Russian Game of Thrones

On October 17, 2022October 17, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Catherine the Great, Game of Thrones, Georgy Zhukov, History, Holodomor, Joseph Stalin, Mikhail Gorbachev, Military, Pegasus Books, Peter the Great, Russia, Simon & Schuster, Ukraine, Vladimir PutinLeave a comment

Back in March 2014, while I was sojourning in Moscow for the second time, I visited the Museum of the Great Patriotic War, the Borodino Battle Museum, and the Museum of the Patriotic War of 1812. I also took the time to drive to Zhukovo to visit the Museum dedicated to the famous Marshal – Georgy Zhukov – who vanquished the Nazis on the Eastern Front. Any serious student of history couldn’t help but note how attached the Russians are to their military heritage. It was an amazing trip for a military enthusiast like me!

To a degree that might seem astonishing to a Western mind, war occupies a fundamental place in the history of Russia. And it is imperative to fully grasp that reality, if one wants to ascertain what has been happening since February 24 in Ukraine. In that perspective, I was extremely happy to dig into Russia: Myths and Realities (Pegasus Books) by Sir Rodric Braithwaite.

I could detail all the qualities and insights of this book, but its main merit is to brush the portrait of a nation and people forged in war. “More than a thousand years ago a people arose on the territory of today’s Russia whose origins are disputed”, writes the author. “But Kievan Rus was invaded and destroyed in the thirteenth century by the Mongols.” The tone was set and even after the “Mongol yoke” was removed from Russia’s neck, the pugilistic character was well ingrained into the nation’s DNA.

Continue reading →

“Justin Trudeau inspired me to enter politics” – Volodymyr Zelensky

On September 30, 2022October 14, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Daisy Gibbons, Justin Trudeau, Leadership, Liza Rodak, Pegasus Books, Russia, Simon & Schuster, Ukraine, Vladimir Putin, Volodymyr Zelensky, Winston Churchill2 Comments

I’m not the type who runs after books of quotations in bookstores. But I have two exceptions to that rule: Winston Churchill and Volodymyr Zelensky. Because both men decided to face the adverse winds of history at a most crucial time.

Bestselling author Liza Rogak, assisted by translator Daisy Gibbons, opens a window into the Ukrainian President’s worldview in a new book Volodymyr Zelensky in His Own Words (Pegasus Books). “You’ve never seen someone like me”, declared the statesman in April 2019. Coupled with his staunch determination to hold his ground in front of Russian President Vladimir Putin, this might be one of the reasons why he is so popular. “I don’t trust anyone at all” he said a few months later. Who could blame him, when you imagine allies hedging their bets at the beginning of the war to see if he stood a chance or not.

Continue reading →

Stan Andrews and the birth of the Israeli Air Force

On September 28, 2022September 27, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Arab-Israeli War of 1948, Craig Weiss, David Ben-Gurion, Ezer Weizman, History, Israel, Israel Defense Force (IDF), Israeli Air Force, Jeffrey Weiss, Judaism, Military, Reuven Shiloah, Simon & Schuster, Stan Andrews, Wicked Son, Winston Churchill, Yigael Yadin, Yitzhak RabinLeave a comment

Seventy-five years ago, on November 27, 1947, the United Nations adopted Resolution 181 to partition the British mandate in Palestine into two states, one Jewish and one Arab. While the new Israelis were celebrating, the leaders of the Yishuv – the organized Jewish community – were scratching their heads. The neighboring Arab states of Lebanon, Syria, Iraq, Egypt and Jordan wanted to smother the newborn Jewish State in its cradle.

In their new book Fighting Back: Stan Andrew and the Birth of the Israeli Air Force (Wicked Son), authors Jeffrey and Craig Weiss write, “It became clear that a Jewish homeland would only be established by armed force. To defeat the Arabs, the Jews would need to build an army.”

Easier said than done. “On May 14, 1948, the day the government [of Israel] declared independence, Israel did not have a single combat aircraft, and all its fighter pilots were in Europe.” With ingenuity and determination, Prime Minister David Ben-Gurion and his team set upon the gigantic task of equipping their soldiers, notably against a U.S. embargo on weapons sales to the Middle East. At the same time, London presumably continued furnishing Egypt and Jordan.

Continue reading →

Pierre Poilievre and the Canadian Conservatives are very, very far away from being like the US Republicans

On July 28, 2022July 28, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Canadian Politics, Civil War, Conservative Party of Canada, Doug Ford, Pierre Poilievre, Republican Party, Simon & Schuster, Stephen Marche, US PoliticsLeave a comment

Stephen Marche (source: stephenmarche.com)

Following the publication of my recent review of his excellent, penetrating, but preoccupying book The Next Civil War: Dispatches from the American Future (Avid Reader Press / Simon & Schuster), Canadian essayist and novelist Stephen Marche kindly accepted to answer a few questions for this blog. It is therefore with tremendous pleasure that I share the content of our exchange.

