Published inCurrent History·PinnedMember-onlyThe Fall of the Last European EmpireAt one point, the Russian Empire was the largest contiguous empire on Earth, covering 1/6th of the world’s land area. It stretched from Warsaw all the way to the Americas and, when Alaska was sold, down into the ancient Silk Road crossroads of Central Asia. But, like the other colonial…Russia6 min readRussia6 min read
Published inCurrent History·PinnedMember-onlyAn Inflection Point in American HistoryA Fitting Coda to a Year Like No Other — Occasionally we seem to bear witness to something important. It's the unsettling feeling of looking into the void of unwritten history and the weight of uncertainty bearing down. It makes life seem interesting. And ominous. I was too young to remember 9/11, only the barely concealed awkwardness of a father…Politics6 min readPolitics6 min read
Published inCurrent History·21 hours agoMember-onlyThe Biden Administration Tries a New Strategy on TradeA Trade Policy that Acknowledges American Workers — In a recent speech by National Security Advisor Jake Sullivan, the Biden Administration signaled a shifting strategy on trade. The core of this sift is supporting American leadership on global trade while acknowledging the needs and concerns of American workers. Fracturing the Free-Trade Consensus In the first decade and a half of the 21st…Politics10 min readPolitics10 min read
Published inCurrent History·3 days agoMember-onlyThe Case for Ukraine Joining NATOIt Could Enhance European Security — Realism and Russia Many analysts implicate the expansion of NATO in the Russian decision to invade Ukraine. The eastward expansion of the security bloc into the nations of the former Warsaw Pact and then into the former Soviet Republics of the Baltics was seen as an encroachment on Russia’s sphere of influence. This…Foreign Policy7 min readForeign Policy7 min read
Published inCurrent History·3 days agoMember-onlyWhy They Dropped the BombWorld War II Ends with Shock and Awe — Setting the Battlefield It was a decision that will live in infamy. It was August of 1945. Through its island-hopping campaign across the Pacific, the Americans had cornered the Japanese army to its homeland. The Chinese were engaged in a campaign to expel the Japanese from the East Asian mainland. The Soviet Union…History7 min readHistory7 min read
Published inCurrent History·6 days agoMember-onlyThe Attack on Free Speech in FloridaThe Culture Wars Takeover Politics — Governor Ron DeSantis has described his state as the “Free State of Florida”. But increasingly, it is a testing ground for the political program of the so-called “New Right”. The Rise of The New Right What is the New Right that Ron DeSantis is increasingly aligning with in his quest for the Republican nomination? It is…Politics8 min readPolitics8 min read
Published inCurrent History·May 25Member-onlyWhen Russia Colonized North AmericaRussian Imperialism Extended Across Hemispheres. — In the mid 18th century, Russian expansionism spilled past Siberia and across the Bering Strait into North American. This was an early salvo in the emerging “Great Game” competition between the British and Russian empires. British colonists had begun settling into what is now British Columbia and the Russians wanted…History7 min readHistory7 min read
Published inCurrent History·May 25Member-onlyNASA Returns to the MoonThe Dress Rehearsal for Mars — After 50 years, NASA is finally returning to the moon. And after a decade, the United States will be returning to space. In a bid to revive lunar exploration, NASA launched the Artemis program in 2017 with the goal of establishing a permanent human base in lunar orbit. The Artemis…Technology7 min readTechnology7 min read
May 21Member-onlyOn Abortion, the GOP has Massively OverreachedA Court Victory Squandered by Political Malpractice — June 24th of 2022 is a landmark day in American constitutional history, for good or for ill. The Supreme Court, with a 6–3 majority split along ideological lines, declared that abortion was no longer a right under the U.S. Constitution and returned jurisdiction of the issue to state governments. This…Politics12 min readPolitics12 min read
Published inCurrent History·May 20Member-onlyUkraine Can Take Back CrimeaBut It Won’t Be Easy — The culmination of Ukraine’s campaign of resistance against Russian aggression will be taking back Crimea. Invaded and occupied by Russia, it is the crown jewel of the Black Sea, and the key to Ukraine’s continued viability as a state. A Brief History of Crimea Long a vital piece of territory contested by multiple empires, Crimea…Foreign Policy8 min readForeign Policy8 min read