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The term \u201cCENTRAL ASIA\u201d is used to refer to the inland of the ASIAN Continent, far from the oceans. The fact that the region is closed to the international seas is its main feature. Central Asia is also the homeland of the Turkic peoples.<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n <\/p>\n Physical \u2013 geographical definition of CENTRAL ASIA:<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n If the Turkish states in the Central Asian region are taken as the center, AFGHANISTAN, which is located in the outer belt of this region, is the north of PAKISTAN, the region that includes the western part of CHINA (East Turkestan and Tibet), MONGOLIA and the southern part of RUSSIA and the northeastern IRAN is defined as Central Asia<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Many definitions have been made about the borders of Central Asia. The definition of Central Asia was first put forward in 1843 by a geoscientist, Alexander von Humboldt<\/strong>. This region is still referred to as TURKISTAN<\/strong>, which is still used during the Stalin government in many sources.<\/span><\/p>\n UNESCO [1]\u00a0stated that the definition of Central Asia is based on climate<\/strong> and geographical formations<\/strong>. Accordingly, he defined Central Asia as Mongolia and China (including the Tibetan region), the north of Iran, Afghanistan, the north of Pakistan, and northern India (Jammu-Kashmir).<\/span><\/p>\n Turkish cities such as Kashgar and Samarkand, and Central Asia with its cities on the historical Silk Road, have been the main center for the spread of people, commercial goods and ideas to Europe, West Asia, East Asia and South Asia throughout the history. In addition, it is the place where historical states such as the Hun and the Mongol Empire, which dominate most of the Asian continent, and whose influence extends to the neighboring European continent, were established. Covered with mountains, deserts and steppes, this region is known for its rich oil, natural gas, uranium and gold reserves, as well as cotton production that developed on its plains (especially during the Soviet period). In addition to these activities, animal husbandry is an occupation with long historical roots in the region. Central Asia, which was largely shared between China and Russia during the colonial period, started to attract more international attention with the independence of the Central Asian Turkic republics after the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991.<\/span><\/p>\n Central Asia is the roof of the Asian Continent with supreme mountains and mountain ranges up to 7,000 meters high. The deep valleys between the mountains and the bottomless canyons make it very difficult for the forces intending to invade and occupy this geography. This intermittent terrain makes a frontal attack with armored and mechanized units very restrictive and sometimes even impossible for siege maneuvers. The steep and mountainous nature of the terrain can even reduce the air supremacy effect of the invading forces.\u00a0The ability to Land Use<\/strong> makes it possible to turn the land into a \u201cfortress\u201d for the defending side. Likewise, it may cause the attacking side to encounter difficulties and surprises in the execution of maneuvers such as horizontal and vertical siege and breakthrough.<\/span><\/p>\n For a better understanding of our article, let us talk a little about such very unknown or confused concepts as GEOPOLITICS and GEOSTRATEGY.<\/span><\/p>\n Geopolitics<\/strong> is a branch of science arising from political geography. This science examines the advantages and disadvantages of political geography for states.<\/span><\/p>\n The concept of geopolitics, which is one of the main factors driving the national powers of states and their attitude to foreign policy, can be associated with the geographical location, population characteristics, natural resources and topographical features of countries. There is no agreed short definition on the concept of geopolitics. Geopolitics can be called as the branch of science that examines the relations between the geographical features of states and their politics. The eponym of this concept is the Swedish Rudolf Kjellen\u00a0[2]<\/a>. When the words Geo and Politics are parsed, the word Geopolitical brings to mind the meaning of geography-politics.\u00a0K. Haushofer[3]<\/a><\/strong> defines geopolitics as the relationship of the state, which is a political life style that changes under the influence of the geographical region in which it lives and historical developments, with the geography it lives on.<\/span><\/p>\n Science of geopolitics<\/strong> emerged under the leadership of geographers<\/em> and political geographers<\/em> and was finally institutionalized with their studies. For military strategists, geopolitics is an important guide. Decision makers all around the world are benefited from the geopolitics with the beginning of 20th century<\/a>.<\/span><\/p>\n Geopolitics<\/strong> is the science that examines the geographical position of the countries, the social, cultural, economic and political situation of the country and its military, domestic and foreign policy<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n The concept of Geopolitics among the people is very confused with the geographical location. The international path followed by states is called \u201cforeign policy<\/strong>\u201d and geographical location has an important role in this.