Summary: Relevant Reading: The Winners of 2014 Walter Russell Mead The Seven Great Powers Walter Russell Mead Good evening, podcast listeners! In the perfect coda to an eventful year and a great primer for whats ahead, Walter Russell Mead, Editor-at-large and Director of The American Interest Online, returns to the podcast to lend his expertise to a discussion of goings-on around the globe. WRM assesses the winners and losers of 2014, lauding President Xis terrific year, while noting that China didnt enjoy the same degree of success as the countrys increasingly powerful leader. He looks at the progress Modi, India, Abe, and Japan all made last year, before shifting focus to Europe and fixing Angela Merkel and Germany in his crosshairs. As for Vladimir Putin, WRM remarks on the piece of very bad luck that has hampered his geopolitical maneuvering: the oil price crash and the effect it is having on the Russian economy. He reminds us, however, that the question in eastern Europe should not be how strong is Russia? but rather how weak is Ukraine? Also discussed are the rampaging destruction of Ebola and Boko Haram in Africa, the failings of social media activism, the rapid rise of ISIS, the Saudis series of strategic successes, the U.S. energy renaissance, Americas best Mr. Magoo impression, and expectations for a more active American foreign policy. Be sure to subscribe to the podcast on iTunes, and follow our host Richard Aldous @RJAldous and Walter Russell Mead @wrmead on Twitter.
