Over at Commentary, Abe Greenwald is incensed by a Newsweek article by Christopher Dickey, John Barry and Owen Matthews, “The Realist Resurgence”, that claims “Russia is weaker than it looks, which is why NATO’s soft power strategy can still work.” Greenwald is particularly irked by the article’s snarky tone:
Sneering at the weakness of Russia’s fleet en route to Venezuela, [State Department Spokesman Sean] McCormack said, “We’ll see if they actually make it there. Somebody told me they had a tugboat accompanying them in case they break down along the way.”
Based on that point alone, we’re treated to three pages on how today’s Russia is more worthy of laughter than concern, and why, therefore, globally-minded “realists” in the State Department are winning the day with their laid-back approach to handling Moscow. The article closes on this cute note:
So the fleet led by the Kirov-class guided missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) continued toward Caracas. And so, by last report, did the tugboat.
Based on that point alone, we’re treated to three pages on how today’s Russia is more worthy of laughter than concern, and why, therefore, globally-minded “realists” in the State Department are winning the day with their laid-back approach to handling Moscow. The article closes on this cute note:
So the fleet led by the Kirov-class guided missile cruiser Pyotr Veliky (Peter the Great) continued toward Caracas. And so, by last report, did the tugboat.
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