<\/span><\/p>\n In the concept of geopolitics, there are features that can and cannot be changed. The physical location of the countries in the world, precipitation, humidity, altitude, temperature, geographical shape, survey, transportation can be examples of features that cannot be changed. In this regard, the phrase \u201cGeography is Destiny\u201d is very common. Things that can change depending on the period and technology, such as foreign policy, can be given as example.<\/span><\/p>\n Geostrategy<\/strong> is a sub-branch of geopolitics, a type of foreign policy that supports political and military planning in terms of knowledge, and is guided in principle by geographical factors that enable or influence its coherence.<\/span><\/p>\n Geostrategy<\/strong> examines the strategies of countries based on geography (military strategy, policy strategies, etc.) The best example of this could be the shut-off of the Straits by Ottoman Empire during the World War I.<\/span><\/p>\n The success of statesmen is determined by the strategies they produce in order to achieve the national interests and advantages of their countries, based on the science of geopolitics. More precisely, it is achieved by its ability to build the geographical conditions on the Strategic Principles<\/strong> that it will follow in the determination of military strategy, domestic and foreign policy.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the Elements of National Power is \u201cGeographical Power<\/strong>\u201d. If a nation knows how to use its geography skillfully for its survival, that geography become more valuable. If you want to seize high lands in geography, you organize expeditions and capture them with a high firepower. However, if you want to \u201cHold\u201d the high lands, you have to remove the “Other” elements there.<\/span><\/p>\n Mountains and high lands facilitate the defense of a country. It makes the invader’s job difficult, and sometimes even impossible.<\/span><\/p>\n The Geopolitical Position of the Central Asian States and the Imperial States Seeking Interests in the Region<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n \u201cCentral Asia\u201d cannot be characterized as just a geographical concept. Countries in this region cannot act independently of each other in solving the problems in peace, security, economy and ecology. Each country tries to reveal its own geopolitical strategy, aims and national policy.<\/span><\/p>\n For centuries, the Central Asian countries were the objects of the \u201cGreat Game<\/strong>\u201d<\/span><\/a>[4]<\/a>, which lasted for more than 130 years and can be called the age of colonization. Starting from the 1860s, Russia and Britain engaged in a great struggle to create their own spheres of influence in Central Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n After the imperialist rivalry between the British Empire and the Russian Tsardom in the 19th century, play makers once again sought to position themselves to control the heartland of the Eurasian continent.<\/span><\/p>\n As a result of the collapse of the Russian Tsardom in 1917, the hope of national independence and unity among the Central Asian states blossomed, but this hope disappeared in a short time.<\/span> <\/p>\n Subsequently, between 1924-1925, the Soviets divided the region into five separate republics, out of concern for the Central Asian states, which had common historical, religious and cultural roots and could present this as a justification for secession. It can be said that the division of Central Asia into five states has led to an increasing crisis and distrust among the Central Asian states, with the efforts of Russia, although they have a common history. It was aimed to have separate languages for each state by eliminating the common Turkish language. Thus, they dictated that Russian was spoken.<\/span><\/p>\n Central Asia is one of the rare geographies in the world where the interests of the West and the East clash. More importantly, this region continues to carry the geopolitical importance of the leading powerful countries of the Islamic world such as Turkey, Pakistan and Iran.\u00a0Today, at the beginning of the 21st century, Central Asian countries have re-joined a similar game, this time as active participants who do not want to be puppets of foreign regimes.<\/span><\/p>\n Russia, China and the USA have their own different plans for the current and foreseeable geopolitical problems of Central Asia.<\/span><\/p>\n Russia and China are still the great powers of the region and have the potential to maintain their current power. One of the last examples of this is Russia’s long-term intervention in Tajikistan, in which Russia received the support of the Commonwealth of Independent States and placed 30,000 soldiers in Tajikistan.<\/span><\/p>\n The existing demands in the relationship between Russia and the Central Asian countries and the \u2018answers\u2019 created by the Central Asian states against the undesirable Russian foreign policy can be summarized with the following articles;<\/span><\/p>\n Central Asian states are still dependent on Russia due to their geopolitical and economic positions, defense structures, developing communication and information networks and they are trying to form a balance in international relations.