The Guardian: How the war has robbed Ukraine’s oligarchs of political influence Analysis: Five months since Russia’s invasion started, Ukraine’s wealthiest have gone quiet – but for how long? Isobel Koshiw in Kyiv — Sat 23 Jul 2022 Ukraine’s richest people, known in the country as oligarchs, are used to dominating political and economic life. … Continue reading Benched: Ukraine’s Oligarchs Are Waiting for a Break
Iran nukes deal: end of the road Gwynne Dyer — Jul 21, 2022 About six weeks ago Rafael Grossi, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), warned that the attempt to revive the 2015 deal that restricted Iran’s ability to enrich uranium was on the brink of collapse. Three or four weeks more … Continue reading Dyer: Iran Nuke Deal Is Dead
Here are three analyses of how the Ukraine war is unfolding, especially from Vladimir Putin’s perspective. The first is by Tatiana Stanovaya, a U. S.-based scholar who has observed Putin and tracked his thinking and actions for twenty years. She argues, in sum, that Putin has a plan for conquering and absorbing/erasing Ukraine, and despite … Continue reading Three-Part Thinkpiece: Putin, His War, And Ours?
Art of dissent: How Russians protest the war on Ukraine They risk jail, stigma and fines. But Russian protesters are finding creative ways to get their message out. Washington Post: By Robyn Dixon, Mary Ilyushina and Natalia Abbakumova — July 7, 2022 It was 4 a.m. on Moscow’s second ring road. Early light bathed the empty … Continue reading The Colors of Courage: Underground Russian War Protests:
New York Times: In its joint dissent [from the supreme court decision to overthrow Roe] in Dobbs, the court’s three-member liberal wing wrote, “Either the mass of the majority’s opinion is hypocrisy, or additional constitutional rights are under threat. It is one or the other.” Actually, it’s worse than that. It’s both. — Harry Litman, … Continue reading Quotes for Tuesday: supreme hypocrisy, hanging on too long, Gas & (as usual) Guns . . .