Carnegie Moscow Center
The two suspected terrorists were influenced at least indirectly by the Chechen wars which devastated Chechnya. While this was traumatic for most, a small minority have become radicalized.
Muslims make up around 20 percent of Russia’s population and there are disgruntled elements that are active on the internet.
There is so far no evidence that the two suspects in the Boston bombings had direct links with any known terrorist organizations in the region. Most likely, the overall environment was conducive to their radicalization.
The current situation in Dagestan may have more bearing on the actions of the Boston bombers than the situation in Chechnya.
If proven to be part of a Caucasian-based jihad, the Boston Marathon bombings would be the first time Islamist actions from that region had been perpetrated against the United States.
The Boston Marathon bombing offers evidence of the importance of Moscow and Washington sharing intelligence on security issues.
It is important not to assume there is a link between the Tsarnaev brothers and the motivations behind Chechen separatist or Islamist groups.
With the ruling party’s loss to the opposition Georgian Dream coalition, the country’s leading political parties must find a way to share power and enable a peaceful political transition.
Turkey is attempting to position itself as a more than a regional power, with activity in all its neighboring regions. It remains to be seen, however, whether Turkey has enough forces to be present in so many places.
The Arab Spring has more in common with events in Sub-Saharan Africa in the 1990s than Central and Eastern Europe in 1989. The impact of events in the Middle East for states outside the region will depend on the legitimacy and adaptability of their regimes.