US Policy and Russia’s Economic Plight: Lessons from the Meltdown
This policy memo discusses economic reform in Russia and the role of the US government between 1992 and 1998. It begins by reviewing the general strategy of shock therapy in…
Short-Term Compromises and Long-Term Dangers for Russian-American Security Cooperation
Russia's current economic and military weakness should not make anyone complacent about the long-term potential for a resurgent Russian threat to international security. Now is the time for the United…
Strategies For Energy Development In Central Asia: International Implications
The possession of rich reserves of oil and gas on their respective territories destines the Central Asian states neither for healthy market economies and democratic governance nor for the establishment…
The Russian Barter Debate: Implications for Western Policy
Barter and other closely related forms of non-monetary exchange present a critical challenge for Russian public policy. As of early 1998, from 50 to 70% of exchange in industry took…
Contact Lenses: Transparency and US-Russian Military Ties
US and NATO soldiers and sailors are making an extremely important contribution to American security interests by doing the unexpected: fraternizing with their counterparts from Russia, a country that may…
Domestic Structure, Economic Growth, and Russian Foreign Policy
Although Russia seems to be in perpetual economic crisis and political transition, it is not too early to begin contemplating the impact of economic growth on Russian foreign policy. Even…
Central Weakness and Provincial Autonomy: The Process of Devolution in Russia
The most recent round of financial and political crises in Russia serve to underscore the growing power shift between the federal government in Moscow and the 89 units that comprise…
Domestic Politics and Russia’s Caspian Policy
The known volume of Caspian oil and gas reserves is immense, and new discoveries are reported regularly. With deposits of oil alone totaling perhaps 200 billion tons, the Caspian stands…
Could Norway Trigger a Nuclear War? Notes on the Russian Command and Control System
Next January, Norway is planning to launch a research rocket similar to the one that caused a false alarm in the Russian strategic command and control system in 1995. An…
Breaking the Vicious Cycle of Uncertainty in Post-Communist Russia
The most recent round of financial and political crises in Russia serve to underscore the growing power shift between the federal government in Moscow and the 89 units that comprise…
Russia’s International Integration and Caspian Sea Oil
Since the collapse of the Soviet Union, Russia's international integration has been complicated by both its economic weakness and its unpredictable foreign policy. In 1996-97, as a result of the…
Current Russian Views on US-Russian Security Relations and Military Reform
I recently returned from a research trip to Moscow and wanted to pass on some impressions. While there, I conducted interviews on two different issues: military reform and political party…