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Putin’s Christian Vision—Background and Understanding
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Of God and His Providence over the Nations
The last three leaders of Russia have something remarkably similar in their background. Mikhail Gorbachev, Boris Yeltsin, and Vladimir Putin had mothers who were devout Russian Orthodox Christians and had their sons secretly baptized as infants during the years of vehement anti-Christian Communist rule.
Gorbachev was born in 1931 but is still living. He was President of the Soviet Union from March 15, 1990, to December 25, 1991. His grandparents were practicing Christians, and he was christened “Mikhail” by his grandfather. While Stalin lived, Gorbachev was a dedicated Communist. But it slowly became apparent that Gorbachev was an intellectual idealist, who believed socialism was not genuine unless it was truly democratic. Long-time personal friends have described Gorbachev as loyal and personally honest, confident, polite, tactful, and having a happy and optimistic temperament. One said Gorbachev was a “remarkably decent man with high moral standards.” A recent film clip of Gorbachev at home showed him to be philosophical and having a self-deprecating sense of humor. He is described by old friends as bright and hard-working, sometimes a workaholic. He is an admirer of St. Francis of Assisi, who he says had a significant influence on his life. He has a large Russian Orthodox icon saint painting in his home. U.S. President Ronald Reagan thought Gorbachev was a “closet Christian,” because Gorbachev had told him they had Christian morals in common. In December 1989, Gorbachev met with Pope John Paul II at the Vatican and agreed to official diplomatic recognition for the Vatican.
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Russia-Ukraine-NATO Crisis Update
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Who Will Benefit from War?
Part 3 on Russia-Ukraine Crisis
The seriousness of the situation between the Russian Federation and Ukraine was dramatically increased on December 17, 2021, when the Russian Foreign Minister issued “non-negotiable” treaty outlines separately to the United States and NATO. The major overall issue according to these virtual “ultimatums” issued by the Russians is that the continuing expansion of NATO threatens Russian security. There are now 31 NATO member states, including many former parts of the Soviet Union. The latest NATO membership was North Macedonia in 2020. In addition, there are 24 NATO partner countries. This is more complicated. Ukraine is a NATO partner country, but so are Russia and one of its most trusted bordering allies, Belarus. There has been talk of making Ukraine a NATO member, but most NATO members are not eager for this. Ukraine is the poorest and reputedly the most corrupt country in Europe, and Russian-Ukrainian tensions over the 75 percent Russian speaking Donbas region of southeastern Ukraine have resulted in 13,000 deaths since 2014. Russia also warned NATO partners Sweden and Finland not to assist NATO.
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What’s on Putin’s Mind?
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Ultimatums to United States and NATO
On July 12, 2021, Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin published a 6,900-word article in an online Russian government Presidential News Events release entitled “On the Historical Unity of Russians and Ukrainians.”
Russia now has over 120,000 troops on the Ukrainian border and on December 17, the Russian Foreign Ministry gave the U.S. and NATO what are essentially “non-negotiable” ultimatums regarding Ukraine and the provocative anti-Russian NATO membership of 14 East European nations. Sweden and Finland were given stern warnings that joining or aiding NATO could have serious consequences. Talks were held with the U.S. in Geneva on January 10, 2022, and with a gathering of NATO, U.S. and Ukrainian officials in Brussels on January 12. At this point, nothing has been resolved, and Russian news releases are not comforting,
- Hits: 2078
New Russian Threat against NATO and U.S.
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
Consequences of the Feckless Biden Administration
As I write on January 7, 2022, it is Christmas Day in Russia, which observes Christmas according to the calendar of the Russian Orthodox Church. The Russian Federation is a far different country from the Union of Soviet Socialist Republics (USSR) that fall apart in 1991. Russian Federation President Vladimir Putin has been either president or prime minister since 1999. He is not a communist. He has been an economic reformer and strongly favors private enterprise as the road to Russian prosperity and greatness. Russia and its people have prospered considerably under his rule. His leadership style, however, is autocratic by most Western standards. However, despite its great resources, Russia lags the U.S. and other major European and Asian powers in economic development and influence. Unlike the strongly anti-Christian Marxists that preceded the notably more tolerant and perhaps Christian leaning Mikhail Gorbachev, who dominated Soviet leadership from 1988 to 1991, Putin identifies as Russian Orthodox and has favored the growth of the Russian Orthodox Church, which has grown and continues to grow at an astonishingly rapid pace. According to a Pew Survey in 2017, 73 percent of Russian adults now identify as Christians. Many Russian musicians and performers seen on entertainment and social media wear Christian crosses. A similar Pew Survey of the U.S. in 2019 showed that Christian identity had dropped to 65 percent.
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Lessons from the Civil War
- By Mike Scruggs
- Category: Mike Scruggs' Column
The Menace of Sectionalist Politics and Protective Tariffs
Part 8 of 8 on the Morrill Tariff
Protectionist tariffs are a general menace to economic prosperity. Near the beginning of the Great Depression, one of the highest tariff bills in U.S. history, the Smoot-Hawley Tariff Act, was passed on June 17, 1930, by Congress and signed by Republican President Herbert Hoover, who had strongly opposed the bill. Its purpose was to protect suffering American workers, farmers, and businesses from foreign competition. Up until then, exporters were faring well and remained one of the relative strengths in the economy. The House passed the bill 264 to 147, with 244 Republicans and 20 Democrats voting for it. The Senate passed it 44 to 42, with 39 Republicans and 5 Democrats voting for it. As could have been predicted by historical experience, exports soon suffered, dropping 61 percent with even Canada introducing a retaliatory tariff against U.S. goods. Unemployment was at 7.8 percent when Smoot-Hawley passed and jumped to 16.3 percent in 1931 and peaked at 25.1 percent in 1933.62
Mark Thornton and Robert B. Ekelund Jr. in their 2004 book on the economics of the Civil War, summarize some of their general economic conclusions: Protective tariffs benefit some commercial or regional interests in the short to intermediate term, but they do more harm than good to the overall economy. Obviously, some interests are injured. Tariffs are essentially a redistribution of wealth through political means. Protected economic interests often become non-innovative drags on the economy and taxpayers.63
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Mike Scruggs is the author of two books: The Un-Civil War: Shattering the Historical Myths; and Lessons from the Vietnam War: Truths the Media Never Told You, and over 600 articles on military history, national security, intelligent design, genealogical genetics, immigration, current political affairs, Islam, and the Middle East.
He holds a BS degree from the University of Georgia and an MBA from Stanford University. A former USAF intelligence officer and Air Commando, he is a decorated combat veteran of the Vietnam War, and holds the Distinguished Flying Cross, Purple Heart, and Air Medal. He is a retired First Vice President for a major national financial services firm and former Chairman of the Board of a classical Christian school.
Click the website below to order books. http://www.universalmediainc.org/books.htm.