Issue Brief posted February 20, 2013 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
U.S. Policy on Russia for Obama’s Second Term
Since Vladimir Putin’s third inauguration as Russian president last May, U.S.–Russian relations have deteriorated sharply. Officials on both sides have moved past the “reset” honeymoon as disagreements over geopolitics and human rights abound.
Spanning two continents and with a veto on the United Nations Security Council (UNSC), Russia is uniquely positioned to play a…
Issue Brief posted January 18, 2013 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
Senate Confirmation Hearings for Hagel and Kerry Views on Russia
President Barack Obama’s new foreign policy team is facing Senate approval: Senator John Kerry (D–MA) for Secretary of State, former Senator Chuck Hagel (R–NE) for Secretary of Defense, and White House chief counterterrorism advisor John Brennan for director of the CIA.
All three will confront a truculent Russia. However, their past statements and support of the…
Testimony posted December 5, 2012 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
Iran Threatens U.S. Interests in the South Caucasus
Testimony before the
Subcommittee on Europe and Eurasia,
Committee on Foreign Affairs,
U.S.
House of Representatives
December 5, 2012
Chairman Burton, Members of Congress, Ladies and Gentlemen:
My name is Ariel Cohen. I am the Senior Research Fellow…
Issue Brief posted September 11, 2012 by Baker Spring, Michaela Dodge
Annual Compliance Report: Lack of Clarity Damaging to U.S. Security
The State Department’s August 2012 report on Adherence to and Compliance with Arms Control, Nonproliferation, and Disarmament Agreements and Commitments (the so-called Annual Compliance Report) is an exercise in ambiguity which illustrates the difficulties involved in judging other countries’ compliance with multilateral and bilateral treaties related to weapons of mass…
Issue Brief posted May 31, 2012 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
To-Do List for Hillary Clinton’s Upcoming Trip to 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…
Issue Brief posted April 25, 2012 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
Promoting Human Rights in Russia Through the Sergei Magnitsky Act
Protection of basic human rights, including the right to own property, is an important issue for those who hold American values close to heart. In Russia, human and property rights violations are undermining the state and preventing investment and business development.
The poor state of the rule of law and pervasive corruption—including the failing court and law…
Backgrounder posted March 15, 2012 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
How the U.S. Should Respond to Russia's Unhelpful Role in the Middle East
Abstract: Russia is pursuing a Middle Eastern policy that is designed to reduce U.S. and Western influence in the Middle East, even at the risk of Islamist terrorism, which is a growing problem in Russia. It views the recent upheavals in the Middle East and North Africa as an American conspiracy to undermine Russia and friendly regimes in the region. Russia’s Soviet…
Issue Brief posted March 7, 2012 by Ariel Cohen, Ph.D.
How the U.S. Should Deal with Putin’s Russia
Vladimir Putin’s victory in Russia’s presidential election was marred with fraud, but nevertheless he appears to have a mandate from the Russian voters to rule for another six-year term. If re-elected in 2018, he may rule until 2024.
Regardless of the outcome of the November U.S. elections, a clear Russia policy is necessary, and it should not be the ill-fated…
Lecture posted February 28, 2012 by Garry Kasparov
Why Vladimir Putin Is Immune to the American Reset
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…