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Mike Purcell

@purcellm1a1.bsky.social
579 followers 1.4K following 24 posts

Teaching Russia & International Security/NATO/Eurasia at the ElliottSchoolGW - Retired Marine Corps Officer (Armor & Eurasian Foreign Area Officer)

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Reposted by Mike Purcell
Asha Rangappa @asharangappa.bsky.social · 03/02/2026
Three rules in FBI firearm training: 1. Always point your weapon downrange 2. Do not point your weapon at anything you do not intend to shoot 3. Don’t put your finger on the trigger unless you intend to shoot Guns are not for threatening compliance for unarmed people doing things you don’t like
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the Mountain Goats @themountaingoats.bsky.social · 29/01/2026
like I guarantee you. I'm better read than that dude, I interrogate my own assumptions more often than that dude, my lectures would be waaaay better & better-attended than that dude's. Brown, Notre Dame, Brandeis, where you at, I bet I work cheaper too
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Jan-Werner Mueller @jwmueller-pu.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
Putin pioneered this. No opposition is legitimate. Regular, decent, “ordinary” people cannot possibly be against us because only we represent “the real people.” Tell-tale sign of authoritarianism.
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Aaron Stewart-Ahn @badideas.bsky.social · 25/01/2026
A video of Alex Pretti reading out the final salute of an unnamed veteran he cared for until the end of his life in the ICU, posted to Facebook by his son.
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Ben Kuchera @benkuchera.bsky.social · 23/01/2026
Ladies and gentlemen, the greatest American songwriter that no one remembers, Blaze Foley. Give him two minutes and he might change your life.
youtube.com
Blaze Foley - Clay Pigeons, rare Live
YouTube video by Dave HJ
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
Scientific American @sciam.bsky.social · 14/01/2026
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the long-extinct woolly rhinoceros from remains found in the stomach of a naturally mummified Pleistocene wolf pup
scientificamerican.com
Scientists Find Extinct Rhino DNA in Mummified Wolf Puppy's Stomach
Scientists have sequenced the genome of the long-extinct woolly rhinoceros from remains found in the stomach of a naturally mummified Pleistocene wolf pup
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 18/12/2025
Deserved!
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
UAINE @mahtowin1.bsky.social · 12/11/2025
Native Americans Serve in the Military at the Highest Rate of Any Group. nativenewsonline.net/currents/cel...
nativenewsonline.net
Celebrating Veterans Day: Native Americans Serve in the Military at the Highest Rate of Any Group
On this Veterans Day, communities across Indian Country are honoring the thousands of Native American and Alaska Native men and women who have served—and continue to serve—in the U.S. Armed Forces at ...
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 19/08/2025
Once had a well meaning US official leading a delegation thank their opposite member (a regional leader in Russia known to be corrupt) for his “crime” rather than his “speech” (words that rhyme in Russian…Преступление & выступление)
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 17/08/2025
Constructive interview 👍
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 09/08/2025
Fantastic article on a film that will always be relevant
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
The Chamberlain Network @chamberlainvets.bsky.social · 07/08/2025
What the Air Force just did is wrong. It’s cowardly. And it breaks faith with every person who’s ever worn the uniform. They told a transgender airmen with 15–18 years of service they could retire early — then yanked it away. www.reuters.com/legal/govern...
reuters.com
Exclusive: US Air Force denies early retirement for group of transgender service members
The U.S. Air Force is denying early retirement to all transgender service members with between 15 and 18 years of military service, opting instead to force them out with no retirement benefits, according to a memo seen by Reuters.
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 15/07/2025
Thank you, I enjoy your annotated excerpt posts 👍 ….this one pushed me over the edge to finally subscribe to LRB
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Bolts @boltsmag.org · 30/06/2025
“These folks put pressure on me... to send a message," says the Norfolk prosecutor of other local officials. “I said to them, ... I’m not going to triple and quadruple sentences beyond what they deserve to try and send some sort of message." boltsmag.org/norfolk...
boltsmag.org
Norfolk Reelects its Reform Prosecutor, Capping Years of Heated Debate
Fresh off his victory, Ramin Fatehi and allies are now hoping Virginia Democrats can build on reforms by winning control of state government this fall.
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Shona Murray @shonamurray.bsky.social · 22/06/2025
🚨This is 💯 worth your time “I have watched with dismay and increasing horror as my nephew, an educated man who is well aware of his heritage, has become the architect of immigration policies that repudiate the very foundation of our family’s life in this country” www.politico.com/magazine/sto...
politico.com
Stephen Miller Is an Immigration Hypocrite. I Know Because I’m His Uncle.
If my nephew’s ideas on immigration had been in force a century ago, our family would have been wiped out.
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 19/06/2025
WTF is wrong with him? That’s shameful sloppy talk for a military officer let alone a General with significant command time in combat.
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Anton Gerashchenko @antongerashchenko.bsky.social · 16/06/2025
It would be better for NATO and Poland if #Ukraine were in the Alliance, Polish Defence Minister Władysław Kosiniak-Kamysz said. Speaking at the Central and Eastern European Security Forum, he said Poland doesn't help Ukraine "solely out of romantic enthusiasm" and ⤵️
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 03/06/2025
Disgraceful
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Phil Lewis @phillewis.bsky.social · 10/05/2025
Today is the 111th birthday of Viola Ford Fletcher, the oldest living survivor of the 1921 Tulsa race massacre
A photo of Viola Ford Fletcher with her hands clasped
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
OC Media @ocmedia.bsky.social · 26/04/2025
Today marks the 150th day of protests in Tbilisi. Demonstrators have gathered near Didube Metro Station and are marching towards the Prosecutor’s Office. They are demanding new elections and freedom for those detained during months of protests.
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 25/04/2025
Ugh, World class dumb…these are smart enterprises that are mutually beneficent…and super “efficient”!
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NOELREPORTS @noelreports.com · 23/04/2025
