Latest Articles about Central Asia

IMU: A Terrorist Movement in Eclipse

The Uzbek regime of Islam Karimov held parliamentary elections in December, simultaneously with the contested second round of voting in Ukraine. As a member of the Commonwealth of Independent States, the Tashkent government is openly anxious about the possibility of rapid and extensive democratic reform... MORE

Afghan Insurgency Further Declines

From the number of reports of activity recorded by the pro-Western press and the statements put out on the Emirate of Afghanistan's own Shafaq Information Center bulletins, the New Year has been an active time for the insurgency. But overall the portents are not good... MORE

Recent Developments in Waziristan

In early February, the emir of the Taliban in South Waziristan reached a peace deal with the central authorities in Islamabad. Baitullah Mehsud promised not to shelter or support foreign militants nor attack government installations and forces. If the agreement holds, it will help pacify... MORE

Terrorism In Afghanistan: Remaining Threats

The recent constitutional Loya Jirga (CLJ) in Kabul, which ratified the new constitution for Afghanistan and set the stage for presidential and parliamentary elections later this year, was successfully carried out without interference from the armed opposition. The event, held under strict security, was not... MORE

The Islamic Movement Of Uzbekistan: A Resurgent IMU?

Over the past three years, the Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU)--a group on the U.S. Department of State's list of international terrorist organizations--has kept a very low profile. Twice, in the summers of 1999 and 2000, IMU militants attempted to overthrow the secular regime in... MORE

Xinjiang: An Emerging Narco-Islamist Corridor?

While China's allegations of links between the Uighur insurgency and the al-Qaeda linked Islamic Movement of Uzbekistan (IMU) are mostly based on fragmentary data, there is evidence that beginning in the 1990s and continuing today, a potent cocktail of drugs, weapons and Islamic extremism is... MORE

Assessing The Myth Of Disarray

Since the overthrow of the Taliban, most media reports on Afghanistan have warned of rising lawlessness throughout the countryside. Outside the capital Kabul, which is patrolled by international peacekeeping troops, we are told that "anarchy" prevails. The reports attribute this state of affairs to America's... MORE

Problem Solved?

This month marks the two-year anniversary of the Taliban's fall. While the need for improvement in Afghanistan remains, the country's population appears better off now than at any time since warfare first broke out over two decades ago. The Afghan people themselves support this conclusion... MORE

U.S. Policy Toward Afghanistan: Promise And Reality

The true impact of U.S. policy toward Afghanistan is considerably at odds with the Bush Administration's expansive rhetoric. The United States seeks to wage the war on terrorism, establish a democratic Afghanistan and reconstruct the country. However, in Afghanistan, due to the lack of security... MORE