I have previously admitted that I was wrong to laugh at Mitt Romney in 2012 when he called Russia our number one geopolitical enemy. In the last four years Czar Putin has brazenly violated international law and norms, invading Ukraine and annexing the Crimean Peninsula. He has taken advantage of American inaction in Syria, conducting strikes there - ostensibly to combat ISIL - to aid his ally Assad, who is now reconsolidating his hold, virtually assuring future violence. Now he has openly interfered in our presidential election, spreading misinformation to help Donald Trump, abetting the rise of forces he knows will weaken America. The Russian Bear is no longer in hibernation.
As always, happy Wednesday and happy reading.
This Day in History
1981 - The US and the USSR begin talks on reducing intermediate range ballistic missiles. Ultimately no agreement was reached to limit the number of tactical missiles deployed by the Soviets in Eastern Europe and NATO in Western Europe.
1874 - Winston Churchill is born. I believe Churchill is one of the titans of history, a man who recognized the threat of fascism before others, and more importantly, stared it in the eye and stood up to it. Imperfect as we all are, he rose to his moment in history in a heroic manner, and helped save his world from an existential threat.
Analyzing the Threat
Just how tough is the Russian military? Better than they once were, but not yet totally up to par according to this report (from the Strategy Bridge). To someone who experienced the death throes of the USSR as a young child it seems crazy to me that war with Russia could be a possibility, but in both Syria and Eastern Europe the possibility of confrontation, accidental or otherwise, is heightened. Now that Trump is president, it is likely Putin will try to take advantage of the situation he helped create and exploit Trump. Perhaps an analysis of Russia's conventional forces isn't as farfetched as it should be.
How Does He Do It?
Russia is a kleptocracy, and Putin maintains power by controlling Russia's corrupt financial system in an ingenious manner (from Vox). At the center of the network of institutionalized bribery that allows Russia to function is Putin, puppet-master of the purse strings. The article describes the system as having become an organism so corrupt that it has developed an immune system to eliminate anti-corruption efforts. It is chilling to think about, and yet when in our own country the president-elect is tweeting about stripping-citizenship from people who burn the flag it is even more harrowing to see how the system can be manipulated in a dangerous direction. We already failed to learn the lessons of history; can we now see the current warning signs, or are we destined for a descent into our own form of madness?
The American Counterpunch
In the wake of Russia's meddling in the election, what can America do now to retaliate and protect ourselves from future cyber-aggression. What is our cyber-deterrent (from the Strategy Bridge)? This is one of the most interesting and thoughtful articles I've read in some time, and it addresses a new and murky issue, cyber-security. Mutually assured destruction may have worked well for nukes, but does the principle apply to the digital weapons of the 21st century?
Bonnie at the Halls of Power
From right here in my very new hometown of Washington, DC comes Bonnie! Living with her human Haley, Bonnie is quite the politico, and loves hanging around the Capitol and the White House. Although she's a local, she doesn't mind posing for a nice pic outside the halls of democracy. Who can blame her with a tongue like that. Big thanks to Haley for sharing Bonnie!
Will's Weekly Trivia
Please be sure to share Willful Intent's new opt-in form with friends, and submit any thoughts and dog pics via the feedback form!
IF you choose to answer the question, respond to staton.will@gmail.com with your answer. Please note that by competing you are giving me permission to publish your first name in the trivia leader board each week.
Last Week:
1. Which of the following was an Ancient Greek Comedic Playwright: Thucydides: Sophocles; Aristophanes? ONE POINT
2. Who that was mentioned in this week's digest does stand up comedy? ONE POINT
Answers:
1. Aristophanes was the comic writer. Sophocles wrote tragedies, and Thucydides was an historian.
2. Aziz Ansari was the comedian. I would have also accepted Tom Haverford.
This Week:
1. In the 1970s the US and USSR signed nuclear accords known as SALT. What does the acronym SALT stand for? ONE POINT
2. How many SALT accords were signed? ONE POINT
3. Who did Winston Churchill replace as Prime Minister of Great Britain at the beginning of WWII? ONE POINT LEADER BOARD Check out the new Leader Board!
