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Category: Politics

The only realistic answer to Putin

The only realistic answer to Putin

David J. Kramer, John Herbst, and William Taylor write: Russia’s unprovoked invasion of Ukraine last year and, for that matter, its first invasion of its neighbor eight years before are impossible to justify. Russian President Vladimir Putin is trying to convince his public that this war is existential, but with little success. Russia’s existence as a strong, sovereign state is not dependent on its control of Ukraine or even parts of the Donbas or Crimea. That’s why, since Putin implemented…

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Xi Jinping says he is preparing China for war. The world should take him seriously

Xi Jinping says he is preparing China for war. The world should take him seriously

John Pomfret and Matt Pottinger write: Chinese leader Xi Jinping says he is preparing for war. At the annual meeting of China’s parliament and its top political advisory body in March, Xi wove the theme of war readiness through four separate speeches, in one instance telling his generals to “dare to fight.” His government also announced a 7.2 percent increase in China’s defense budget, which has doubled over the last decade, as well as plans to make the country less…

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Our democracy is ‘under vicious, unsustainable, and unendurable attack — from within,’ says Judge Luttig

Our democracy is ‘under vicious, unsustainable, and unendurable attack — from within,’ says Judge Luttig

Charlie Sykes writes: It was called the “tweet heard round the world.” On the morning before the January 6th attack on the Capitol, one of the nation’s most prominent conservative jurists, former Federal Appeals Court Judge J. Michael Luttig, posted a message aimed at Vice President Mike Pence. A close friend of the late Justice Antonin Scalia, Luttig had frequently been mentioned as a possible Supreme Court nominee, and when he spoke, conservatives paid close attention. That day his message was…

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Trump’s favorite extreme think tank, the Claremont Institute, is jumping ship for DeSantis

Trump’s favorite extreme think tank, the Claremont Institute, is jumping ship for DeSantis

Vice News reports: “They’re quite a few [at the Claremont Institute] who personally prefer DeSantis as the next candidate. And I would count myself among that group,” Claremont Institute Senior Fellow Charles Kesler told VICE News. Kesler, who is one of the trustees DeSantis appointed to execute his hostile takeover of the public liberal arts school New College, said that DeSantis’ competence as a chief executive is “very impressive”—as is his ideological approach. “On a whole range of issues where…

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A new book-ban fiasco in Florida reveals the monster DeSantis created

A new book-ban fiasco in Florida reveals the monster DeSantis created

Greg Sargent writes: By now, it should be blindingly obvious that many red-state book crackdowns are designed to encourage the impulse toward censorship. By enabling lone actors to get dozens of titles removed from school library shelves while meeting deliberately vague criteria for objecting to them, these measures invite overzealous parents to hunt for books to purge. A bill advancing in the Florida state legislature suggests this could create problems for Gov. Ron DeSantis, who is using book crackdowns to…

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Putin prepares Russia for ‘forever war’ with West as Ukraine invasion stalls

Putin prepares Russia for ‘forever war’ with West as Ukraine invasion stalls

The Guardian reports: One evening in late December, as Muscovites strolled along their city’s brightly lit streets in anticipation of the end-of-year celebrations, a group of old friends gathered for dinner at the flat of a senior state official. Some of the guests present, which included members of Russia’s cultural and political elite, toasted a new year in which they expressed hope for peace and a return to normality. As the night went on, a man who needed little introduction…

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Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is finally forcing the EU to get real about reliance on authoritarian states

Russia’s invasion of Ukraine is finally forcing the EU to get real about reliance on authoritarian states

Politico reports: China and the U.S. are in a race to build up their world power blocs, and both are using the same pressure point: the war in Ukraine. Last week, China’s leader Xi Jinping spent three days in Russia, solidifying his “no limits” partnership with Russian President Vladimir Putin. On Tuesday, U.S. President Joe Biden kicks off his second Summit for Democracy — aiming to rally world leaders around principles of freedom, rule of law and human rights. The…

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Russia’s economy is starting to come undone

Russia’s economy is starting to come undone

The Wall Street Journal reports: The opening months of Russia’s invasion of Ukraine last year drove an increase in oil and natural-gas prices that brought a windfall for Moscow. Those days are over. As the war continues into its second year and Western sanctions bite harder, Russia’s government revenue is being squeezed and its economy has shifted to a lower-growth trajectory, likely for the long term. The country’s biggest exports, gas and oil, have lost major customers. Government finances are…

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Despite setbacks, far-right extremists are winning positions in mainstream Northwest politics

Despite setbacks, far-right extremists are winning positions in mainstream Northwest politics

Oregon Public Broadcasting reports: Dan Tooze spent most of the day on Aug. 22, 2021, sporting a Proud Boys T-shirt and body armor. Like many in the group, Tooze was armed — a wooden baton in hand and a pistol on his belt. He was in Portland’s Parkrose neighborhood for a rally held by the violent, extremist group whose emblem was emblazoned on his chest. The rally began with speeches, including several defending the Jan. 6 insurrection on the U.S….

