Feature articles in this theme:
By Stephen Blank
22 Dec 2008 |
World Politics Review
The attacks of 9/11 and the ensuing war in Afghanistan did not start
the new "Great Game" in Central Asia. Local governments had already
grasped the Islamist threat and Russia's neo-imperial longings, and the region's great energy stakes had already determined American resistance to Moscow's policy. But
those events undoubtedly imparted a pronounced military aspect to the
great power rivalry there.
By Joshua Foust
22 Dec 2008 |
World Politics Review
To discuss human rights in Central Asia without resorting to
stereotype is a difficult prospect. The area's strategic value is
unquestioned and has led some to turn the region's human rights record into a vehicle for promoting their own interests -- distorting
reality in the process. What's more, the human rights picture varies significantly from country to country across Central Asia.
By John Daly
22 Dec 2008 |
World Politics Review
In the new "Great Game" between Russia
and the West over the future of Central Asian energy, the prize is certainly a tempting one. The Caspian and its attendant coastline are estimated to contain as much as 250 billion barrels of
recoverable oil and up to 328 trillion cubic feet of recoverable natural gas. Since 1991, Washington has sought access to the region's energy while bypassing both Russia and Iran.