Latest Articles about Domestic/Social
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Russian Rulers Cannot Rely On The Military During a Crisis
Popular uprisings rocking the Middle East are a cause for concern in Moscow, in particular, as the unrest may disrupt arms trade worth tens of billions of dollars. In 2010, Russia agreed to sell the Libyan regime of Moammar Gaddafi more than $2 billion worth... MORE
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Special Commentary: Can African Mercenaries Save the Libyan Regime?
In recent days there have been reports that the Libyan regime of Mu'ammar al-Qaddafi has resorted to the use of foreign mercenaries to slaughter unarmed civilians protesting over four decades of rule by Qaddafi and his family. The Libyan government has been clear from the... MORE
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Anti-Government Protests in Yemen: An Opportunity for Unity or a Catalyst for Further Unrest?
Special Report from Yemen
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Kazakh Presidential Hopefuls Keen on Participating – Not Winning
Although Kazakhstan’s President Nursultan Nazarbayev is expected to coast to an easy re-election victory on April 3, the predictable poll is full of unexpected color. A total of 22 presidential hopefuls from all walks of life, including the incumbent, submitted their nominations to the Central... MORE
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Russian Leadership Prepares for a Protracted War with the North Caucasus Insurgency
On February 22, Dmitry Medvedev made a surprise trip to North Ossetia. In Vladikavkaz, the Russian president chaired the first meeting of the Russian National Anti-Terrorist Committee (NAK) ever held outside of Moscow. Attacks in Kabardino-Balkaria the previous several days may have prompted Medvedev’s extraordinary... MORE
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Kudrin Promises the Return of Putin the Reformer
The main political sensation in Russia this week is Finance Minister Aleksei Kudrin’s statement that Russia needs fair and honest elections that would grant the authorities a mandate for executing difficult economic reforms (Rossiyskaya Gazeta, February 20). The nominally-dominant United Russia party expressed disapproval and... MORE
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Special Commentary: Is Libya Headed Toward a Prolonged Civil War?
It did not take long for Libya to follow the path of its neighbors, with popular uprisings in Tunisia to the west and in Egypt to the east. The Libyan ‘uprising’ which started on February 17th, continues as of the writing of this piece. (Opposition... MORE
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Moscow Launches Military Buildup in the North Caucasus to Safeguard Sochi Olympics
On February 17, the Memorial human rights center, the only Russian civil organization that closely monitors the situation in the North Caucasus, published data on attacks against the Russian law enforcement agencies and the army in the volatile region. According to the open source analysis... MORE
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Kyrgyzstan’s Awaits a New President
After experiencing a tumultuous 2010, Kyrgyzstan is facing yet another decisive test this year. Presidential elections planned for November-December 2011 will determine whether the positive trends seen in the past few months in Kyrgyzstan will continue after the incumbent leader Roza Otunbayeva steps down. The... MORE
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Incidents of Insurgency-Related Violence Reported Across the North Caucasus
Insurgency-related violence was reported across the North Caucasus this past week. In Dagestan, an explosion hit a food store in the city of Kizilyurt in the early hours of February 17, injuring a security guard, who was hospitalized with shrapnel wounds to the legs. When... MORE