Phil Butler

There’s a blazing truth staring Russia in the face. It’s a truth 193 other countries have been forced to face too. Americans, by and large, do not give a damn what wars we are in, or if we win or lose. The plight of other nations, or even our next door neighbors’ catastrophes, are too far outside our empowered exceptionalism. I know, I know, it’s a shocking revelation...

Did you know that Russia is in a ruthless pursuit of geopolitical, strategic, commercial, and economic interests in Africa and beyond? This is how western think tanks and other organizations aligned with the liberal order frame Russian foreign policy, Russians, and especially Vladimir Putin. Funny, isn’t it, how one word can make all the difference. (see bolded terms Look what...

The caption under a photograph of a familiar public figure on a boat somewhere reads, “Russian President Vladimir Putin has ordered the modernization of Russia's navy.” In my ever more cynical geopolicy brain I hear echoing, “Good God people, stop him before he manages to do his job!” I mean, just what the hell else should Russia’s president be doing in the face of a trillion...