The Challenge of Terrorism in Post-Saddam Iraq: A View from Russia
Although terrorism was one of the least plausible causes for the recent U.S. war in Iraq and there was a surprising lack of terrorist acts aimed against the United States or…
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United States
145 posts
Why Did Lukoil Really Pull Out of the Azeri-Chirag-Guneshli Oilfield?
In late November 2002, Russia’s largest oil company, Lukoil, created a flurry of speculation over its decision to withdraw from the Azerbaijan International Operating Company (AIOC), a major Caspian oil consortium. Given…
Reducing the Risk of Accidental Launch: Time for a New Approach?
Ten years ago, on January 25, 1995, a sounding rocket launched from a test site in Norway was detected by radars of the Russian early-warning network. The details of what followed have…
The Bellwether Battle for Bashkortostan (Rage Against the Machine)
On December 7, 2003, Russian voters in some regions will choose not only a parliament, but also a regional leader. For many citizens, the latter contests will mean much more than the…
‘A Sense of His Soul’: The Relation between Presidents Putin and Bush
It is an unfortunate truism that relations between the United States and Russia depend a great deal on the interpersona l connection between the two countries. Of course, personalities do not determine…
Is a More Democratic Europe Good News for Post-Soviet States?
The title of this memo—“Is a More Democratic Europe Good News for Post-Soviet States?”—may raise a few eyebrows. After all, how could the answer be anything but yes?! Such a quick and…
Why Did Russia Welcome a Republican Victory?
Russian President Vladimir Putin welcomed George W. Bush’s victory in the U.S. presidential race before the announcement of the official results. The contemporary Russian political elite has preferred conservative, more pragmatic Republicans…
The ABM Treaty: The End of One Saga and the Start of Another
The November 2001 summit between Presidents George W. Bush and Vladimir Putin marked the end of the lengthy saga of the ABM Treaty. After years of intense conflict, the situation…
U.S. Assistance to Russian NGOs: Securing Global Governance from Below
This memorandum argues that President George W. Bush’s administration should complement its diplomatic rapprochement with Russia with continued, even enhanced, support for nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) in the Russian Third Sector.…
What Happens When Russia is the West’s Ally? Some Historical Geopolitical Regularities
The geopolitical history of balance of power suggests that Russia is simply too big to be the West’s ally in normal times. In a pattern that has held for more…