Russia launched its own war against terror in September 1999 when the country, shocked by twin bomb attacks in Moscow, made a contract with newly appointed prime minister Vladimir Putin. He promised to exterminate the threat and accepted responsibility for a war not of his making. This was certainly a risk on Putin’s part, and the probability that uncontrollable generals would mishandle the campaign was uncomfortably high. Putin gambled, however, and won; his first crucial victory was achieved in March 2000, when former president Boris Yeltsin’s plan for a controlled transfer of power to Putin was validated at the ballot box. […]
Memo #:
415
Series:
1
PDF:
PDF URL:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/ponars/pm_0415.pdf
