Russia

Obama delivered his final United Nations speech, challenging people to contemplate the successes of the previous eight years. Yet, while providing admirable aspirations for a world slipping into chaos, Obama failed to provide a vision of U.S. leadership that would address the oncoming challenges.

Bobo Lo’s Russia & the New World Disorder examines how the country’s internal politics and worldview impact its foreign policy choices. A dense and informative work that immensely rewards readers who have the patience to delve deeply, the book also makes the case for why Russia may struggle in the “new world disorder”.

Kasparov argues in Winter is Coming that Putin and his kleptocratic government poses serious risks for the world’s democracies as the oligarchs maintain their wealth and power by any means necessary.

Technological advancements of American adversaries reveals an “eroding” U.S. military edge and highlights the need for the third offset strategy.

A policy of patient preparedness—bracing for the worst, getting through another day, another year, another term without another war—is how U.S. presidents have measured success in Korea for 63 years. It’s a low bar, to be sure. But given what Korean War II would look like, it’s a worthy goal.

Many American officials have concluded that issues in Central and Eastern Europe have been fixed once and for all and that they can “check the box” and move on to other more pressing strategic issues. Relations have been so close that many on both sides assume that the region’s transatlantic orientation, as well as its stability and prosperity, would last forever. That view is premature.

Under threat, Europe is at another crossroads. Whether NATO will help it find the right direction is an open question.

Milton’s Russian Roulette tells the captivating history of how British spies prevented the Bolsheviks from spreading revolution.

The Obama administration is making some adjustments to its foreign policy approach, but not enough to deal with the challenges we face.