What Really Matters with Walter Russell Mead The Murder of Charlie Kirk
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Sep 11, 2025 Russian drones provoke NATO tensions, raising urgent security questions. Israel's failed strikes on Hamas leaders reveal complex geopolitical dynamics and regional limitations. Trump's rebranding of the Defense Department invites debate on military efficacy against a backdrop of bureaucracy. The assassination of a conservative activist stirs reflections on political violence, echoing historical upheavals. Finally, generational perspectives clash over the American Dream, highlighting the widening gap between baby boomers and today's youth.
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Russia Testing NATO's Resolve
- Russia's drone incursions into Poland probe NATO's air defenses and cohesion rather than seeking a full-scale attack.
- Walter Russell Mead warns weak Western responses increase Putin's contempt and encourage further provocations.
Doha Strike Upsets Regional Calculus
- Israel struck in Doha showing willingness to act beyond traditional red lines, even if the senior Hamas leaders survived.
- Mead says such strikes complicate regional diplomacy and may push Arab states to rebalance toward countering Israel.
Name Change Won't Fix The Pentagon
- Renaming DoD the 'Department of War' is mainly symbolic and won't fix Pentagon bureaucracy or warfighting capacity.
- Mead accepts the clarity of language but says the change is unlikely to deliver substantive reform.