Washington and other capitals go into semi-hibernation during the holiday season, with many officials on leave and offices on lighter schedules. That makes it convenient for autocratic regimes to commit offensive actions this time of year, on the assumption that fewer people will be watching. The Soviet Union invaded Afghanistan during the holiday break in 1979. It was on Christmas Day last year that China sentenced Liu Xiaobo, winner of the 2010 Nobel Peace Prize, to 11 years in prison.
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