The Central AsiaAfghanistan Relationship: From Soviet Intervention to the Silk Road Initiatives

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Central Asia is a relatively understudied neighbor of Afghanistan. The region is often placed into a number of historical and political contextsa section of the Silk Road, a pawn in the Great Game, the spillover state that exemplifies the failure of US foreign policythat limit scholarly understanding. This edited volume contributes by providing a broad, long-term analysis of the Central AsiaAfghanistan relationship over the last several decades. It addresses the legacy of Soviet intervention with a unique first-hand selection of interviews of former Soviet Central Asian soldiers that fought in the SovietAfghan War. It examines Afghanistans norther neighbors, discussing Russia, Uzbekistan, Tajikistan, and Turkmenistantheir strategy for Afghanistan, their perception of challenges and opportunities of the country, and patterns of cooperation and conflict. The collection also looks at recent US strategic initiatives in the region, in particular the New Silk Road Initiative that envisions a growing Central AsiaSouth Asia connection.

Reviews

This book is a wonderful study that tackles a question most Central Asia experts sidestep: What does being in Afghanistans neighborhood mean exactly Marlene Laruelle has convened a unique group of experts to answer this question head on and, along the way, channels her deep knowledge of Central Asia and Russia to Afghanistan. The result is an excellent collection of essays that temper predictions of a region on the verge of collapse and make it clear that Afghanistans neighbors have been no more and no less difficult to live next to than Afghanistan itself. The book is thought-provoking reading for the worlds diplomats who will inevitably have to rethink policies in Central Asia and Afghanistan in the coming years. -- George Gavrilis, author of The Dynamics of Interstate Boundaries
In this timely and well-edited volume, The Central AsiaAfghanistan Relationship: From Soviet Intervention to the Silk Road Initiatives, Marlene Laruelle brings together a diverse group of academics and regional experts to explain the often overlooked dynamics that exist between Afghanistan and its northern neighbors. The contributions offer a range of perspectives on the often tumultuous relationships Afghanistan has had (and hopes to have) with the states of Central Asia. Often, these were framed by the actions of outside powers, but increasingly, the countries themselves are shaping it. In this volume, the contributors demonstrate intimate knowledge of the region, providing data, explanations of events, and more locally-derived explanations for what has transpired over the past several decades. Historians and policy expertsespecially those who are working to bring stability and connectivity to Afghanistanwill find Marlene Laruelles latest effort to be essential reading. -- Roger D. Kangas, National Defense University
The long understudied and misunderstood set of relationships, current trends, and threats in Central Asia and Afghanistan point to what is likely to be a regional security flashpoint that may abruptly surprise us all. Marlene Laruelle has brought together some of the world's top scholars on Central Asia and Afghanistan to produce this authoritative look at this region and its fragile security relationships. This collection should be a must read for those studying the region. -- Raffaello Pantucci, Royal United Services Institute for Defence and Security Studies

Author Bio

Marlene Laruelle is research professor, director of the Central Asia Program, and associate director of the Institute for European, Russian, and Eurasian Studies (IERES) at the Elliott School of International Affairs of George Washington University.