This is the sort of thing that makes me want to eat my tie. Had the exhortations for Russia to get media-savvy become lost in translation? Having achieved its military objectives at the expense of widespread international condemnation for bullying its smaller neighbour and generally not giving a damn about public perceptions, Russia needed some […]
For the past few months, the war in Afghanistan has been seen as the ‘Right War’ by the American politicians and media. John McCain and Barack Obama both have called for greater troop strength in the conflict and have shown unwavering support in the US/NATO mission there; to defeat the insurgency/Taliban and create a viable, […]
On this page, we have constantly debated between realist and idealist foreign policies regarding the West and Central Asia. The West's liberal/democratic rhetoric and policy of democracy promotion comes in stark contrast to Russia and China's movements throughout the world, and this is easily seen in Central Asia. In this same regard, we have discussed […]
Who's got a craving for some diplomacy?! I know I do. Here are a couple items of interest. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid and four other US senators are near the end of a diplomatic trip to Germany, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. This trip did not have quite the fan fare as Obama's recent overseas visit, […]
Thankfully, a cease-fire in the Russian-Georgian conflict over the South Ossetia and Abkhazia territories has been agreed upon by both states, unfortunately fighting still seems to be occurring in the Georgian city of Gori. The conflict in Georgia has ramifications in Central Asia and for its nations’ governments in many important ways. As former Soviet […]
Now that the artillery smoke has lifted and Sarkozy and Medvedev's 6 point ceasefire plan is imposed on Georgia, it's time to figure out: what the hell happened between last Thursday and now? Gary Brecher has the most elegant, if undeniably sociopathic, explanation: 1. The Georgians started it. 2. They lost. 3. What a beautiful […]
Well it looks like I didn't live up to my promise, but better late than never right? The Olympics in China have made quite a splash; in the pool, in the Caucasus's, Bush's speeches and church visit, and in the Xinjiang Province, where on Sunday a multitude of attacks occurred all over the city of […]
Symbolism seems to always precede Russia into war. In the winter of 1994-5, Chechnya's capital, Grozny, bloodily fulfilled its Russian translation as “fierce”: thousands died in the wake of Yeltsin's callous Christmas day invasion. But Gori, the name of the first Georgian city bombed by Russian aircraft this weekend, translates simply as ‘grief’. When, at […]
The European Union's ‘Strategy for a New Partnership with Central Asia‘ has now passed its 1st year of existence and therefore must immediately be judged! Here are its original stated goals and origins and here is a one year assessment by ISN's Robert M Cutler. Now the 'strategy’ is a decade long process that hopefully […]
As the tragedy in Ossetia unfolds, Mark Almond's sobering and essential antidote to prevailing interpretation cautions against seeing the Russian incursion into Georgia as a replay of Prague 1968. Instead, he suggests a parallel with Britain's role in the Falkland War. Importantly, he also reminds readers that: Unlike in eastern Europe, for instance, today in […]
Defense Secretary Bob Gates has announced the US support for doubling the Afghan army to 120,000 troops in the next five years, a plan initially proposed by the Afghan government. The plan will require about $20 Billion dollars, which will mostly be paid by the US, but there will be some assistance from other NATO […]
Are things really coming to a head in the Caucuses? Violence is escalating in Ingushetia (bordering Chechnya), Sochi, South Ossetia and Abkhazia. Edward Lucas has written a lucid overview of the Russian conflict with Georgia and whether we are on a cusp of a major war. A Russian position on the Ossetia question is here, […]
Xinjiang Shakeup Since Tuesday's terrorist attack on Chinese border patrol in Xinjiang Province's city of Kashgar, things have gotten rather tense in the region, as exile groups have claimed that China's government has sped up the detainment of suspected 'separatists and increased its presence of paramilitary forces as the Olympics draws near. The region's ethnic […]
With the Taliban showcasing great ‘tenacity‘ and ability to recruit new members from around the region to replace those lost, one must conclude that the Afghan government and its International supporters are in a fight for their lives. Hard decisions will have to made for them to win, including the eradication of the nation's poppy […]
Gulnoza Saidazimova of Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty about a month ago catalogued the child labor situation in Central Asia. Unfortunately child labor is abused in all most all Central Asian states, but in different ways and to different degrees. Saidazimova first discusses Tajikistan's use of child labor as a ‘lifeline for their families’ who are […]