❗️Zelensky reposted a 2018 statement by former U.S. Secretary of State Mike Pompeo: “The U.S. reaffirms its policy of non-recognition of the Kremlin’s claims of sovereignty over territory seized by force.” A timeless reminder: Might doesn’t make right.
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Janne M. Korhonen @jmkorhonen.fi · 22/04/2025
This is world championships trolling you are seeing here
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OC Media @ocmedia.bsky.social · 10/04/2025
On the 36th anniversary of the 9 April 1989 massacre, Georgian Dream leaders used the occasion to attack foreign and domestic critics, comparing today’s protesters to Soviet troops. ➡️ Read more: oc-media.org/georgian-dre...
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
Chatham House @chathamhouse.org · 01/04/2025
Central Asia is adept at hedging between Moscow and the West. Much of its success lies in adhering to a single maxim: tell each side what it wants to hear.
chathamhouse.org
Playing both sides: Central Asia between Russia and the West
Central Asia is adept at hedging between Moscow and the West. Much of its success lies in adhering to a single maxim: tell each side what it wants to hear.
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 01/04/2025
watch.grasshopperfilm.com/films/interc...
watch.grasshopperfilm.com
Intercepted
A platform for watching independent films.
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
DOXA Journal in English @doxajournal.bsky.social · 16/03/2025
Stalin died in March 1953. After a period of stagnation, Soviet cinema underwent a “thaw.” Censorship eased, allowing a wave of bold, dynamic films to reach the screen. With spring in the air, we’ve selected seven films for a perfect Sunday watch—each available via: sovietmoviesonline.com
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 13/03/2025
“we have to be able to commit war crimes to win wars” is the type of thing a 16-year-old dumbass says and — well, yeah, hegseth is basically a 16-year-old dumbass
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 23/02/2025
How can one best articulate the idea that the Russian state has agency and should be held responsible for its actions? The Mearsheimer inspired arguments come off like a physics discussion…body A hits body B = effect x…is Russia an inanimate object? I don’t believe Russians think this is so
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tim frye @timfrye.bsky.social · 16/02/2025
Just your daily remind that Putin could end the war in Ukraine by withdrawing his troops from Ukrainian territory. That would do it.
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Kai Ryssdal @kairyssdal.bsky.social · 16/02/2025
I need people to play attention to this 👇 and to what I said on Thursday www.marketplace.org/2025/02/13/t... The destruction of politics is coming for the economy
marketplace.org
This final note — on democracy and this economy - Marketplace
The transcript of a Final Note from Kai Ryssdal that aired at the end of Thursday night's episode of “Marketplace.”
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Reposted by Mike Purcell
jamelle @jamellebouie.net · 30/01/2025
i think it is important to say that the open and explicit racism of the president and the vice president isn’t just uncouth or “controversial” but a direct attack on tens of millions of americans and a dereliction of their duty to represent the entire country
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
Looks like they changed it to “its highest level in more than two decades”…but a telling mistake, attractive shortcut to a quick analysis by disregarding the 90’s when the numbers were so insane that it would require a para to contextualize for any readers not familiar with the topic
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 12/12/2024
More guns, less sallow…a Russian tradition
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 03/12/2024
Georgian civil society deserves our attention…excellent analysis here of how Russia is and isn’t involved
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
🥑
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
and Guacamole!
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Thanks for the effort on quality subtitles!
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
I could go for this…but to keep it real the movement is really only “motorized” at this point
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Indeed…don’t hate the message right
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 26/11/2024
Can we consider the CCP lecturing the US on the merits of free trade good news on some level?
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 23/11/2024
Great piece…definitely asking the right question
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 20/11/2024
As promised so many times in his National Security Strategy, it seems Putin has successfully defended and promoted “Russian values” both at home and abroad…fitting as the war hits a 1000 days of entirely wasteful destruction on every level and direction apple.news/Au7GyhEdTTNu...
apple.news
Putin’s war hits home — and Russians hit the bottle — The Times and The Sunday Times
Vladimir Putin is known to enjoy a glass of vodka while entertaining foreign dignitaries, but he is practically a paragon of temperance by comparison with Russian leaders of the past. Consider for exa...
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 19/11/2024
This Soviet-theater act makes it seem like a consequence of Putin’s invasion of Ukraine has been an incremental demonstration of how nuclear weapons aren’t very fungible…great for existential deterrence but not so much for coercion or extracting serious concession www.nytimes.com/2024/11/19/w...
nytimes.com
Putin Lowers Nuclear Weapons Threshold After U.S. Allows Ukraine to Use Missiles Against Russia
A decree signed by the Russian leader, though long-planned, came days after President Biden authorized the use of U.S.-supplied long-range missiles by Ukraine for strikes inside Russia.
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 18/11/2024
🙏 excellent piece…good for students & experienced alike. I had the chance awhile back to ask an Abkhaz participant in the 90’s civil war “How did you gain the advantage over the Georgians?”…he said “We stopped letting the Russians know what our plans were…they were playing us against each other”
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Helpful thread 🙏 Seems he earned this fair + square…undesirable risk ⬆️ but hard to think of what a conventional military escalation against “the West” would look like…Deliberate strike on NATO country? Red teaming this leads to a RF maritime atk in int waters or other domain with blurry sovereignty
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Mike Purcell @purcellm1a1.bsky.social · 17/11/2024
Feels late but this is now undeniably a response to Russian escalation…a deserved physical and moral boost earned by Ukrainian tactical persistence…consequences won’t be immediately obvious but the change to battlefield geometry will put a drag on Russian operations
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