Europe & Russia

Russian Defense Legislation and Russian Democracy Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "As recent events demonstrate, Russia's political system has yet to stabilize. This is particularly the case with civil-military relations for, as the course of the Chechnya invasion reveals, control by the government over the military is erratic and the military is all too often politicized. In this vein, legislation on civilian control of the military and on peacemaking operations in Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States (CIS) is a particularly important barometer of the course of Russia's democratization and stabilization."

The Fog of Peace: The Military Dimensions of the Concert of Europe Dr Daniel Moran Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute

Reform and the Revolution in Russian Defense Economics Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "An excessively militarized economy was a crucial factor in undermining the foundations of Soviet power. By the same token, fundamental restructuring of that military economy, as well as marketization, is essential if Russia is to become a prosperous, stable, democratic, and even secure state. This study examines the crisis that is challenging the so-called military economy (Voennaia Ekonomika) and Russia’s ability to put its defense economic policy into some sort of balance."

Energy, Economics, and Security in Central Asia: Russia and Its Rivals Dr Stephen J Blank Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991 led to the creation of five new states in Central Asia. These states: Kazkahstan, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Kyrgyzstan, have become both the object of international rivalries in Central Asia and the sources of new political forces as they act to enlarge their independence in world politics. This monograph attempts to trace the importance of the new forces unleashed by the advent of these states by focusing on the struggle around energy and security issues involving them."

Russia's Invasion of Chechnya: A Preliminary Assessment Dr Stephen J Blank, Dr Earl H Tilford Jr Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "On December 11, 1994, Russia invaded the secessionist republic of Chechnya in the North Caucasus. The aim was to suppress the republic's government, led by General Dzhokar Dudayev, compel it to accept Moscow's authority, and to force it to renounce its bid for independence and sovereignty. This invasion, which quickly turned into a military quagmire for Russia's troops, triggered a firestorm of domestic opposition, even within the higher levels of the Ministry of Defense. As a result, the invasion has the most profound and troubling possible consequences for the stability of the Russian government, Russian democracy, and the future political- military relationship. This special report, based on what is already known, attempts to assess the discernible consequences of this invasion and provide a framework within which future developments can be assessed. It is offered as a contribution to the debate on this timely issue."

Pandora's Box Reopened: Ethnic Conflict in Europe and Its Implications Dr William T Johnsen Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "As the headlines attest, ethnic conflict has reemerged with a vengeance. Nowhere is this trend more evident than in Europe, where ethnically motivated warfare in the former Yugoslavia threatens to engulf the remainder of the Balkans and pent up ethnic tensions in Central and Eastern Europe have the potential to overturn the fragile democracies emerging from the shadow of the Soviet Union. Even Western Europe is not immune from ethnic tensions and crises."

Germany, France and NATO Ms Maria Alongi, Dr Peter Schmidt Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "To provide a wider understanding of the changed nature of the Alliance, Dr. Peter Schmidt of the Stiftung Wissenschaft und Politik in Ebenhausen, Germany, examines the current policies of France and Germany, the two largest continental NATO powers, toward NATO. Dr. Schmidt presented this paper in June 1994 to a roundtable sponsored by the American Institute for Contemporary Germany Studies and the Chief of Staff of the Army's Strategic Outreach Program. Approximately two dozen European experts participated in this roundtable ably recorded by Ms Maria Alongi."

Russian Policy and the Korean Crisis Dr Stephen J Blank Book by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The crisis ignited by North Korea's nuclear program affects Russia's vital interests. To understand Russian policy in this crisis, we must refer to both those vital geopolitical interests and to the contemporary and bitter domestic debate over Russian policy abroad."

French Policy Toward NATO: Enhanced Selectivity, Vice Rapprochement Dr William T Johnsen, Dr Thomas-Durell Young Monograph by the US Army War College, Strategic Studies Institute "The authors of this report explain how French policy toward NATO has changed since 1992. Importantly, they discuss how these changes have been effected. However, certain key elements of French external policy have not changed. In effect, therefore, the authors argue that while France may wish to cooperate with NATO, this does not imply that there will be a more cooperative French attitude toward the Alliance."