Georgia’s recent parliamentary elections proved surprising to many. The ruling United National Movement Party, led by President Mikhail Saakashvili, lost its majority. With a bronze bust of Ronald Reagan clearly visible in the background, Mr. Saakashvili graciously conceded defeat in a televised address to the nation. The newly formed Georgian Dream coalition, led by…
Hours before Mikheil Saakashvili admitted defeat, a senior Azerbaijani official told me that the Georgian president had nothing to worry about. He wasn’t the only one miscalling the result: from Tbilisi to Washington, few expected the stunning victory by the opposition Georgian Dream movement, led by billionaire Bidzina Ivanishvili, who claimed victory in the country’s…
Testimony before The Commission for Security and Cooperation in Europe (Helsinki Commission), U.S. Congress September 20, 2012 Mr. Chairman, Congressmen, Secretary Melia, Ladies and Gentlemen: My name is Ariel Cohen. I am Senior Research Fellow, Russian and Eurasian Studies and International Energy Policy at The Heritage Foundation. The…
Four years ago this month, as many around the world were watching the summer Olympics in Beijing, Russia invaded the Republic of Georgia. At one point Russian tanks were on the outskirts of Georgia’s capital, Tbilisi. Russian planes dropped bombs on Tbilisi International Airport -- a civilian airport. Hostilities were quickly brought to an end by a French diplomatic…
Journalist Michael Totten recently described Georgia as being at “the edge of the West” and recalled that U.S. ambassador to the Soviet Union George F. Kennan famously said that “Russia can have at its borders only enemies or vassals.”[1] Were he alive today, Kennan would have agreed that this is Georgia’s current predicament. In spite of sharp economic contraction…
Late last week, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton began her tour of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan and Turkey. In Scandinavia, she was to address several forums on climate change and green energy. While in Sweden, she also planned to discuss Internet freedom, Afghanistan and the Middle East. But it is in the mountains of the Caucasus and Turkey…
On May 31, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton will begin her tour of Denmark, Norway, Sweden, Armenia, Georgia, Azerbaijan, and Turkey. In Scandinavia, she will address several forums on climate change and green energy. While in Sweden, she will also discuss Internet freedom, Afghanistan, and the Middle East. But it is in the Caucasus and Turkey that Clinton will…
Abstract: The Islamist insurgency in Russia’s Northern Caucasus threatens to turn the region into a haven for international terrorism and to destabilize the entire region, which is a critical hub of oil and gas pipelines located at Europe’s doorstep. Neither Russia’s excessive use of military force nor its massive economic aid to the region appear to have helped. The U.S.…
In May, NATO leaders will meet for the annual heads of state and government summit in Chicago. Absent from the summit’s agenda is the issue of enlargement—a pillar of the alliance. Since taking office, President Obama has done little to support the membership of qualified candidates. This year’s NATO summit provides an opportunity to correct this. NATO’s “open door…
Abstract: Vladimir Putin’s regime is best understood not in political terms, but in criminal terms. The minions and oligarchs are loyal to Putin because he offers them protection. They can commit any crimes they like, but as long as they stay loyal, they can get rich and take their money to the West. Pushing back hard and setting a firm, even confrontational line is the…
The Arctic is quickly reemerging as a strategic area where vital U.S. interests are at stake. The geopolitical and geo-economic importance of the Arctic region is rising rapidly, and its mineral wealth will likely transform the region into a booming economic frontier in the 21st century. The coasts and continental shelf of the Arctic Ocean are estimated to hold large…
Should Taxpayers continue subsidizing millionaires? That's the question Congress is mulling over as it considers reauthorizing farm subsidies doled out by the Department of Agriculture. The agriculture budget totals $25 billion - more than we spend on the Office of Elementary and Secondary Education. Farm subsidies are typically portrayed as a vital lifeboat for…
It is widely reported in the world press that the United States and Poland have agreed on terms for deploying ballistic missile interceptors in the East European country. The interceptors would work in conjunction with radars that will be deployed in the Czech Republic (the result of another agreement announced earlier this year). Together, they will comprise a…
Over the past several decades, federal and state transportation policies have struggled to keep pace with a rising population and increasing numbers of motorists and trucks using the roads. As a result, congestion has worsened in most major metropolitan areas, imposing extra costs on all motorists and truckers and threatening to undermine the economic vitality of many…
The District of Columbia is home to one of the nation's most troubled public school systems. The District spends $14,400 for every child in public school—well above the national average and more than any of the 50 states.[1] The 2007 National Assessment of Educational Progress (NAEP) reported that Washington, D.C.'s fourth and eighth graders scored lower than any other…
While Members of Congress are arguing about defunding parts of Obamacare, the rubber is meeting the road in the states....…
The Medicaid expansion is touted by proponents of Obamacare as a "no-brainer." While it is true that some states may see...…
During the same week that France announced it has retreated early from Afghanistan, the tiny NATO-aspirant country of...…
Numerous education-related amendments, ranging from ballot initiatives and charter school authorizers to spending and...…
The Advancement Project, a left-wing civil rights advocacy group, is coming out with a new study that claims that 10...…
People seemingly voting after they've been dead for years. Drug kingpins buying votes from poor people to sway...…
Georgians live in a dangerous neighborhood. This is obvious to anyone looking at a map of the Caucasus. Iran is its...…
U.S. Attorney General Eric Holder is currently blocking implementation of voter ID laws in South Carolina and Texas,...…
Voter fraud has a history of plaguing elections, inspiring a growing number of states to enact voter identification laws...…
State public service officials are gathered in Washington, D.C., this week for the winter meeting of…