{"id":26081,"date":"2015-04-06T19:34:19","date_gmt":"2015-04-06T17:34:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/?p=26081"},"modified":"2015-04-06T19:34:32","modified_gmt":"2015-04-06T17:34:32","slug":"26081","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.w-t-w.org\/en\/26081\/","title":{"rendered":"US and Central Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"

Casey Michel writes:\u00a0 The United States is often \u2013 and often fairly \u2013 maligned for a distinct lack of strategy in its relations with Central Asia. Tacked on to Chinese or Afghanistan policy, bogged in securitization or stilted democratization efforts, Washington has seemed unable to formulate a distinct, coherent policy for the region for years. Unlike Beijing\u2019s economic expansion or Moscow\u2019s military ties, Washington\u2019s Central Asian policy, if one appears, often comes across as an afterthought.<\/p>\n

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That\u2019s not to say efforts haven\u2019t been made to bring a policy to bear. Earlier this week, Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken spoke at the Brookings Institute, attempting to provide a sketch of Washington\u2019s current regional plans. But in lieu of innovation or revamp, Washington appears content to continue along the muddled path it\u2019s followed prior, with stale plans and retread ideas bundled once more.<\/p>\n

For instance, Blinken cited the New Silk Road initiative, which has had little impact on the ground in its four years of existence. Pointing to attempts at \u201chelping develop the region\u2019s connectivity,\u201d Blinken cited the CASA-1000 project, which will \u201chelp bring surplus hydro-electricity from Kyrgyzstan and Tajikistan to Afghanistan and Pakistan.\u201d The CASA-1000 project, as it is, stands as one of America\u2019s foremost efforts at regional integration \u2013 but makes little sense when Kyrgyzstan is a net electricity importer, as it experienced during 2014. Washington hasn\u2019t attempted to explain just how the CASA-1000 will function with Tajikistan as the sole provider of surplus electricity. Blinken didn\u2019t offer any explanation, either.<\/p>\n

Blinken also cited Washington\u2019s \u201cthree important objectives\u201d in the region: strengthening partnerships to advance mutual security; forging closer economic ties; and advancing and advocating for improved governance and human rights.\u201d The ordering \u2013 security foremost \u2013 speaks louder than the content. Blinken later reiterated the primacy of security, noting that \u201cour policy in Central Asia [is] founded on two distinct ideas:\u00a0 US and Central Asia<\/a>\"Everyone<\/a><\/strong><\/p>\n

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Casey Michel writes:\u00a0 The United States is often \u2013 and often fairly \u2013 maligned for a distinct lack of strategy in its relations with Central Asia. Tacked on to Chinese or Afghanistan policy, bogged in securitization or stilted democratization efforts, … Continue reading →<\/span><\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":22,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_monsterinsights_skip_tracking":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[23,13],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-26081","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-entrepreneurs","category-finance"],"aioseo_notices":[],"aioseo_head":"\n\t\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t\n\t\t