Russia's lower house of parliament has given a final approval to a Kremlin bill expanding the legal basis for using military force abroad.The Kremlin-controlled State Duma voted unanimously Friday to approve President Dmitry Medvedev's bill in the final of three required readings. It is expected to be quickly rubber-stamped by the upper house before it's signed by the president and becomes law.
The bill is seen by some as a sign that the Kremlin is taking a tougher posture in relations with ex-Soviet neighbors after last year's war with Georgia.
It would allow the president to send troops outside the country to fend off attacks on the Russian military, deter aggression against another state, defend Russian citizens, combat pirates and protect shipping.
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