Late last week pro-Kremlin separatist militias — aided and very likely led by “green men”— defeated the last band of Ukrainian “Cyborgs” defending Donetsk’s airport. Two years ago the airport was touted as one of Eastern Europe’s most modern air hubs. Today it is, like many neighborhoods in the Donetsk region and villages along the […]
Putin
Posted inOp-Eds
Austin Bay: Strategist Putin strikes an ominous deal with Iran
Russian president Vladimir Putin made dangerous history in 2014. His invasion of Crimea and subsequent annexation of the peninsula shredded the diplomatic agreements stabilizing post-Cold War Eastern Europe. Then Putin ignited a low-level war in Eastern Ukraine. Despite a September 2014 ceasefire agreement, Putin’s overt covert war-making continues in Eastern Ukraine. The Kremlin has concluded […]
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Looking back on New Year’s Eve and looking ahead to New Year’s Day
Looking back — and looking ahead. That’s what New Year’s celebrations are all about. It’s only been 15 years since this century arrived with all kinds of Y2K hoopla. The Sun Journal’s front page for Dec. 31, 1999, carried a huge “This is it” goodbye, and the next day’s headline declared, “The future is here.” […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Austin Bay: Put some teeth in Russian sanctions
Ultimate responsibility for the massacre of the 298 people aboard Malaysian Airlines Flight MH17 begins and ends in the Kremlin office of Russian president Vladimir Putin. Even if the triggermen who fired the missile turn out to be Donetsk locals, the so-called pro-Russian separatist militia fighters are armed and advised by Russian intelligence officers. Until […]
Posted inOp-Eds
Charles Krauthammer: Putin’s pivot to Asia makes mockery of U.S.
WASHINGTON — On Wednesday, it finally happened — the pivot to Asia. No, not the United States. It was Russia that turned East. In Shanghai, Russian President Vladimir Putin and Chinese President Xi Jinping signed a spectacular energy deal — $400 billion of Siberian natural gas to be exported to China over 30 years. This […]
Posted insj-web
Russia nears full control in Crimea with fall of Ukrainian bases
BELBEK, Crimea — With a burst of automatic weapons fire and stun grenades, Russian forces in armored personnel carriers on Saturday broke through the walls of one of the last Ukrainian military outposts in Crimea, then quickly overpowered Ukrainian troops armed only with sticks. The fall of the Belbek air base, along with the loss […]
Posted inNation / World, sj-web
Syria conflict: Obama acknowledges challenges
ST. PETERSBURG, Russia (AP) — Beset by divisions at home and abroad, President Barack Obama candidly acknowledged deep challenges Friday in pursuing support for a military strike against Syria from international allies and the U.S. Congress. He refused to say whether he might act on his own, a step that could have major implications for […]