The Great Powers in Central Asia: Policies of the US and Russia

This paper seeks to examine the foreign policies of the United States and Russia towards Central Asia. The paper also aims at exploring the competition between the two countries and its consequences for the Central Asian states. The main argument of the paper is that despite the fact that the active involvement of the United States and Russia in the Central Asian security produces positive effects for the Central Asian countries, the worsening of their bilateral relations increases their regional competition and undermines political stability in Central Asia. In the aftermath of 9/11, the United States projected its influence to the Central Asia, and maintained its dominance until 2006. Russia challenged the US influence in the region and reasserted itself significantly between 2006 and 2009. This is followed by a period of balancing policies of both the United States and Russia between 2009 and the present.