Carnegie Moscow Center
The absence of security, law enforcement or effective central government has created a vacuum in Afghanistan. The Taliban are conducting a campaign to eliminate government contact with the population and compel the people to accept Taliban rule.
The alienation of ethnic Pashtuns is a major factor in the Taliban’s success in southern Afghanistan, but it could seriously impair the group’s progress in the north.
In Kabul many of the issues affecting Afghanistan – ineffective governance, the Taliban's expanding influence, and a massive foreign presence – are on stark display.
The agreements reached between U.S. President Obama and Russian President Medvedev at the U.S.-Russia summit showcased a great deal of positive rhetoric, but they are unlikely to lead to a substantial improvement in overall relations.
The economic crisis may have exacerbated many of the vulnerabilities in Russia's economy, but it stopped the deterioration of U.S.-Russian relations, which were the lowest they had been in twenty-five years.
The United States should pursue a joint missile defense system to improve long-term relations with Russia.
Europe’s Eastern Partnership is the clearest indication so far of its capability and willingness to project soft power into what Moscow regards as its sphere of influence.
As top policy experts assess President Obama’s performance during his first hundred days in office, the results are somewhat mixed but generally positive.
The recent protests in Moldova were sparked by allegations of rigged election results, but their roots lie in the Moldovan government's agreement with Russia to significantly slow down the process of Moldova's accession to the European Union.
The dichotomous nature of Russia’s relationship with the West requires that the United States develop a long-term vision and strategy for its own relations with Russia.