Georgia was the site of the first in the recent spate of color revolutions and represented one of the few bright spots in the former Soviet Union; its erratic course, including a state of emergency in 2007 and war with Russia in August, ranks among the more disturbing develop ments of the past two years. [...] The dire condition of democratic freedoms and individual liberties in the coun tries of the non-Baltic former Soviet Union contrasts sharply with the strength of democratic institutions in the former communist countries of the Baltic and Central and Eastern Europe. [...] The countries of the Middle East have had to grapple with the rise of terror ism and religious extremism, the repercussions of the Iraq conflict, and the continu ing strife between Israel and the Palestinians, which flared anew at year's end. [...] In shining a spotlight on the Middle East's Survey of Freedom 11 freedom deficit, the United States has insisted that the countries of the region be evaluated according to the same standards that are applied to the rest of the world. [...] Current political conflicts between the two branches center on the timing of the 2009 presidential election, with the National Assembly insisting that it be held in May 2009 to uphold the terms of the constitution, and the president and international community expressing con cerns about security and the country's ability to conduct free and fair elections by spring.
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