Recent Posts

The Downside of Imperial Collapse   

When Empires or Great Powers Fall, Chaos and War Rise Wars are historical hinges. And misbegotten wars, when serving as culmination points of more general national decline, can be fatal. This is particularly true for empires. The Habsburg empire, which ruled over central Europe for hundreds of years, might have …

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Shock and Awe: Who Attacked the Nord Stream Pipelines?

If the perpetrator was Russia, the signaling value toward the West—which would certainly know Russia is behind the explosions—may be a threat to the rest of the marine energy infrastructure. Western governments have not made a formal finding of responsibility for this week’s sabotage attacks on two Russian underwater pipelines …

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The Oil Market Has a Big Russia Sanctions Problem

The US administration is running out of time to prevent European sanctions on Russian crude from causing a spike in oil prices. For months now, the Treasury has been fighting hard — in the face of much skepticism and ridicule — to soften European sanctions that bar providing insurance and …

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What Xi must tell Putin now

The terrible concoction of conscription, annexation and nuclear weapons that Russian President Vladimir Putin delivered last week presents a crucial test to every major world leader. Global outrage is needed, but the spotlight now shines brightest on Chinese President Xi Jinping. He needs to step forward in pressing Putin to …

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