Tuesday, August 25, 2015

Russia Inadvertently Posts Its Casualties In Ukraine: 2,000 Deaths, 3,200 Disabled

Despite this mass of evidence, only one-quarter of Russians believe the Russia has troops in Ukraine. Will the presence of 3,200 war invalids and more than 2,000 grieving families erode the belief that Russia is not conducting a war with its own troops against Ukraine? It seems that time and events will raise the number of Russians who believe the truth.


go to forbes.com

Friday, August 21, 2015

Is A Slow Putsch Against Putin Under Way?

A quarter century after the fall of the USSR, Kremlinologists sense a putsch in the air, despite Vladimir Putin’s overwhelming approval ratings. The tea leaves say that the Kremlin elite, dubbed by some as Politburo 2.0, is currently deciding whether Putin should go before he makes a bad situation worse. The founder of the respected dailyKommersant predicts that a dramatic change is about to take place and advises Russians who have the means to leave the country for a month or so and take their children with them.

go to forbes.com

Monday, August 17, 2015

Putin in the Dock

Putin has overplayed his hand. In addition to its exposure to liability for damage caused during the conflict in Ukraine, Russia faces legal penalties totaling roughly 4% of its GDP – roughly what it spends on education. Putin may have been able to bring his country’s legal system under his control, but he remains vulnerable to international rulings. With Russia too enmeshed in the international legal and financial system to cut ties and become a rogue state, its president is increasingly likely to face the consequences of his actions.


go to project syndicate.com

Wednesday, August 12, 2015

The Dirty Bomb: A Thwarted Putin False Flag Operation?

Skeptics will argue that Vladimir Putin cannot use a dirty bomb as a false flag operation because it would sicken and kill civilians in occupied Ukrainian territory and maybe even Russians across the nearby border. But the loss of civilian life in pursuit of political objectives has never deterred Putin.

go to Forbes.com