Did Robert Heinlein in 1961 predict the fall of the Soviet Union? Lessons...
Summary: Our past can help us to better understand our present. The ills of the present didn’t just appear, and often can be seen more clearly in the past — such as as our penchant for believing...
View ArticleFor 50 years Republicans have fought against treaties that brought peace
Summary: To understand the dynamics and stakes of the Iran deal we should look at our past, rather than conservatives’ confident warnings about the future. The peace we’ve enjoyed for decades results...
View ArticleDid NATO betray Russia, breaking the deal to stay out of Eastern Europe?
Summary: The news that “NATO invites Montenegro to join alliance, defying Russia” has sparked return (again) of stories that the US broke its deal with the Soviet Union to stay out of Eastern Europe....
View ArticleWe ended the Cold War by lying to Russia. They remember.
Summary: As our leads start the second Cold War (for their own purposes), let's remember America's betrayal at the end of the first Cold War. It soured the peace and prevented any lasting rapprochement...
View ArticleHow the Soviet Menace was over-hyped, and what we can learn from this
Summary: Histories of the CIA document its poor performance as an intelligence agency (e.g., Tim Weiner's 2007 book Legacy of Ashes: The History of the CIA). While incompetence certainly plays a role...
View ArticleContinuity and dysfunctionality in US foreign policy (lessons for our...
Summary: Today we gain some insights about ourselves from Cold War uber-hawk Colin Grey. Nations have different strategic cultures, different styles of foreign policy. Like those of the US and Iran,...
View ArticleBallad of the Unknown Pilot
Tweet Summary: A wounded Soviet pilot in a crippled fighter reflects back on his wartime experiences. He’s seen and done a lot of interesting things, but one memory sticks out above the rest. He...
View ArticleBirth of a Man of Steel …for the Soviet Union
Tweet Summary: A brave freedom fighter against the Russian Tsar meets a legendary witch. She promises him that the revolution will be successful, and he will become the greatest leader who ever lived....
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