-Rick Francona at Middle East Perspectives: ‘American-Russian Cooperation-What Could Go Wrong?‘
‘In that case, Russia and Iran will have achieved their foreign policy objective, that being the survival of the Ba’ath regime of Bashar al-Asad; we will have failed in ours.
That’s what can go wrong.’
-Lilia Shevtskova at the American Interest ‘The Kremlin’s Triad As The Means Of Survival‘
‘Let me reiterate: We are dealing with the logic of a particular civilization—one whose survival resources are dwindling and whose political class is powerless to transform the system—that will continue to reenergize itself through the enemy search (even as it cooperates with this enemy).’
-Michael Totten ‘Cuba’s Walled Garden:’
‘Cuban citizens, of course, yearn for the Czech model where communism collapsed in spectacular fashion and was replaced all at once with political liberalism and a market economy. It’s what those of us in the free world should hope to see down there, too.
If you want to visit Cuba before it changes, fine. Go. I did. It’s interesting. Just understand that change is a good thing, and the more change the better. Doubt it? Ask yourself if anyone but a political psychopath thinks abolishing communism destroyed Prague.’
As previously posted: Michael Totten At World Affairs: ‘The Once Great Havana’
Gloria Estefan offers a window into Cuban culture, music, honor, and immigration as it mixes with American culture.
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Some light humor:
Michael Moynihan reviewed Michael Moore’s ‘Sicko’ which praised the Cuban Health Care System.
Christopher Hitchens took a helicopter ride with Sean Penn, and that tracksuit-wearing strongman of the people, Hugo Chavez-Hugo Boss:
It’s a long way out of socialist and revolutionary solidarity, which continually occupies the South American mind. One more revolution: Adam Kirsch takes a look at Mario Vargas Llosa. The Dream Of The Peruvian.
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The true time-warp and bizzaro-land is likely still North Korea, however: