But if Russia is to be part of this larger zone of peace it cannot bring into it its imperial baggage. It cannot bring into it a policy of genocide against the Chechens, and cannot kill journalists, and it cannot repress the mass media.

Foreign policy should not be justified through making oneself feel good, but through results that have tangible consequences.

The Israelis have a lot of influence with Congress, and in some cases they are able to buy influence.

Without Ukraine, Russia's imperial aspirations are essentially nostalgia, but it's not a real policy.

America has exercised its power to insist on elections in Palestine, which Hamas did win. Once they won, we then engaged in a policy not only of ostracism, but by financial boycott, in effect of undermining it, and creating more tension and radicalism and poverty in Gaza, which was susceptible to exploitation by Hamas.

It certainly would be possible for America to redefine its role in the world, especially if, in the short run, America is able to cope effectively with the ongoing dilemma in the Middle East.

We didn't push the Russians to intervene, but we knowingly increased the probability that they would.