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Editor’s Note: The CSIS link in this piece has moved and darn if we know where it went. The CSIS moved it. We’re pretty sure it wasn’t a conspiracy….however, we will try to find it and renew the link. And, one other thing: CSIS is a very good source of solid academic thought and information on world events and situations. 
Paying Attention: Sometimes the front pages of the world’s greatest newspapers do not convey a deep enough understanding of what’s actually happening in the world. When that occurs, you have to drill deeper. One of the big international stories of the week was Russia’s announcement of a pending upgrade in their missile technology–specifically their ICBM MIRV technology–with the announcement of the development of a new generation of ICBMs. The why, how, and, importantly, why now of this not-so-passive form of aggression can be found in this piece from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank with the emphasis on”think”. It’s not light reading, but it’s necessary reading if you want to be able to accurately discuss the slowly rising escalation of tension that Putin is practicing.  We thank the Center for making this document accessible. 
The Fine Print: Embed courtesy of Getty Images. Thank you for sharing. 
 
 

Editor’s Note: The CSIS link in this piece has moved and darn if we know where it went. The CSIS moved it. We’re pretty sure it wasn’t a conspiracy….however, we will try to find it and renew the link. And, one other thing: CSIS is a very good source of solid academic thought and information on world events and situations. 
Paying Attention: Sometimes the front pages of the world’s greatest newspapers do not convey a deep enough understanding of what’s actually happening in the world. When that occurs, you have to drill deeper. One of the big international stories of the week was Russia’s announcement of a pending upgrade in their missile technology–specifically their ICBM MIRV technology–with the announcement of the development of a new generation of ICBMs. The why, how, and, importantly, why now of this not-so-passive form of aggression can be found in this piece from the Center for Strategic and International Studies, a Washington think tank with the emphasis on”think”. It’s not light reading, but it’s necessary reading if you want to be able to accurately discuss the slowly rising escalation of tension that Putin is practicing.  We thank the Center for making this document accessible. 
The Fine Print: Embed courtesy of Getty Images. Thank you for sharing. 
 
 

Press Clippings: For more than a decade, American Politicians have used the term “nation building” to imply a form of outside assistance to a “failed state” that would help to rebuild it. Sometimes this assistance was delivery by the military, after a despotic regime was deposed; sometimes the aid came in the form of a very sophisticated diplomatic plan. There are supporters of this concept and detractors, as was pointed out in an excellent article in The Atlantic magazine.   But Bloomberg just published–perhaps inadvertently–a superb article on how to build a nation for modern times. The nation is Sweden and what Sweden did to its culture and educational system is perhaps a better and more sustainable model for our modern times. It’s thought provoking and modern and it deserves your attention.