Patrick Lawrence
Menu
  • Biography
  • Books
  • Q&A’s
  • Archives
    • The Nation.
    • Salon
    • Alternet
    • Asia Times
    • Consortium News
    • CounterPunch
    • Raritan
    • ScheerPost
    • The Fiscal Times
    • The Floutist
    • The Scrum
    • The Washington Quarterly
    • Elsewhere
  • Journal
  • Appearances
  • The Mail
Browse: Home » Democracy
“The Biden blackout.”

“The Biden blackout.”

December 17, 2020 · by Patrick Lawrence · in Articles, Elsewhere, Featured, The Scrum

“Soft despotism” is upon us. This article first appeared on The Scrum. DECEMBER 17—Those who followed events in 2016 with sufficient acuity will have registered events it is now well to recall. In the infra dig response of liberals to…

First Greece, Now Spain: Is Europe in for a Political Earthquake?

First Greece, Now Spain: Is Europe in for a Political Earthquake?

February 2, 2015 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

It took a mere six days for the election victory of the anti-austerity Syriza party in Greece to start ricocheting around Europe like a stray bullet in a concrete bunker. And already the fight between northern Europe’s austerians and their…

Ukraine’s Election Poses Big Questions for the U.S.

Ukraine’s Election Poses Big Questions for the U.S.

October 27, 2014 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

Ukrainians went to the polls Sunday to elect a new parliament, and when the results are official, it is almost certain they will have a legislature with new faces and a confirmed tilt westward. That will surely please Washington and…

Why ‘Bravehearted’ Scots Will Vote for Independence

Why ‘Bravehearted’ Scots Will Vote for Independence

September 15, 2014 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

Remember Paul McCartney’s odd protest song after Ireland’s “Bloody Sunday” in 1972? “Give Ireland back to the Irish,” it went, “make Ireland Irish today.” Now it’s Scotland’s turn. The Irish got it done with generations of grinding violence and then…

As Democracy Grows So Does Global Corruption

As Democracy Grows So Does Global Corruption

December 9, 2013 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

It is hard to miss the democratic longings of so many of the world’s citizens as their voices rise these days. In number and diversity, these are surely among the distinct sounds of 2013. It is, however, impossible to miss…

The Coup in Egypt: A Failure Greater than Morsi

The Coup in Egypt: A Failure Greater than Morsi

July 8, 2013 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

The removal from power of Mohamed Morsi, Egypt’s duly elected president will never change one irrefutable truth: If you applaud or support military coups in democracies—even young, wrongheaded democracies—you aid in the making of a very messy world. Only a…

As the Middle East Unravels, the US Pulls No Strings

July 1, 2013 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

Much of the Middle East is suddenly coming unglued–with it, years of US effort to encourage democratic order in the region will go to waste. It is time for Washington to do something very smart–nearly nothing. Syria and Egypt are…

Reform on the Back Burner with New Chinese Regime

Reform on the Back Burner with New Chinese Regime

November 19, 2012 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

China has just decided to hold onto an economic, political, and social model that has a proven record of producing high economic growth – a model that never fails to tip over. I have witnessed the collapse of this kind…

3 Foreign Hotspots that Will Test Obama’s Mettle

3 Foreign Hotspots that Will Test Obama’s Mettle

November 12, 2012 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

The “four more years” now stretching out in front of our forty-fourth president will be dense with challenges overseas, and meeting them will be essential if America is to regain a competitiveness already slipping. It would be hard to list…

U.S. Clout in Mideast at Stake with New Protests

U.S. Clout in Mideast at Stake with New Protests

September 17, 2012 · by Patrick Smith · in Articles, The Fiscal Times

There are two lessons to be learned about the dreadful spree of anti–American violence and protest that swept the Islamic world last week in apparent response to an anti–Islamic film that went regrettably viral. First, America can no longer ignore…

1 2 Next →

Search

Recent Pieces

  • Patrick Lawrence: Waves Upon the Sea of Silence May 17, 2025
  • PATRICK LAWRENCE: Diplomatic Chess, Ukraine the Pawn May 16, 2025
  • “Demolitions.” May 6, 2025
  • Patrick Lawrence: Germany in Crisis Part 4: Wanderers and Seekers May 6, 2025
  • Patrick Lawrence: Germany in Crisis Part 3: A Culture of Submission April 26, 2025

Tags

Politics Israel Russia Putin Column Foreign Policy New York Times America China Washington U.S. News Europe Media Obama Ukraine Policy American Empire Opinion Economy COMMENTARY Iran BIDEN ADMINISTRATION Syria Trump

Recent Comments

  • Mark Miller on “Report from Donbas.”
  • Tom Jackson on PATRICK LAWRENCE: Musk & the Myth of USAID
  • George on PATRICK LAWRENCE: Blinded to Syria
  • Carl Zaisser on Sharmine Narwani on the end of the Syrian war and the “post-imperial Middle East”
  • Randy Laird on Patrick Lawrence: Shall We Celebrate, the World Being as It Is?

Archives

About Patrick Lawrence

Writer, commentator, longtime newspaper and magazine correspondent abroad. Writes often on Europe and Asia. Published five books.

Connect

Please feel free to Contact me to arrange lectures, commissions, or reprint rights, or simply as a reader.




Sustain the work via Patreon.

Become a Patron


You can also follow me on Twitter.

Follow @thefloutist

Recent pieces

  • Patrick Lawrence: Waves Upon the Sea of Silence May 17, 2025
  • PATRICK LAWRENCE: Diplomatic Chess, Ukraine the Pawn May 16, 2025
  • “Demolitions.” May 6, 2025

Publications

  • Appearances
  • Articles
    • Alternet
    • Asia Times
    • Consortium News
    • CounterPunch
    • Elsewhere
    • Independent
    • Raritan
    • Salon
    • ScheerPost
    • The Fiscal Times
    • The Floutist
    • The Nation.
    • The Scrum
    • The Washington Quarterly
  • Cú Chulainn
  • Featured
  • Uncategorized
​​This site is published in honor of Sheila and the late Chalmers Johnson.

Copyright © 2025 Patrick Lawrence. Designed by Blue Anchor Design.