When the Soviet Union broke apart nine years ago, Western observers voiced dire predictions about Russia's fate. Some warned that a quasi-fascist or military dictatorship would seize power; others spoke ominously about the violent disintegration of the country along the lines of Yugoslavia. Many expressed particular misgivings about the dangers posed by Russia's nuclear arsenal, which, they feared, would be vulnerable to diversion and "leakage." So far, none of these predictions has been borne out. Although Russia has experienced severe economic, political, and social problems since 1991, the worst scenarios have not come to pass. […]
Memo #:
173
Series:
1
PDF:
PDF URL:
http://www.gwu.edu/~ieresgwu/assets/docs/ponars/pm_0173.pdf