<\/span><\/p>\n External geopolitical forces are related to the region due to the following factors;<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Central Asia gives operational base advantages in all directions for a power based in this region.<\/span><\/p>\n For example, the Caspian Sea contains the world’s largest resources of hydrocarbons and virgin fossil fuels. The value of crude oil of which size is estimated to vary between 110-243 billion barrels, reaches 4 trillion dollars. According to the US Department of Energy, just Azerbaijan and Kazakhstan have 130 billion barrels of oil, which is three times the US reserves. Oil giants such as ExxonMobil, ChevronTexaco and BP have invested more than 30 billion dollars in these countries since the beginning of the 2000s.<\/span><\/p>\n All of these factors together constitute a geostrategic<\/strong> priority for both states and the region in general, and are dependent on the effects of both Russia and other geopolitical<\/strong> powers on regional security and strengthening local stability.<\/span><\/p>\n In connection with the ambitions of US on Turkey as required by its long-term strategies, FETO, which also got the support of the CIA, was enabled to penetrate the Turkish Republics through ethnic and cultural fundamental ties, under the cover of Turkish teaching, education and health services. Turkey’s administrators at that time lacked national strategic intelligence support (to express the sincere and diligent work of the late former Prime Minister and President Turgut \u00d6ZAL, with the exception of the Intelligence work done by the late Colonel Ka\u015fif KOZ\u0130NO\u011eLU and his team, who had to work under the pretext of pro-FETO agents within the MIT), after the Cold War, the opportunity to form a union of forces between Turkey and the Turkic Republics was wasted especially in the periods of short-lived coalition governments that were established with the approval of President S\u00fcleyman Demirel and that were not successful, the moves made for the Turkic Republics, such as \u201cfor the sake of appearances\u201d, praising (such as \u201cThe Turkish World from the Adriatic to the China Sea\u201d and etc.) and facilitating FETO\u2019s work.\u00a0 As a matter of fact, Uzbekistan, which realized the hidden purpose of FETO & CIA early on, expelled FETO elements from its country and neutralized it.<\/span><\/p>\n However, the US invasion of Afghanistan and the opening of a base in Kyrgyzstan, using the World Trade Center attack as an excuse in 2001, worried the Russian Federation, which has strategic ambitions in the region for more than 100 years. With the formations it has established such as the Commonwealth of Independent States<\/strong> (CIS) <\/span><\/a>[5]<\/a>\u00a0and the Collective Security Treaty<\/a>[6]<\/a><\/strong>, it has tried to maintain its military and economic influence on the Soviet sphere of influence, of which it is the greatest heir, especially in Central Asia. In this context, one of the countries of the region, Kyrgyzstan, which tends to come under the extreme influence and hegemony of the USA, has intervened in the domestic politics of Kyrgyzstan through intelligence agencies, and the USA-Russia rivalry over the country has led to the emergence of 2 separate coups in 10 years.<\/span><\/p>\n One of the reasons for the USA’s efforts to penetrate Central Asia was that Central Asia was very close to the Caspian Sea, which is located within the borders of the region, where the world’s second largest oil and gas reserves are located after the reserves of the unstable Middle East. The greatest danger to the US interest in the Caspian Sea was that it was deeply concerned about a re-established Russian Empire, that Russia would gain control over the oil and gas reserves within the region’s borders.<\/span><\/p>\n According to the expectation of the USA, under the efforts to be effective on Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan, it would guarantee the continued independence of these countries, disable radical Islamist influences and create a lucrative market for American products and services.<\/span><\/p>\n In the last 20 years, together with the USA and most European Union countries, which are NATO members, along with the development of markets in Central Asia over the past 20 years, industry and agriculture in the areas of privatization and establishment of the rule of law to be effective, concentrated on strengthening cooperation in education and civil society. Through various Non-Governmental Organizations (NGOs) they sent to Central Asian countries, they also tried to influence people in cultural and religious issues. Its sociology and economy have been severely damaged due to the admiration for the western lifestyle, the increase in alcoholic beverage consumption habits, and the propaganda of converting to Christianity, which are more influential in countries such as Kyrgyzstan today. As a matter of fact, the social instabilities that occur almost every year in Kyrgyzstan are the most important signs of this.\u00a0 In Afghanistan, pro-Western secular communities were formed. As a matter of fact, the tendency of women, who have attempted to protest the TALIBAN government on women’s rights, towards a western lifestyle and clothing is clear.