One of the most important questions of the post-Cold War era has been whether Russia will be able to establish a viable democracy or will relapse into authoritarianism and a passion for empire-building. The regions under examination in Commonwealth or Empire? will be crucial to that outcome. Of the fifteen successor states created by the breakup of the Soviet Union, five are in Central Asia and three are in the Transcaucasus. These countries are now open again to influence their traditional neighbors in the Middle East, South Asia, and East Asia.The central question posed in Commonwealth or Empire? is how are these newly formed countries and ethnic regions going to react in the shadows of a much less formidable Russia? The book's conclusions offer both answers and solutions to this question, along with advice and scenarios to the United States and how the US might confront potential problems and grievances. Read Less