Paul J. Saunders

Paul J. Saunders is executive director of The Center for the National Interest and associate publisher of The National Interest. He served in the State Department from 2003 to 2005.


Essays

Society

The Kremlin Begs To Differ

| 10.28.09

One doesn’t need to be a Russian domestic radical or a foreign Russophobe to see major flaws in the way Russia is ruled. The population, however, is satisfied with the status quo...for now.

Global Governance

Saved by NATO?

| 09.05.08

Admitting Georgia to the NATO club wouldn't have prevented the recent crisis in the region, and could have even made it worse.

Security

Bismarck for President

| 02.29.08

In an election year, it's easy to find cheerleaders—but America needs chess players in order to succeed.

Security

The Road to Recovery

| 01.02.08

A New Year's resolution is in store for U.S. foreign policy.

Learning to Appreciate France

| 03.01.07

The United States can’t bring the democratic nations of the world together—why should we expect it to lead the way for everyone else?

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Reviews

Politics

Revolutionary DeLay

| 07.01.07

Tom DeLay may not see any problems with the phrase, "one vote, one person, one time", but the rest of America might.

Commentary

Society

Attacks on McFaul Reveal Bigger Reset Issues

| 01.20.12

Russian media insults directed at the new U.S. ambassador send a message about lingering problems in the U.S.-Russia relationship.

Society

Protests, Putin and the Russian Elite

| 01.05.12

A look at the Russian power players in the wake of December's protests.

Society

2011: Year of the Pragmatists?

| 12.28.11

Merriam-Webster named "pragmatic" its Top Word for 2011. Why the dictionary got it wrong.

Politics

Behind the Clinton-Putin Face-Off

| 12.12.11

The recent State Duma election—and especially Clinton's response to it—suggests that the United States is profoundly disconnected from Russia’s electorate.

Politics

Russian Voters Send Putin a Message

| 12.07.11

The defeat is largely symbolic, but it may presage trouble for Putin and his party.

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February 12, 2012