Meh, I wouldn't read too much into it. Depending on the country in question, I could easily imagine headlines about "one African dictatorship", "one South Amer

Meh, I wouldn't read too much into it. Depending on the country in question, I could easily imagine headlines about "one African dictatorship", "one South American country", "one Eastern European country". True that "former Soviet Republic" is not really relevant, but it's a common (cliched, even) phrase to use once you've decided you need need a descriptor.