Ray McGovern

Russian President Vladimir Putin stated Friday that Russia is considering changing its nuclear doctrine to allow for preventive – not just retaliatory – use of nuclear weapons. Such a change would align Russia’s nuclear posture with Washington’s own strategic doctrine and, at one stroke, make the world far more dangerous. Putin’s highly unusual remarks leave … Continue reading “Putin Makes REAL Nuclear Threat; US Yawns”

Five years ago today, Congress learned from sworn, horse’s-mouth testimony that there is no technical evidence that Russia (or anyone else) hacked the DNC emails showing how the DNC had stacked the deck against Bernie Sanders, Hillary Clinton’s rival for the Democratic nomination. I can almost hear readers new to this website cry out in … Continue reading “Americans Dumbed Down on Russia”

On Nov. 17 a Dutch Court sentenced two Russians and one Ukrainian (all three in absentia) to life in prison. They were accused of playing supporting roles in the shoot-down of Malaysia Airlines Flight MH17, killing all 298 aboard. MH17 was flying from Amsterdam to Kuala Lumpur when it was downed over eastern Ukraine on … Continue reading “Dutch Genuflect to US, Convict Russians for Downing MH17”

When China’s President XI Jinping meets with President Joe Biden Monday in Indonesia, he better bring a whiteboard and some simple handouts. For it is beyond the ability, or the intention, of Biden’s elitist advisers to give him an accurate picture of the extremely close strategic relationship between China and Russia – and between XI … Continue reading “Biden Has a Date With Xi, Putin’s ‘Main Squeeze’”

A loud guffaw at the pretentious slogan All the News That’s Fit to Print! Today marks a milestone (millstone?) for the New York Times. This morning it can smugly celebrate success in hiding for 30 months horse’s-mouth evidence putting the lie to its "Russia-gate" yarn that Russia hacked Democratic National Committee emails to help Donald … Continue reading “New York Times Still Burying the Truth on ‘Russian Hack’”

Speaking on Oct. 27 at the Valdai International Discussion Club, Russian President Vladimir Putin questioned the sanity of those who would "spoil relations with China at the same time they are supplying billions-worth of weapons to Ukraine in a fight against Russia." In answer to a question on "the growing tensions between China and the … Continue reading “Putin Skewers US Ineptitude”

Sixty years ago today (October 28) the U.S. and Russia stepped back from the brink of nuclear war by making a deal. Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev would yield to President John F. Kennedy’s demand that Soviet missiles be removed from Cuba; Kennedy pledged not to invade. There is an instructive analogy with Ukraine today. Soviet … Continue reading “Ukraine: Will US Back Off as Russia Did on Cuba?”

It’s a privilege to be on the Antiwar.com team. I was happy when Eric Garris asked me to write a piece to support the fundraiser. I do hope you will be generous. Writing for Antiwar.com is a perfect fit. As a CIA analyst for 27 years, I learned the most while doing "current intelligence." My … Continue reading “The Gift of Antiwar.com”

A Rose has bloomed In the Blinken/Sullivan/Biden desert of ideas on Ukraine. I refer to Rose Gottemoeller, 69, who was Under Secretary of State for Arms Control during the Obama/Biden second term and knows much more about the real world than the boys Biden has in the back room (if I may risk damning her … Continue reading “Biden Has an ‘Off-Ramp’ on Ukraine”

On Oct. 6, President Joe Biden warned: "First time since the Cuban missile crisis, we have a direct threat of the use (of a) nuclear weapon if in fact things continue down the path they are going … I’m trying to figure out what is Putin’s off ramp?" Biden did well to cite the Cuban … Continue reading “Relentless: JFK on Cuba; Putin on Ukraine”