China’s Nuclear Program Baffled Soviet Intelligence
Declassified documents show how Moscow struggled to understand Beijing’s efforts.
Without Russian Aid to Armenia, Azerbaijan Has the Upper Hand in Nagorno-Karabakh
Armenian Prime Minister Nikol Pashinyan has overplayed his hand by spouting belligerent nationalist rhetoric and refusing to negotiate—and Putin isn’t coming to his rescue.
Document of the Week: The Birth of the Televised Presidential Debate Was a Sober Affair. Then Came Trump.
In an earlier age, the Democratic and Republican front-runners reserved their sharpest criticism for the Soviet Union and treated each other with respect.
In Afghanistan, the Dead Cast a Long Shadow
With Afghanistan again facing a political crisis, Mohammed Najibullah’s tarnished memory is being rehabilitated by some. But the crimes of the last Soviet-supported president, who was killed by the Taliban, are hardly forgotten.
Tearing Down Statues Won’t Undo History
From the Berlin Wall to Confederate monuments, destroying a historic marker means destroying a learning opportunity.
To Stop a U.S.-Iran War, Finlandize Iraq
By treating Iraqi territory as a neutral zone, Washington and Tehran can avoid conflict.
How Putin Changed Russia Forever
President Vladimir Putin has transformed his country and its relations with the world. We asked 11 leading experts to look back at his 20-year reign and predict what the future may bring.
The United States Forgot Its Strategy for Winning Cold Wars
The plan that worked to defeat the Soviet Union can work today against China—it’s just not what you think.
Selling Your Soul to the Kremlin
A new book chronicles the Faustian bargain that Russians—from holy men to human rights activists—have made with Vladimir Putin’s government.
Vladimir Putin Wants to Rewrite the History of World War II
The Russian president’s amateur history lessons are outraging neighboring countries. While he is right to criticize a recent EU Parliament resolution, his historical revisionism doesn’t stand up to scrutiny.
Canada’s Path to Justice from Iran Over Shot-Down Flight Will Be Hard
States have been historically reluctant to take responsibility for attacks on civilian planes.
How the U.S. Found Out About Russia’s First Nuclear Test 70 Years Ago
A newly published report shows it took the Truman administration nearly two weeks to confirm the news.
Donald Trump and the War for Polish History
The Law and Justice party is trying to reframe the fight against the Nazis and communism—and the U.S. president is a useful pawn.
‘Chernobyl’ Shows How the Soviets Squashed Scientists
The brutal legacy of industrialization left the “scientific-technical intelligentsia” in the cold.
Meltdown at Chernobyl
On the podcast: A journalist reconstructs the world’s worst nuclear disaster.
The U.S. Has Wasted Billions of Dollars on Failed Arab Armies
Military cooperation with Middle East allies can work—if Washington rethinks its premises.
Putin’s Public Enemy
The Kremlin is going after Russian rappers, but the government can't control a culture it doesn't understand.
The New Face of Terrorism in 2019
Forget the Middle East—it’s time to prepare for attacks from the former Soviet Union.
George H.W. Bush’s Misunderstood Presidency
The late 41st U.S. president’s prudence was once derided as the wimp factor, but it has aged well.
Ethnic Nationalism Gave Georgia Freedom. Now It Needs Civic Nationalism to Survive.
The Caucasus is a complex ethnic and religious patchwork, and only a shared identity can help Georgians push back against Putin.
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