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Do Israeli protesters really want democracy?

Do Israeli protesters really want democracy?

Orly Noy writes: After 13 weeks of fiery, unprecedented public protests, Sunday night and Monday morning brought with them historic developments: not only a continued escalation in the demonstrations themselves, but also the announcement of a general strike by Israel’s powerful labor union; additional strikes by the country’s universities; and shutdowns at Israeli embassies around the world. Those scenes, coupled with a potential announcement by Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu that he is putting his judicial coup on pause, have given…

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How the AR-15 became the weapon of choice for mass murderers along with 16 million other Americans

How the AR-15 became the weapon of choice for mass murderers along with 16 million other Americans

The Washington Post reports: The AR-15 wasn’t supposed to be a bestseller. The rugged, powerful weapon was originally designed as a soldiers’ rifle in the late 1950s. “An outstanding weapon with phenomenal lethality,” an internal Pentagon report raved. It soon became standard issue for U.S. troops in the Vietnam War, where the weapon earned a new name: the M16. But few gunmakers saw a semiautomatic version of the rifle — with its shrouded barrel, pistol grip and jutting ammunition magazine…

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Netanyahu finally went too far

Netanyahu finally went too far

Zack Beauchamp writes: Throughout the day on Monday, Israel was consumed by protest. Massive crowds gathered outside the Knesset, Israel’s Parliament, and in the streets of its major cities. The economy ground to a halt amid a general strike; everything from airports to Israeli embassies abroad to the country’s 226 McDonald’s franchises shut down. It is the largest protest movement in the entirety of Israeli history, one that has been taking to the streets for the past several months but…

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The Trump campaign’s collusion with Israel

The Trump campaign’s collusion with Israel

James Bamford writes: “Roger, hello from Jerusalem,” read the message from the Israeli secret agent. Dated August 12, 2016, it was addressed to Roger Stone—at the time a key player in Donald Trump’s presidential election campaign. “Any progress? He is going to be defeated unless we intervene. We have critical intel. The key is in your hands! Back in the US next week.” Later, the agent promised, “October Surprise coming!” While the American media and political system fixated on Russian…

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Russia supplies Iran with cyber weapons as military cooperation grows

Russia supplies Iran with cyber weapons as military cooperation grows

The Wall Street Journal reports: Russia is helping Iran gain advanced digital-surveillance capabilities as Tehran seeks deeper cooperation on cyberwarfare, people familiar with the matter said, adding another layer to a burgeoning military alliance that the U.S. sees as a threat. The potential for cyberwarfare collaboration comes after Iran has, according to U.S. and Iranian officials, sold Russia drones for use in Ukraine, agreed to provide short-range missiles to Moscow and shipped tank and artillery rounds to the battlefield. Tehran…

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Obama alums are pushing Biden to the right

Obama alums are pushing Biden to the right

Alexander Sammon writes: In mid-March, the Biden administration formally approved the Willow oil drilling project on federally owned landed in Alaska’s National Petroleum Reserve. The ConocoPhillips-led effort is a massive operation, with the potential to produce 600 million barrels of crude over 30 years and release an additional 9.2 million metric tons of carbon pollution annually. It is also a major campaign promise betrayal, one that came as a surprise: “No more drilling on federal lands,” Joe Biden said in 2020. “Period. Period. Period. Period.” In…

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The House Republicans who identify themselves with the Mafia

The House Republicans who identify themselves with the Mafia

Timothy Noah writes: Sometime late last year, the leaders of the five power centers within the House Republican caucus started calling themselves the Five Families. “You know my reference,” Republican Representative Marjorie Taylor Greene (whom Kevin McCarthy admitted to Five Family meetings to secure her support for speaker) told Steve Bannon in a December 14 interview. “I would hope,” Bannon replied, “that those meetings turn out better than the Five Families’ meetings in The Godfather.” They did not. In The Godfather there are five (Mafia)…

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