Tag Archives: islam

The Geopolitics of Israel vs. Flotilla

So given that it’s the only game in town, let’s start provocative? The only group who behaved rationally are the Israeli commandos and the Americans. And perhaps the Turkish government. The Israeli position on the Gaza blockade is understandable (which … Continue reading

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Sublime News #8 – #9

1. The revolution in Kyrgyzstan to be covered in Sublime News #10 – this issue is packed enough as it is. For now, read Kyrgyzstan and the Russian Resurgence (free Stratfor) for a summary. 2. Putin made a conciliatory speech on the 70th … Continue reading

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If Malthus and Ibn Khaldun were to meet for coffee…

Then you might get something like Peter Turchin’s War and Peace and War, which I’ve finally read on the recommendations of Kolya and TG. Ranging from Ermak’s subjugation of the Sibir Khanate to the rise of Rome, Turchin makes the … Continue reading

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Sublime News #6

1. My e-friend Eugene Ivanov participated on Peter Lavelle’s Crosstalk program at Russia Today, Lobbying: Who really rules America? Check it out! 2. Is Obama transforming America into Amerika? Let me explain. Take a look at the details of the healthcare … Continue reading

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Paul Goble, Promethean Propagandist

Mark Adomanis, who recently burst into the Russia-watching blogosphere like a fluffy pink grenade, has a series on “Who is the world’s worst Russia analyst”? (So far Stephen Blank and Leon Aron are in the running). Personally, I think that Ed … Continue reading

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New Year Special: Year in Review and 2010 Predictions

I would like to wish all Sublime Oblivion readers a very happy and successful New Year. One of my major motivations for writing is getting comments and feedback, so please continue – the more you inflate my ego, the more … Continue reading

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Lessons from Byzantium

I finally watched the film Гибель Империи. Византийский урок (Death of an Empire: the Byzantine Lesson), narrated by Archimandrite Tikhon Shevkunov, the father-confessor of Vladimir Putin. This film takes a stylized interpretation of the decline and fall of the Byzantine Empire … Continue reading

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SSR #10: Europe, The Black Continent

This is the first of fifteen Sublime Strategic Reports (SSRs) covering global trends, regions, and geopolitics. I am going to start off by looking at Europe, defined as the region under the influence of Western Christianity and/or the European Union … Continue reading

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Review of “Global Catastrophes and Trends” (V. Smil)

Smil, Vaclav – Global Catastrophes and Trends (2008) Category: futurism, climate change, geopolitics, catastrophes; Rating: 5/5 Summary: Google Books Vaclav Smil, an energy theorist and language connoisseur, brings his talents to bear on this idiosyncratic, incisive and balanced book on … Continue reading

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Shifting Winds: The End Of Pax Americana

Every once in a while, there occurs a major shift in the international arena. The First World War and its consequences were the seminal change of the last century, collapsing ancient empires and ushering in a new era of ethno-nationalist … Continue reading

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