Wednesday, February 15, 2006
RECOMMENDED READING PART II.
Dr. Barnett on "Russia’s two steps backward, one step forward"
As a point of personal interest, I wish Tom would write on Russia more often than he does as he began his career as an East Bloc specialist and that's my original area of interest as well ( I have often thought that if Dr. Barnett, T.M. Lutas and I ever sat down together we'd inevitably end up discussing Ceaucescu). Here Tom critiques the vapidity of Putin's Siloviki State - with his " clan" having triumphed utterly, Putin is like Robert Redford in " The Candidate" asking " What do I do now ?"
The problem is, the truly democratic Duma alternatives to Putin are weak, divided, unpopular and corrupt. That Putin is the only game in town may be annoying, but Russia unraveling as a state would make Iraq look like a retirement home.
"Kingdaddy" at Arms and Influence on "Counterterrorism is easier, part I"
I confess to being a fan of the extended analysis posts of Kingdaddy. While I'm quite a few clicks to his political Right, Kingdaddy does his homework and assembles his argument with scholarly discretion; he's not grinding an axe for anyone. Arms and Influence is definitely a blog worthy of being on more blogrolls.
Collounsbury at 'Aqoul on " Maghreb & Rumsfeld"
Col has some interesting normative remarks on Algeria that I can't really disagree with:
"The Algerian regime is a backwards, cantakerous ill-tempered vampire state whose only positive factor is that it is less reprehensible than the takfiri Salafiste murderers that it fought for the past decade. But only marginally so."
The only attraction of this once rabidly pro-Soviet pack of bastards is their demonstrable commitment (and reasonable competence at) to slaughtering the worst kind of Islamist lunatics.
'Aqoul as a blog, I must note, is rising in the world these days.
Dr. Von on " Our Use of Light"
Physics is a good dose of reality and the nature of light has a critical impact on our perception of that reality - at least for those not congenitally blind.
That's it ! ¶ 8:12 PM
Dr. Barnett on "Russia’s two steps backward, one step forward"
As a point of personal interest, I wish Tom would write on Russia more often than he does as he began his career as an East Bloc specialist and that's my original area of interest as well ( I have often thought that if Dr. Barnett, T.M. Lutas and I ever sat down together we'd inevitably end up discussing Ceaucescu). Here Tom critiques the vapidity of Putin's Siloviki State - with his " clan" having triumphed utterly, Putin is like Robert Redford in " The Candidate" asking " What do I do now ?"
The problem is, the truly democratic Duma alternatives to Putin are weak, divided, unpopular and corrupt. That Putin is the only game in town may be annoying, but Russia unraveling as a state would make Iraq look like a retirement home.
"Kingdaddy" at Arms and Influence on "Counterterrorism is easier, part I"
I confess to being a fan of the extended analysis posts of Kingdaddy. While I'm quite a few clicks to his political Right, Kingdaddy does his homework and assembles his argument with scholarly discretion; he's not grinding an axe for anyone. Arms and Influence is definitely a blog worthy of being on more blogrolls.
Collounsbury at 'Aqoul on " Maghreb & Rumsfeld"
Col has some interesting normative remarks on Algeria that I can't really disagree with:
"The Algerian regime is a backwards, cantakerous ill-tempered vampire state whose only positive factor is that it is less reprehensible than the takfiri Salafiste murderers that it fought for the past decade. But only marginally so."
The only attraction of this once rabidly pro-Soviet pack of bastards is their demonstrable commitment (and reasonable competence at) to slaughtering the worst kind of Islamist lunatics.
'Aqoul as a blog, I must note, is rising in the world these days.
Dr. Von on " Our Use of Light"
Physics is a good dose of reality and the nature of light has a critical impact on our perception of that reality - at least for those not congenitally blind.
That's it ! ¶ 8:12 PM
Comments:
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Well, not sure I would call the FLN or the Algerian regime "once rabidly pro-Soviet." They were never Communists per se (although some real Communists did join), and always had a tinge of traditionalists among them.
Indeed I think rabidly pro-Soviet is an error. Hard core socialists, certainly.
I would add that I am not sure the regime deserves much credit for being skilled in killing hijra wa takfir types. There is ample sign the Generals got their dirty hands involved in the groups and I personally suspect score settling between clans within le Pouvoir extended the violence.
That regime is one of the nastiest out there, yet the Anglophone world knows so little of it.
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Indeed I think rabidly pro-Soviet is an error. Hard core socialists, certainly.
I would add that I am not sure the regime deserves much credit for being skilled in killing hijra wa takfir types. There is ample sign the Generals got their dirty hands involved in the groups and I personally suspect score settling between clans within le Pouvoir extended the violence.
That regime is one of the nastiest out there, yet the Anglophone world knows so little of it.
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