by Rodger Payne | 4 Jul 2007 |
Today is a day that the United States of America celebrates its independence. The Declaration of Independence, which was dated July 4, 1776, contains some of the most familiar political language in world history: We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain unalienable Rights, that among these are Life, Liberty and the pursuit of Happiness.--That to secure these...
by Maia Gemmill | 3 Jul 2007 |
"The third hearing of my man took place at two o'clock at night; I had previously worked for eighteen hours on end. He had been woken up; he was drunk with sleep and frightened; he betrayed himself. From that time I cross-examined my people chiefly at night....Once a woman complained that she had been kept standing outside my room the whole night, awaiting her turn. Her legs were shaking and she was completely tired out; in the middle of her...
by Maia Gemmill | 2 Jul 2007 |
Update below the fold.After months of diplomatic sniping between the US and Russia, Presidents Vladimir Putin and George Bush are meeting today at the Bush family compound in Kennebunkport, Maine. Bush has generally invited foreign leaders to his own ranch in Texas, rather than to the Maine compound, which belongs to his father. I have yet to read a compelling explanation as to why he chose Maine over Texas other than the more pleasant...
by Dan Nexon | 29 Jun 2007 |
The BBC reports:US President George W Bush has appealed for people to give his strategy in Iraq a chance - holding up Israel as a model for defining success there.He said America would like to see Iraq function as a democracy while dealing with violence - just as Israel does.Speaking at the US Naval War College, Mr Bush said success in Iraq would not be defined by an end to attacks.His remarks come as members of his Republican party are...
by Maia Gemmill | 28 Jun 2007 |
On Tuesday, I mentioned that second rule of Russia watching is "follow the money". The only problem is that following the money is not easy.I've been asked on occasion whether I think Mikhail Khodorkovsky, the former head of YUKOS oil now in prison for tax evasion and fraud, is guilty or were the charges against him politically motivated.My answer: "Yes."Khodorkovsky gained control of YUKOS in the notorious loans-for-shares auctions, which were...
by Peter | 28 Jun 2007 |
Political leaders have long relied on historical analogies to frame, explain, and justify important policy choices. The current administration is no exception when discussing its policy toward Iraq—the most recent instance occurring when Tony Snow described keeping US forces in Iraq “as we have in South Korea.” Indeed, Iraq has been a war full of analogies: Bush’s father analogized Saddam Hussien to Hitler in the first Gulf War, Rumsfeld wanted...
by Maia Gemmill | 27 Jun 2007 |
The other day, we were discussing Monty Python references, and I volunteered that I had recently started a short piece on the prospects for democracy in Belarus and Ukraine with "Revolutions are like the Spanish Inquisition--no one ever expects them." "Surely that's not true!" our friends protested. "There must be something to predict them.""Well, most revolutions seem to be highly contingent phenomena. You can go back and and pick out the...
by Dan Nexon | 27 Jun 2007 |
First up, expanding the blog collective. A big welcome to our new contributor, Maia Gemmill. Maia is a recent SAIS graduate in Russia-Eurasia studies with a concentration in Economics. We also co-authored "Children's Crusade: The Religious Politics of Harry Potter" in Harry Potter and International Relations. She's already, as you can tell, breathing new life into the Duck.Second, our blog rating is in:Apparently we use the phrase "bomb" a lot...
by Maia Gemmill | 27 Jun 2007 |
Did you know that there's a new Cold War? Well, not really. It makes for good media headlines, but it's largely exaggerated hype.Nevertheless, tensions between the US and Russia have been on the rise over the last year. At the heart of the matter is Russia's desire to be taken seriously as a player in the world political scene. The economy is booming and government coffers are overflowing. Russia sees itself as undergoing a resurgence and they...
by Maia Gemmill | 26 Jun 2007 |
By now, you have probably heard about the recall of Thomas the Tank Engine toys, which are decorated with lead paint. While Lead-Foot Thomas is getting a lot of media attention right now, it's only the latest in a string of serious safety problems associated with products imported from China. Over the last few years, there have been repeated recalls on children's toys and jewelry due to lead contamination--all produced in China. Then there was...
by Maia Gemmill | 26 Jun 2007 |
"I cannot forecast to you the action of Russia. It is a riddle, wrapped in a mystery, inside an enigma; but perhaps there is a key. That key is Russian national interest."Russia observers love to trot out Churchill's famous quote. In fact, people love to use this quote in all sorts of other contexts--to apply to pretty much anything that is difficult to comprehend.Churchill, however, made this statement in a radio address on October 1, 1939,...
by Rodger Payne | 25 Jun 2007 |
Parade magazine's straw poll asks: "Does the UN still matter?"Right now, the vote is running just about 60/40.That's 59% no, 41% yes, as of this moment.While more scientific polling also reveals a lot of skepticism about the UN's ability to work well, public polling results also typically indicate significant public support for making the UN work better. Update 6/30/07: It's 72% no, 28% yes tonight.