Who is Vladimir Putin? To begin with, quite a lot of people thought they knew. Continue reading “We know nothing about him”
Putin’s democratic facade shouldn’t fool us any more
Today, President Vladimir Putin of Russia is expected to announce the name of his country’s new prime minister. Continue reading “Putin’s democratic facade shouldn’t fool us any more”
Again, we’ll say we never knew
In recent years, we have all grown accustomed to speaking with deep incomprehension of the indifference that the world displayed during the years of the Nazi Holocaust. Continue reading “Again, we’ll say we never knew”
Putin arrested Russia’s richest man as a warning to the others
I first met Mikhail Khodorkovsky several years ago, just after he had embarked upon his amazingly rapid conversion from shady, highly-suspect oil billionaire to famous, philanthropist oil billionaire. The location was the Moscow home of a Russian friend who might be best described as a democracy activist, and the occasion was Khodorkovsky’s first meeting with Richard Perle, a member of the Pentagon’s Defence Policy Board. Continue reading “Putin arrested Russia’s richest man as a warning to the others”
When the stage was set for war
The use of culture as a tool of national rivalry is as old as national rivalry itself. European princes competed with one another for the services of court musicians, Renaissance magnates vied to commission the best painters, Versailles was constructed in order to display the power of the French king. Continue reading “When the stage was set for war”
This call for help is about re-election, not Iraq
To outsiders, it might seem odd that the American Administration went to the United Nations last week to ask – so far unsuccessfully – for the Security Council to place its seal of approval on the US military operation in Iraq. Continue reading “This call for help is about re-election, not Iraq”
You Brits have not been cheated by the US
Tony Blair arrives here in Washington next week, an occasion which is sure to spark an outpouring of emotion. The British press will be awash with poodle cartoons. Continue reading “You Brits have not been cheated by the US”
Why do you British think that Bush is as bad as Stalin?
‘Do you see any parallels between the security state that George Bush has created in America since September 11 and the Soviet Gulag?” For a moment, the question struck me dumb. Continue reading “Why do you British think that Bush is as bad as Stalin?”
Bush risks his father’s fate
‘The Regime has gone,” the White House told Americans at the end of last week. Iraqis too heard President George Bush’s voice on the radio and television last week, promising not to stop fighting until the whole “corrupt gang” is gone, promising to keep order, promising freedom. Continue reading “Bush risks his father’s fate”
It’s make-your-mind-up time, Prime Minister
When the fog of war eventually lifts, how different will the post-war landscape really be? Baghdad will be transformed, whatever happens. The rest of the Arab world might be altered too. But whether the war lasts six days or six months or six years, the international stalemate – the diplomatic quagmire – will still be there when it is over. Continue reading “It’s make-your-mind-up time, Prime Minister”