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

is already fragile, exacerbated by Russia's cancelation of the S-300 air- defense-systems contract and its foot-dragging over the completion of the Bushehr nuclear reactor. Where does all this lead? All governments aspire to align their economic, state and foreign policy interests. What is unique abou

u" who led the Israeli team was an imposter — a former Deputy Foreign Minister of Israel. Two former government ministers took turns to play Obama. Putin was a former Israeli ambassador to Moscow. The war game was designed to explore the likely outcome of an Israeli pre- emptive attack on Iran; it did

watch and wait. Anne Applebaum, a historian and Post columnist, remembered that tides drop as well as rise, and set out in a contrary direction. As Vladimir Putin relentlessly tightens the noose on Russia, her definitive study of how EFTA00700304 totalitarianism can be imposed or reimposed looks sadly, usef

as rise, and set out in a contrary direction. As Vladimir Putin relentlessly tightens the noose on Russia,

In the end, though, the decision was taken to refrain; Washington was one more complication they didn't need. Russia (which has been building the Bushehr nuclear power plant) was also approached for immediate help to rebuild the devastated facilities, as well as delivery of S-300 surface-to-air missi

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

is already fragile, exacerbated by Russia's cancelation of the S- 300 air-defense-systems contract and its foot-dragging over the completion of the Bushehr nuclear reactor. Where does all this lead? All governments aspire to align their economic, state and foreign policy interests. What is unique about

for it, Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian civil war— particularly the White House's inept and improvisational response to it—has accidentally transformed Putin into a major power- broker for the post-Arab Spring Middle East. (This is no small feat considering that Sunni Muslim antipathy toward Russia is at

ing in Cairo as a direct result of EFTA00706389 its government's support for the still-popular military regime: "The positive stance of President Vladimir Putin towards the June revolution was behind the rise in his popularity." Portraits of Putin today hang alongside those of Sisi in Cairo. The Russian-Eg

litary regime: "The positive stance of President Vladimir Putin towards the June revolution was behind the

nd nuclear power plant for the Islamic Republic, just as it was handing over operational control to the Iranians for the first facility it built in Bushehr. Russia is a vocal opponent of any additional international sanctions on Iran (now on hold anyway following the the interim "freeze" deal inked bet

Administration Reportedly Mulling Travel Ban On Chinese Communist Party Members. • US Sanctions Companies Linked To Russian Businessman With Ties To Putin. • Poland's Duda Falls Victim To Russian Pranksters Posing As UN Chief. • New Research Suggests Global Methane Emissions Will Keep Rising. THE BIG

. The AP (7/15) reports the Administration has imposed sanctions on "companies connected to a Russian businessman who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and suspected of helping finance the covert social media campaign aimed at American voters ahead of the 2016 presidential election." The actions ta

ian businessman who is close to Russian President Vladimir Putin and suspected of helping finance the cover

n Latest Attack. The New York Times (7/15, Fassihi, 18.61M) reports that a "large fire broke out at a shipyard in the southern Iranian port city of Bushehr on Wednesday, burning seven ships and sending plumes of black smoke billowing above the city skyline, according to videos and Iranian media EFTA001

nalists, it was socialist, anti-Israel and anti-Western alliance—everything the Soviets could desire. The relationship with Syria has thrived under Putin—but at a cost to Russia. Moscow has forgiven almost three-quarters of Damascus's massive debt in order to lure lucrative weapons orders. Not long a

ses, a vulnerable electrical grid, exposed nuclear sites (the uranium conversion plant at Esfahan, the heavy water facility at Arak, the reactor at Bushehr), and a vulnerable energy infrastructure on which its economy is utterly dependent. Even its deeply buried targets can be destroyed. It's all a qu