_________

BookMarc: Mr. Marche, you present a gloomy portrait of the threats that America might well be confronted to in a near future. Between the 5 scenarios you envision, which one is the most likely in your opinion and why?

Stephen Marche: Well, I would say that a version of the first scenario—about a united right that rallies over a bridge—has sort of already happened. I don’t really think that one is more likely than another. I prided myself in the book about being very specific about the limits of the models I used to write the pieces. Some, like the environmental models, are incredibly strong. Others, like the economic models, aren’t worth the paper they’re written on. But I give the best available models in each case.

Continue reading →

The financier who exposed Vladimir Putin

On July 23, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Bill Browder, Donald Trump, James Bond, Kremlin, Politics, Russia, Sergei Magnitsky, Sergei Roldugin, Simon & Schuster, Twitter, Vladimir Putin2 Comments

Six years ago this week, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan survived a coup launched by a faction of the Armed Forces. The statesman mobilized his supporters, enjoining them to resist the coup, by using the FaceTime app on his iPhone. At the time, I was impressed by the powerful impact of such a small tool in creating such a momentous outcome.

I was reminded of that story while reading Bill Browder’s book Freezing Order: A True Story of Money Laundering, Murder and Surviving Vladimir Putin’s Wrath (Simon & Schuster), not only because of the cruciality of knowing how to use the modern tools of communications, but also because there is a huge price to pay when you confront an autocrat.

Bill Browder can attest to that.

The author of Freezing Order is an American-born financier (now living in the UK) and founder of Hermitage Capital Management who has been active in Russia between 1996 and 2008. In June 2008, one of his lawyers, “[…] Sergei Magnitsky, discovered that […] criminals had used our stolen companies and their fake claims to apply for a fraudulent $230 million tax refund.” That’s where the roller coaster ride that is this book begins.

Continue reading →

How America Could Fall

On July 7, 2022July 7, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Civl War, Politics, Roe v. Wade, Simon & Schuster, Stephen Marche, United States, WarLeave a comment

There has always been a soft spot for the United States in my heart. When I was about 10 years old, I uninstalled my parents’ clothesline to attach a flag of the United States on July 4^th. I sensed my father was upset, but he said nothing, probably because he was somehow impressed with my audacity. A few decades later, my feeling of admiration and appreciation remained intact, and it was important for me to visit the Gettysburg National Military Park – which commemorates the most iconic battle of the Civil War during which approximately 50 000 soldiers became casualties. During those captivating pilgrimages on the battlefield, I remember the comfort I felt in my heart that such an occurrence would not happen again. America, I like to think, will remain a beacon of the values to which I am attached for many decades to come. And I guess my heart would like to believe it will be centuries…

But the last few years have considerably shaken this conviction. You may think I’m talking about Donald Trump’s election on November 8, 2016, and you are partially right. The events that occurred on January 6, 2021, were a formidable earthquake. I would never have believed anyone predicting those terrifying images of hooligans storming the US Capitol – the very seat of American democracy. Never. But here we were.

Continue reading →

Top Gun Maverick and the Taiwanese flag – Exclusive interview with Chris Fenton

On June 9, 2022June 9, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn China, Chris Fenton, Hollywood, Japan, Military, Simon & Schuster, Taiwan, Top Gun Maverick, United States, US NavyLeave a comment

With the release of Top Gun Maverick and all the buzz surrounding the issue of the Taiwan flag on Maverick’s leather jacket, Hollywood former movie executive and author Chris Fenton kindly accepted to answer a few questions for this blog. Needless to say, I was extremely happy to be exchanging with the producer of one of my favorite movies, Iron Man 3.

Here is the content of our exchange.

Mr. Fenton, the last couple of years have been difficult for the United States on the world scene and many observers are pontificating about its supposed loss of power. Do you think Top Gun Maverick is a good shot in the arm of American patriotism?

100% yes. Hollywood content can be an extremely effective tool for soft power. Top Gun is the best example of that.

What is the recipe for the success of that iconic movie?

The star power of Tom Cruise and the brand awareness among global consumers of the original Top Gun film.

The Taiwan flag was not supposed to appear on Maverick’s jacket – from what I remember of the 2019 trailer. Could you tell us why the situation has changed?

