WP

WP. Putin, faced with Russia's own 9/11, is a quandry. Sergei
Markov, a political analyst with close ties to the Kremlin, said the
deadly outcome of the school standoff had left Putin at a loss as to
how to respond beyond the former KGB colonel's instinct to strengthen
police powers and centralize control over government institutions.
“They don't know what to do,” he said. “Vladimir Putin didn't explain
in detail what will be happening
.” Is this incident needed to entice Russia into Iraq and Afghanistan? Thomas Barnett
thinks it is. However, given the incompetence demonstrated by Russia in
the crisis, do we really need them there? Further, given Russia's
bloodsoaked record in Afghanistan and Chechnya, very little would
inflame the passions of our opposition more. [John Robb's Weblog]

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