In recent weeks the Mediterranean states of Greece and Turkey have pushed to strengthen their diplomatic ties to the Central Asian region and its states. In the case of Turkey, it is the continuing of a growing relationship, and in the case of Greece, it is an attempt to reinvigorate what has in recent times […]
On October 6, Federal Judge Ricardo Urbina ordered the release of 17 Uighurs imprisoned at Guantanamo Bay, arguing that the US government had no evidence and no right to hold them as ‘enemy combatants.’ The Bush administration has already stated that these 17 prisoners are not a security threat and conceded that they do not […]
I apologize for the lack of posts since Wednesday as I am in the middle of a move from New York to California. Today I would like to go over a few important stories that have occurred in the last week. Ahmed Wali Karzai a Drug Dealer? – The New York Times ran an article […]
[kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/y4XqaIWchQE” width=”425″ height=”350″ wmode=”transparent” /]The 2nd Presidential Debate and the 2nd time each candidate failed to inform the American public of the fight ahead or layout a clear strategy for victory for Afghanistan and Pakistan. Here is the transcript and video. Regarding military force and strikes in Pakisani territory, Obama emphasized this as a […]
A large earthquake struck Kyrgyzstan's Osh region today and the death toll is currently around 70 and may increase. The village of Nura, which was home to about 1,000 people, was said to be completely flattened. The 6.6 US registered quake hit an area near the border to Tajikistan, Uzbekistan, and China well-known as a […]
Contrary to the Presidential and Vice-Presidential candidates during the recent debates, new leader of the US Central Command Gen. David Petraeus provides us with some straight talk and analysis about the Afghanistan conflict and possible strategies for success. However, his position is still political and politics seep through at times, especially regarding whether or not […]
Last night's Vice -Presidential debate made last Friday's Presidential debate's discussion of what is going on and what strategy to implement in Afghanistan look depressingly deep. Senator Joe Biden and Governor Sarah Palin barely scratched the surface of defining the seriousness of the conflict there, besides just mentioning Al Qaeda, and what strategy to implement, […]
Here are a few items you may find of interest…please find them of interest! 1. Central Asia's Railroad – Continuing yesterday's discussion of China's growing influence and investments in Central Asia, well according to this Turkish Weekly report even the Yuan can't buy everything. The report argues that prospects for building a railroad that would […]
Yesterday, I offhandedly stated my disappointment about the lack of a discussion of China's growing influence during Friday's presidential debate. It was amazing to me that the United States could have a "Foreign Policy' presidential debate and only mention the word China once. The leaders, government, businesses, and citizens of Central Asia know how important […]
Good morning. I just want to provide some real quick reaction and analysis to Friday's presidential debate between Barack Obama and John McCain. Here is the transcript (which I also put on the bottom of this post) and video, and here is video of the five minutes or so they spent on Afghanistan/Pakistan. [kml_flashembed movie=”http://www.youtube.com/v/CczYk8-qlZs” […]
I was lucky enough to attend the Foreign Policy Association sponsored 2008 World Leadership Forum yesterday in New York City and here is a short summary/analysis of what I saw and heard from some of the world's leading experts and leaders of various foreign policy issues, including our beloved Central Asian region. During yesterday's session […]
A few various items today: A. Yesterday, and the day before, we discussed the meaning of a new CSTO deployment in Central Asia, with myself coming out on the side that it was both a political and strategic move for Russia and for the Central Asian states involved. Basically, Russia wants the CA states looking […]
Yesterday, we quickly went over the planned new alignment of the CSTO, which would consist of a deployment of 10,000 more troops and a missile shield, in what the organization's Secretary General called “a powerful military grouping of five countries in Central Asia." Eurasia Daily today provided more details of the new force structure, its […]
Today we will discuss two recent developments: An expansion of the Russia-dominated Collective Security Treaty Organization CSTO and the first EU/Central Asian Forum on Security Issues held this past week. What do these two developments individually tell us about Russia and the EU's role/position in Central Asia? Which cooperation discussions and pronouncements have or will […]
Apparently a ‘clash’ occurred in Turkmenistan's capital of Ashgabat last Friday and Saturday in which heavy fire was exchanged, tanks and armored vehicles were used, and 20 or so Turkmen police officers were killed, who the clash involved besides Turkmen officers and what it was about is still open to debate. Turkmenistan's state media made […]