wounded 15 others in the rebel stronghold of Donetsk, the city council said, the worst reported violence since a ceasefire between Russian-backed rebels and Ukrainian troops began on September 5. Fighting around the eastern city's government-held airport has left its northern … Continue reading When is a ceasefire not a ceasefire?

Florida (Congress)Man possibly not aware of passage of Nineteenth Amendment

Submitted as evidence, incumbent Florida Congressman Steve Southerland: Rep. Steve Southerland (R-Fla.) was criticized last week for hosting a male-only fundraiser in March, with his opponent Gwen Graham's campaign calling the event "offensive." But Southerland laughed off the criticism to the Tampa Bay Times on Friday, comparing the event to a "lingerie party." "I live … Continue reading Florida (Congress)Man possibly not aware of passage of Nineteenth Amendment