Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
It seems unlikely that Russian armed forces will move beyond the Crimean peninsula. The softer and more conciliatory tone taken by Putin could be a result of the determination of the United States and Europe to take action against Russia.
The situation in Ukraine is very unstable and dangerous, and Moscow's support of the delayed Ukrainian President Viktor Yanukovych and non-recognition of the new authorities in Kyiv only adds to the tension.
Russia and the EU are trying to pull Ukraine into their orbit rather than cooperating on what would be best for the country.
Diversity must be seen as a strength in the Arab world if the countries in the region are to evolve into democratic societies.
If the second Arab awakening is to be successful, it cannot just be a movement against despotic rule. It also has to be a movement for pluralism.
The influx of labor migrants is an economic necessity for Russia, which does not have enough native workforce. But the newness of this migration, coupled with a social distrust of authority, is causing problems.
The main reason that Russia’s anti-gay laws have stirred up such strong emotions is the lack of open social discussion about the issue.
Tension has increased between supporters and opponents of President Morsi, with both threatening to stage mass protests on the one year anniversary of the president taking office.
Post-Qaddafi Libya faces a number of significant challenges as it struggles to rein in militias and build political, economic, and security institutions.
The current situation in Dagestan may have more bearing on the actions of the Boston bombers than the situation in Chechnya.