A Case for Greater US Engagement in Central Asia
Russian and Chinese influence in the region will never go away. But the United States now has a rare and valuable window of opportunity.
By Hunter Stoll
September 09, 2023
Central Asia is seldom a top priority for U.S. foreign policy. After the dissolution of the Soviet Union, the United States was one of the first countries to recognize the five newly independent states – Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, and Uzbekistan. For most of the 21st century, however, Central Asia largely served as a launchpad for U.S. involvement in Afghanistan, and little more than that.
Since the U.S. withdrawal from Afghanistan, Central Asia’s general perception of the United States has been that it’s a transient and opportunistic foreign power. Polling on Central Asian public opinion of great powers (Russia, China, and the U.S.) from 2017-19 was not favorable for the United States. On a 100-point scale, with 100 meaning “very favorable,” the average opinion of the U.S. in Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan was in the 50s and at 76 in Turkmenistan. In all countries, public opinion on the U.S. lagged behind Russia and China. This data was, notably, collected before Russia’s 2022 full-scale invasion of Ukraine. However, a decrease in support for Russia does not necessarily translate to an increase in support for the United States.
Central Asia’s souring relations with Russia and growing skepticism of Chinese influence have created a window of opportunity for the U.S. to bolster its image through greater long-term investment in the region. Because the U.S. is unlikely to outspend China or even Russia, its approach needs to be deliberate and focused areas where it can see the greatest return on investment.
https://thediplomat.com/2023/09/a-case-for-greater-us-engagement-in-central-asia/
