Tag Archives: Russia

What “strongmen” can’t do

Tolerate dissent. Because of which they won’t hold open elections. (As my father pointed out years ago, if a political leader is as popular as he claims, he can prove it by having an open election — not one rigged … Continue reading

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“Blood and Ruins,” a revelatory history

Blood and Ruins: The Last Imperial War, 1931-1945, by British historian Richard Overy. That’s the book that has transformed my mind. So much so, every day I find myself absorbing news about our world and events within it with such … Continue reading

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What happens if you dis the State?

Depends on which State you’re dissing, and which part of It. From Harper’s Weekly Review: A Russian rock musician was charged with discrediting the army after declaring onstage that “the motherland, friends, is not the president’s ass that should be … Continue reading

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