By Stephen Blank (10/8/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: Shortly before the recent Putin-Bush summit, Vagit Alekperov, head of Lukoil, one of Russia’s premier oil firms, floated an interesting trial balloon. He proposed a joint U.S.

By Rahimullah Yusufzai (10/8/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: The Pakistan Army has achieved mixed results in its operations in the tribal areas since October 2001 when the U.S. military intervened in neighboring Afghanistan to oust the Taliban regime and dismantle Osama bin Laden’s al-Qaeda network.

By Claude Zullo (10/8/2003 issue of the CACI Analyst)

BACKGROUND: With the threat of sanctions from the Council of Europe (COE) looming after its controversial elections, Armenia’s government managed to stave off action by the international body by ratifying Protocol Six of the European Convention on Human Rights, which unconditionally bans capital punishment in peacetime. The COE called the move an “important step,” but also called on the government to implement other measures, including strengthening its judiciary. Without question, an independent judiciary is a cornerstone of democracy and the rule of law; however, in mature democracies, lawyers play an equally important role by defending fundamental rights and freedoms of clients vis-à-vis the state.