Continue reading →

Drone Wars: The Poor Man’s Air Force

On March 27, 2022March 27, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Bayraktar TB2, Drones, Duke of Wellington, Iron Dome, Israel, Military, Recep Tayyip Erdoğan, Saudi Arabia, Seth J. Frantzman, Simon & Schuster, Skylark, Turkey, Ukraine, War, Warfare, YemenLeave a comment

A few years ago, I was intrigued to read that President Barack Obama ordered 10 times more drone strikes than his predecessor, President George W. Bush. Since their appearance, drones have become omnipresent on the battlefield and not a week goes by without a news article about their feats.

Incidentally, drones have played a role in the war of aggression launched against Ukraine by Russia in the last few weeks. They are also used in several theaters around the world. In a nutshell, “the drones developed by Israel and then revolutionized by America have now proliferated everywhere”, writes Seth J. Frantzman in Drone Wars: Pioneers, Killing Machines, Artificial Intelligence, and the Battle for the Future (Bombardier Books).

The author writes that everyone wants drones, notably because they are cheaper than airplanes and reduce the potential for human casualties. They have become the “poor man’s air force”. Hence, their use by Houthi rebels in Yemen in the cross-fight between Iran and Saudi Arabia.About this conflict, the Jerusalem Post correspondent and analyst reminds us of a chilling episode when Houthi drones attacked an Aramco facility in Saudi Arabia – “some 1,000 kilometers from Houthi frontlines in Yemen” – in August 2019. The kingdom which ranked in 6^th place in terms of military expenditures in the world in 2020 was defenseless in front of this incursion. A real military representation of the biblical tale of David versus Goliath and a manifestation that superpowers are not immune from an attack performed by a “poor man’s air force”.

Continue reading →

Turkish Drones Over Ukraine

On March 16, 2022March 16, 2022 By Marc NadeauIn Drones, Military, Russia, Seth J. Frantzman, Simon & Schuster, TB2 Bayraktar, Turkey, Ukraine, Volodymyr Zelensky1 Comment

Seth J. Frantzman is a senior correspondent and analyst at The Jerusalem Post, one of the world’s leading newspapers. He’s also a defence expert on anything related to drones in warfare. He recently published an insightful book on the subject, Drones Wars. Since the beginning of the invasion of Ukraine by Russians forces on 24 February, drones have played a role on the frontline as videos have circulated about their performance or the devastation and atrocities they permit to observe first-hand. Despite a grueling schedule, Mr. Frantzman, whose book I will review here soon, has kindly accepted to answer a few questions for me. I am sincerely grateful for that.

Here is the content of our exchange.

It does not seem the drones are playing a major role, but if they can show that Ukraine can still operate in their airspace, even when contested by Russian air defense and Russian warplanes, it will be an important accomplishment for armed drones.

Mr. Frantzman, I have watched with amazement the images of the Turkish-made drone attacking the Russian military in Ukraine. What place are the drones occupying in this conflict?

There is a lot we don’t know about how Ukraine is using the Bayraktar drones it has acquired from Turkey. Basic information about how many are still flying and where they are operating appears to be lacking from most reports. Nevertheless, there have been several videos claiming to show the UAVs targeting the Russian military. It does not seem the drones are playing a major role, but if they can show that Ukraine can still operate in their airspace, even when contested by Russian air defense and Russian warplanes, it will be an important accomplishment for armed drones.

Continue reading →

The General who Prevented a Fascist Takeover of America

On December 1, 2021December 1, 2021 By Marc NadeauIn Bob Woodward, China, Donald Trump, General Mark Milley, History, Joe Biden, Mike Pence, Military, Robert Costa, Simon & Schuster, United StatesLeave a comment

Few journalists and observers are more versed in US presidential history than Bob Woodward. In his latest book, Peril, written with fellow Washington Post reporter Robert Costa, they write that “Most [presidential] candidates struggle with the message. In his case [Joe Biden], he was the message.” The former Vice-President was the best positioned to carry the day in front of President Donald Trump, a man who didn’t and probably couldn’t grasp the magnitude of Covid-19 (“I wanted to always play it down”, he said to Bob Woodward in March 2020), or the basic tenets of politics. About the latter aspect, “[Corey Lewandowski, who was Trump’s campaign manager in 2016] was surprised that Trump, of all people, did not seem to get that Republican leaders were self-interested.”

In a nutshell, Trump – who did not have a story to tell – couldn’t possibly compete with a man whose own life was and is the story – Joe Biden. “There is no news I can walk in and give him in the morning that is worse than the news he’s been given many other times in his life”, White House Chief of Staff Ron Klain told the authors about President Biden in what is probably the best book published about US politics this year.

Continue reading →