Russia, America and the Islamic World

During the Soviet period, Islam was largely ignored in Moscow and viewed as a bourgeois phenomenon which would fade over time. Nowadays, from the ongoing conflict in Chechnya to recent upheavals in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan, Islamic militancy has become a major security threat to Russia. Mike Bowker examines the newly emerging relationship between Russia and the United States and their struggle against the common threat of international terrorism. He looks at the difficulties of such a relationship by analyzing the lingering mutual suspicion, differing views on the nature of the global terrorist threat and how each side has continued to pursue their own national interests. Students and scholars of international relations and Russian foreign policy will find this book particularly useful.