The US-Russia Relations after the 'Reset': Pragmatism or a New Confrontation?
The US-Russia relations are entering a new political season in a shape which is far from being perfect. The “reset” is over, and throughout the years 2011 and especially 2012 the relations have worsened again. Political leadership of both countries is irritated and disappointed with each other. Unlike the last four years, neither Russia nor the US will invest much political capital in their relations improvement, and their relative priority will decrease in both countries’ foreign policies. The share of contradictions in the relations surpasses that of positive cooperation again. Yet, the paper argues, a new worsening of the US-Russia relations or their new stagnation over the next years is in neither side’s interests. The US and Russia still do have an important positive agenda to work on, which is crucial for both sides’ vital national interests. It includes, above all, Afghanistan and the Asia Pacific. The major impediment of progress on both dimensions, the author claims, will be in the near- and middle term future a lack of political will on both sides to move the relations forward.
Resetting the US–Russian relationship: is ‘cooperative engagement’ possible?
Abstract The determination of the USA to ‘reset its relationship’ with Russia has been a major security policy objective for the current US Administration. An admirable objective, it has proved more illusive than anticipated. But a focus on ‘cooperative engagement’1 that selectively addresses areas of common interests such as Iranian nuclear developments, a range of issues dealing with nuclear arms control, missile defense, and NATO-Russian relations (among others) could prove fruitful for both lessening tensions and establishing common agendas to resolve contentious issues. Important to that process will be enhancing institutions in order to assure longer-term productive relations that engage and vest both the USA and Russia. This more realistic approach of ‘cooperative engagement’ within existing, but strengthened organizations would both ‘reset’ the relationship and encourage relations that reach beyond cold war military thinking to sustained future cooperation.
The Hollywood War Machine: U.S. Militarism and Popular Culture
CONTENTS Preface Chapter One: Media Culture in the Imperial System Chapter Two: Militarism in American Popular Culture Chapter Three: War and Cinema: The Historical Legacy Chapter Four: The Vietnam Syndrome: Politics and Cinema Chapter Five: Recycling the Good War Chapter Six: Cinematic Warfare in the New World Order Chapter Seven: Hollywood After 9/11