Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
The attack on the flotilla headed for Gaza was not only a political catastrophe for the Israelis; it also underscored the tragedy of the situation in Gaza and the need for substantive progress to be made in the peace process.
The recent terrorist attack in Stavropol suggests that if Russia is still facing an increasing number of terrorist attacks, then perhaps it is time for the authorities to rethink their policies for the pacification of the Caucasus.
The recent attacks demonstrate the Kremlin’s lack of success in defeating the North Caucasus insurgency believed to be behind the March metro bombings, as well as the impossibility of isolating the violence in the North Caucasus without turning Russia into a police state.
Both the United States and Russia face the threat of global terrorism, and they should work together and share intelligence in order to respond to terrorist threats.
In the wake of the recent Moscow suicide bombings, the Russian people may begin to draw a connection between corruption among police and security forces and the inability of those security forces to protect Russian citizens from terrorist attacks.
In spite of discussions highlighting the intense partisanship of U.S. politics, there is a strong bipartisan consensus on the key issues of U.S. foreign policy, including Afghanistan, Iraq, and Iran.
The United Nations, the United States, the European Union, and Russia have called for a freeze on all Israeli settlement activity, increasing the international pressure on Israel in the hopes of reinvigorating indirect peace talks.
President's Obama recent Nobel Peace Prize has resulted in skepticism in some circles. His forthcoming acceptance speech offers him the opportunity to capitalize on the award and take steps toward achieving many of his administration's goals.
As violence in the North Caucasus surges, Kremlin policies and its loyal, but brutal, local leaders have played a critical role in causing the situation.
Obama's speech to the Muslim world focused on two of the main obstacles to making progress on the Israeli-Palestinian dispute: violence by Palestinians against Israelis and settlement acitvities by Israelis in the West Bank.