Category Archives: War Notes

Money Where His Mouth Is: Alexei Navalny’s Vision of a Better, Peaceful Russia

Washington Post, September 30, 2022 This is what a post-Putin Russia should look like    Russian opposition leader Alexei Navalny is serving a nine-year sentence in a maximum-security penal colony. This essay was conveyed to The Post by his legal team.  What does a desirable and realistic end to the criminal war unleashed by Vladimir Putin … Continue reading Money Where His Mouth Is: Alexei Navalny’s Vision of a Better, Peaceful Russia →

Gwynne Dyer: Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Begins: How Will It Turn Out?

Ukraine: The counteroffensive begins By Gwynne DyerJune 14, 2023 The furious speculation on whether the Ukrainian counteroffensive will succeed has been ongoing for several months already, so the first thing I must tell you is that I don’t know. Nobody knows, not even the Ukrainians. They know that the big prize is a southward offensive … Continue reading Gwynne Dyer: Ukraine’s Counteroffensive Begins: How Will It Turn Out? →

Pope Francis and his “Secret” Ukraine Peace Mission

[NOTE: For very orthodox Catholics, the Church is at the center of history, and the Vatican is at the center of the Church. Hence if there is some major disturbance, such as war, the Church “naturally” should have a role in ending it and repairing the damage. But on the battlefield, it is fighting that … Continue reading Pope Francis and his “Secret” Ukraine Peace Mission →

Here’s One I Missed: “Why Do Russians Still Want to Fight?”

NOTE: I recognize a lot in this article, though I’m no Russian expert. What’s familiar are the parallels with my own generational experience, and one of its central traumas: the Vietnam war. Yes, I was an antiwar protester. There were lots of us; we repeatedly filled Washington’s main streets with our anger. I have friends … Continue reading Here’s One I Missed: “Why Do Russians Still Want to Fight?” →

Is Ukraine Fighting a U. S. “Proxy War” With Russia? The Answer Is . . .

. . . Yes. No. Both. Maybe. Or —Or What?? Washington Post — April 18, 2023 An intellectual battle rages: Is the U.S. in a proxy war with Russia? Vladimir Putin says the West is trying to ‘finish’ Russia. The Biden administration denies the accusation. But leaked documents reveal the extent of U.S. involvement in … Continue reading Is Ukraine Fighting a U. S. “Proxy War” With Russia? The Answer Is . . . →