• Should extend the same institution building efforts and trade advantages to Russia's neighbors as to Russia itself.

• Should try to help resolve regional conflicts on Russia's periphery, e.g., the Armenia-Azerbaijan conflict, not conceding Russia a monopoly sphere of influence.

Questions for thought: How should U.S. policy balance geopolitical interests in supporting CIS states against the problem that many of them are openly authoritarian, and worse abusers of human rights than Russia? How should the United States balance its own hostility to Iran against the fact that Central Asian countries could greatly benefit by better economic relations with Iran as a counterweight to Russian dominance?