<\/span><\/p>\n The Silk Road strategy created by the USA included the military and political support to be provided to these states as well as diplomatic cooperation. America had important economic and strategic interests in this region. However, all these efforts could not be sustained and were ineffective in the region. By closing its base in Kyrgyzstan in 2018 and not being able to maintain its presence in Afghanistan in August 2021, the US Army had to leave the region, in a sense, \u201cdefeated\u201d.<\/span><\/p>\n Iran<\/strong> sees the Muslim Central Asian states as a market, a potential sphere of influence, where it can spread its ideology and sell its products. Iran is considering profiting from the export of energy delivered to the gulf by passing through its own lands. With the money earned here, they focused on the construction of mosques and Shia training centers in Central Asia, which were not allowed during the Soviet period. But Iran has embraced only Shiism.<\/span><\/p>\n China<\/strong> is making plans to build the world’s longest pipeline stretching from Western Kazakhstan to the Xinjiang region.<\/span><\/p>\n Russia<\/strong> is still considering itself an imperialist master, was trying to get the pipelines through its territory.<\/span><\/p>\n Pakistan<\/strong> is trying to obtain the right of passage to the energy resources of Central Asia. With the support of the Taliban, a radical Islamist movement, Pakistan wants to take over Afghanistan.<\/span><\/p>\n Afghanistan<\/strong>, with its history full of instability and wars, continues to stand in front of all development plans as a difficult region.<\/span><\/p>\n Considering that foreign powers are fighting for ideological, geostrategic and economic influence over the region, it can be observed that there is a contradiction.<\/span><\/p>\n WHY DID AFGHANISTAN STAND OUT MORE IN THE GLOBAL POWER BALANCE IN CENTRAL ASIA?<\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n Because\u00a0Afghanistan<\/strong>\u00a0was a good strategic location to reach\u00a0Central Asia<\/strong>\u00a0and\u00a0Caspian<\/strong>\u00a0oil. But this oil basin is an indispensable strategic gateway for Chinese<\/strong> energy security.\u00a0Afghanistan<\/strong> has been the only country in this region where the United States and NATO Allies<\/strong> have been able to hold on with the help of the occupation for 20 years<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Plans of US-based and supported ISIS\u00a0<\/a>[7]<\/a><\/strong><\/span><\/p>\n The USA<\/strong> could have carried ISIS, which had completed its mission in Syria and Iraq<\/strong>, to Afghanistan<\/strong> first, and then infiltrated it from Afghanistan to Pakistan and then to Kashmir<\/em><\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n The USA<\/strong> allocated the Jalalabad<\/strong> Military Base<\/strong> for this project.\u00a0 In addition, the ISIS radio named ‘The Voice of the Caliphate<\/strong>‘, broadcasting from the American<\/strong> base in Jalalabad<\/strong>, was established.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Military advisors from the Pentagon operated training camps for ISIS in the region in 2019.<\/span><\/p>\n Perhaps the primary reason for the US<\/strong> invasion of Afghanistan<\/strong> was; <\/u>to closely follow Russia, Iran, India, China<\/strong> and Pakistan<\/strong>, which are power centers in this region, and prevent them from becoming an opposite bloc.<\/span><\/p>\n China<\/strong> was disturbed by the Treaty of Chabahar<\/a>[8]<\/a><\/strong>, which includes the trilateral cooperation between Iran – India – Afghanistan<\/strong>. Because, with the entry into force of this treaty, India could resist China<\/strong>‘s influence in the region and aimed to gain greater access to energy-rich Central Asian<\/strong> countries through Afghanistan<\/strong>.<\/span><\/p>\n Another reason for China<\/strong>‘s discomfort is the attempt to create an alternative to the project that will connect China-Pakistan Economic Corridor<\/strong> and Pakistan<\/strong>‘s Gwadar<\/strong> port to China’s Xinjiang Uyghur Autonomous Region<\/strong> with the Treaty of Chabahar<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Long before this treaty, India<\/strong> made attempts to lay the groundwork for the pursuit of stability in Afghanistan<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n In this framework, under the umbrella of \u201cPeace and Conflict Program in Delhi and Jaipur<\/strong> between July 19-22, 2012<\/strong> by the Delhi Policy Group<\/strong>\u201d, in which Turkey<\/strong> is also represented, \u201cPeace and Stability in Afghanistan<\/strong>: Contribution of Neighbors\u201d\u00a0<\/strong>a regional conference was held.<\/span><\/p>\n India<\/strong> made no secret of its intention to have a say in Afghanistan<\/strong>‘s reconstruction process.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Undoubtedly, Pakistan<\/strong> was another country in the region that was at least as disturbed by these initiatives of India<\/strong> as China<\/strong>.\u00a0<\/span><\/p>\n Disturbed by ![\"\"](\"https:\/\/assam.org.tr\/wp-content\/uploads\/2021\/09\/Resim1.png\")
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