... opt for then.
Likewise, in Europe, as leftist leaders are challenged, weakened, and/or ousted one-by-one and are replaced by governments whose missions are resisting pressures of EU policy, as racial, ethnic, and religious tension, fears of Islamic terrorism, nativism, and demagogues become ever more commonplace, it is terrifying to envision its future, too. An autocratic Russia sits on Europe’s edge, poking and prodding from the outside, funding right-wing extremist parties in Europe that look to Putin’s Russia as a model, even while that democratic model has become a farce.
Make no mistake, Western Democracy ...
On February 18, 2016 the Russian International Affairs Council (RIAC) held a meeting of experts with Dr. William J. Parker III, Chief Operating Officer at the
EastWest Institute
. Dr. Parker is a retired senior naval officer, author of numerous publications on the problems of ...
... intensifies the war there.
Thus, the term myopic is particularly appropriate for Putin’s strategy because his methods of pursuing whatever gains he seeks pose risks that threaten to harm Russia’s interests more than those gains would help them: Russia is particularly vulnerable to Sunni extremist terrorism for a number of clear reasons and its moves in Syria, as I have written before, are only going to expose Russia to further attacks. If Russia is so concerned with 10% of its arms sales and access to a few military bases in Syria, I am certain ...
... also expected increased US willingness for intelligence sharing with Moscow. Yet importantly, the Kremlin additionally hoped its counterterrorism partnership would induce the US to finally treat Russia like a ‘great power’. In return for Russia fighting international terrorism, so the thinking, the US would respect Russian influence over its ‘near-abroad’ and no longer criticize its domestic human rights record. Moreover, whatever changes NATO was to go through, the Kremlin would have a say and become ...
... our military-industrial complex and our own tendency to overreact to terrorism that, in the long run, actually creates more terrorism by generating more hate, destabilization, terrorist recruits, and by playing right into the terrorists’ playbook.... ... world decide how to react to this horrific terrorist attack—one following on the verily likely terrorist downing of a Russian airliner in Egypt’s Sinai Peninsula—it is important to take a breath. This could very well lead to massive ...
On November 18, 2015, RIAC President Igor Ivanov and Director General Andrey Kortunov received U.S. Special Presidential Envoy for Hostage Affairs James O’Brien accompanied by American diplomats accredited in Moscow.
The discussion focused on Russia-U.S. cooperation in countering international terrorism, the role of independent think tanks in restoration of the bilateral dialogue on security, as well as Syria and the Middle East.
... on Terror’ shows Moscow’s definition of terrorism has hardly ever matched with that of the US. Sure, following 9/11, there was a brief convergence in views on Al Qaeda and the Afghan Taliban. Also, the US was temporarily more accepting of Russia’s claim to be fighting terrorism in Chechnya. Yet, political interests sustained this convergence, with Moscow assisting logistically in the Afghanistan war and in turn hoping for US intelligence sharing on Chechnya.
Already in 2002, there were two ‘war on terror’ ...
... set of criticisms (especially, with regard to possible terrorist attacks), but Moscow clearly understands why it has arrived Syria at this particular time. Putin made it quite clear
[3]
that the country’s line of defense against international terrorism lies not along the borders of Russia, and not even along the Tajik-Afghan border, but instead is centered in Syria, where “according to various estimates, from five to seven thousand people from Russia and other CIS countries are already fighting on the side of ISIS.” ...
... tension in the country’s internal politics, which also affects the state’s conduct on the international stage. In relation to Moscow today one has to speak about the negative nature of the reaction, which should be understood as an interpretation of Russia’s presence in Syria and the plans to strengthen it further in the region. In this context one must take into account that any state aims to protect its own national interests, and Turkey is no exception here.
The act of terrorism perpetrated, according to preliminary information, by members of the IS group on 11 October 2015 in Ankara is the biggest in the history of modern Turkey in terms of the number of casualties. As a rule, events of such magnitude unite the leaders ...
... to face
two
geopolitical threats at the same time: emerging Islamism across her eastern frontier and an unstoppable wave of illegal immigrants from the Middle East and Asia who add enormously to her current woes.
Russia's concerns regarding Islamic terrorism are well known. Russia, as a victim of Muslim extremism herself, is a key strategic interlocutor for Greece, who faces multiple potential threats from jihadist osmosis.
The Tsipras’ trip to Moscow acquires special significance at a time when Mr. Putin also finds himself ...
