Epstein Secrets

ssia and China, each of which has a veto on the Security Council. Obama administration officials complain about that support, but Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugs them off. Why is Russia able to shield Assad, harm the Syrian people, and frustrate U.S. diplomacy? Because Mr. Obama has made the Security

explanation for why Moscow continues to back the Assad regime is that it is acting to protect its security and economic interests. While President Vladimir E FTA_R 1_02207156 EFTA02722367 Putin may well believe this to be the case, his government's continued support for Bashar Assad represents at best

k the Assad regime is that it is acting to protect its security and economic interests. While President Vladimir E FTA_R 1_02207156 EFTA02722367 Putin may well believe this to be the case, his government's continued support for Bashar Assad represents at best a miscalculation—and at worst an irrev

mplain about that support, but Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugs them off. Why is Russia able to shi

allot box, some have continued to implicate the United States. Youssef Sidhom, who attended the round-table afternoon meeting with Mrs. Clinton at the American Embassy here, said some of the discomfort was rooted in the timing of American statements on Egypt, which seemed to "bless democracy" just as Islamists we

ting much in the way of access, trade or aid with Europe. But let's not persist in believing that Moscow's moves have been strategically brilliant. Vladimir Putin must have watched with extreme frustration in February as a pro-Russian government was toppled and Ukraine was slipping from his grasp. After the

was slipping from his grasp. After the Olympics ended, he acted swiftly, sending his forces into Crimea. It was a blunder. In taking over Crimea, Putin has lost Ukraine. Since 1991, Russia has influenced Ukraine through pro-Russian politicians who were bribed by Moscow to listen to its diktats. Tha

oscow's moves have been strategically brilliant. Vladimir Putin must have watched with extreme frustration

orse, for their courageous irreverence and wit. In the 1960s, the chief of Egypt's General Intelligence Directorate, Salah Nasr, was convinced that the American Embassy in Cairo was behind the jokes going around about Nasser, by then the president. The directorate assigned dozens of offices throughout Egypt to coll

sia and China, each of which has a veto on the Security Council. Obama administration officials complain about that support, but Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugs them off. Why is Russia able to shield Assad, harm the Syrian people, and frustrate U.S. diplomacy? Because Mr. Obama has made the Security

s in the Middle East is that they seem set to backfire against its regional standing on all three fronts. None of this will be made easier for Mr. Putin by the continuing deterioration of his domestic support. A recent report by a Russian think tank warns that Moscow's foreign policy may become "les

mplain about that support, but Russian President Vladimir Putin shrugs them off. Why is Russia able to shi

allot box, some have continued to implicate the United States. Youssef Sidhom, who attended the round-table afternoon meeting with Mrs. Clinton at the American Embassy here, said some of the discomfort was rooted in the timing of American statements on Egypt, which seemed to "bless democracy" just as Islamists wer

dle East: The End of America's Moment? NYT Russia vs. Europe Bill Keller December 15, 2013 -- The world needs Nelson Mandelas. Instead, it gets Vladimir Putins. As the South African hero was being sung to his grave last week, the Russian president was bullying neighboring Ukraine into a new customs union t

nion Lite, and consolidating his control of state-run media by creating a new Kremlin news agency under a nationalistic and homophobic hard-liner. Putin's moves were not isolated events. They fit into a pattern of behavior over the past couple of years that deliberately distances Russia from the soc

he world needs Nelson Mandelas. Instead, it gets Vladimir Putins. As the South African hero was being sung

rty sympathizes with the Salafists and did not want to attack them as Ben Ali used to attack protesters. EFTA00706414 We condemned the attack on the American Embassy and consider it a big security failure on the part of the government. This incident has resulted in a complete change in our policy towards the Sal

utin Goes to War David Remnick March 1, 2014 -- Vladimir Putin, the Russian President and autocrat, had a

costs, and recent history has shown that when it considers its interests at stake, Russia has been willing to pay the price. Even before President Vladimir V. Putin on Saturday publicly declared his intent to send Russian troops into the Ukrainian territory of Crimea, Mr. Obama and his team were already discuss

ent Russian news site, how the Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan, in 1979, under the pretext of helping a "fraternal" ally in Kabul; to Parkhomenko, Putin's decision to couch his military action as the "protection" of Russians living in Crimea is an equally transparent pretext. The same goes for the d

e of the situation in the Crimea? That's the $64,000 question," said Brig. Gen. Kevin Ryan, a retired Army officer who served as defense attaché in the American Embassy in Moscow and now, as a Harvard scholar, leads a group of former Russian and American officials in back-channel talks. Mr. Obama announced the firs