May 4, 2009 By James Kimer

Video: David Satter vs. Hart and Simes

Just when I thought I was all done posting video interviews from my last trip to Washington, I saw Bob’s post today about the Gary Hart and Dmitri Simes article about realism, interests, and the prospects for cooperation between the Obama Administration and Russia.  In response, I have gathered together some of the last scraps of the interview I shot with David Satter from the cutting room floor, as his comments strangely seem to engage almost in a direct dialogue with the Hart and Simes piece, especially in terms of debating realism (though the interview occured a month before this article was published).  Some of my questions to Satter stemmed from an article he published in Forbes in November 2008 containing advice for Obama on Russia, including the point to “ignore the realists.” 

Taken together, the video below and the Hart/Simes piece constitutes a real “throwdown” on the U.S.-Russia relationship in these next critical months.  Please leave your weapons at the door.

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