Why Putin Needs this War A recent article from Maria Snegovaya argues Putin will survive his war. Regardless of its final outcome, she argues, Putin will remain in power. Her case makes a lot of sense. For example, popular support for the invasion is strong among Russians. Moreover, Putin's approval ratings increased after the war... Continue Reading →
Ukraine Shows the Limits to Political Protest Last week a listener of the podcast emailed me. She raised the possibility of civil resistance as an alternative for Ukraine to oppose Russia's military invasion. Some readers will dismiss the idea as naive. However, the publication of Why Civil Resistance Works by Erica Chenoweth and Maria Stephan brought... Continue Reading →
Eastern Ukraine Under Assault As Russia makes a strategic pivot toward Eastern Ukraine, the challenge goes beyond the battlefield. A divide has long existed between Eastern and Western Ukraine. The most notable difference between the regions is linguistic. Russian is more widely spoken in Eastern Ukraine as opposed to Ukrainian. However, Eastern Ukraine has also... Continue Reading →
Craig Whitlock is an investigative reporter at The Washington Post and the author of The Afghanistan Papers: A Secret History of the War. Become a Patron! It's still shocking to me to read a lot of these documents and interviews in, The Afghanistan Papers, things that most people would think are obvious. What's the plan... Continue Reading →
How Will Russia's Invasion of Ukraine End? Let me start with a simple admission. Nobody really knows how Russia’s invasion of Ukraine will end. However, careful observers can make some measured predictions based on geopolitical interests, past behaviors, and historical lessons. It’s always possible Putin will defy conventional wisdom and logic to chart his own... Continue Reading →
