Carnegie Moscow Center
States of the Euro-Atlantic security community share basic interests and depend on one another for security, economic prosperity, and human development. To address modern security challenges, these states must revitalize the institutional foundations of their shared security community.
The 20 years that have passed since the Soviet Union’s collapse have shown that the former Soviet republics are capable of developing and strengthening their independence and economy, as well as integrating into global and regional processes, even as Russia continues its transition from an empire to a great power.
The major social and economic problems that sparked the Arab Spring have not been addressed, making it likely that there will be a second round of unrest that could bring about a surge in the power of Islamic radicals or the establishment of new authoritarian regimes.
In his speech, President Obama laid out a less ambitious approach to the war in Afghanistan that abandons the long-term goals of nation building in favor of improved intelligence, special forces, drone attacks, and a smaller footprint in country.
The international community should focus on pressing the Kyrgyz government to respect the basic human rights of all their citizens and emphasize the importance of equality and accountability before the law.
Russia and the Central Asian republics all have their own national interests. Moscow’s cooperation with Central Asia must be equitable and based on the Russia's national interests.
As the United States seeks to respond to the democratic challenges of the Arab Spring, it can be helpful to consider what has been learned since the early democracy promotion experiences of 1989.
With the bureaucratic infrastructure for solid bilateral relations between China and Russia already in place, the next step is increased dialogue between the countries’ intellectuals, who can examine the relationship from a broader perspective.
In the wake of the Arab Spring, some countries, like Egypt and Tunisia, are in the process of a real democratic transformation, while others, like Libya, Yemen, and Syria, are in deep crisis.
Russian experience in fighting terrorism shows that the elimination of charismatic leaders like Osama bin Laden does not necessarily end the deadly threat posed by the terrorist groups they led.