[Another letter from Central Asia from serial guest-blogger Dorzhiev. — YH]

Russia — Uzbekistan continues to snub Russia in a bid to strengthen its regional dominance (see below). After Kyrgyzstan decided to extend the U.S. lease in Manas airbase, Russia responded by pushing for the opening of a second military complex in the Fergana Valley; ostensibly for terrorism related contingencies. Uzbekistan is not buying the pretense and is purportedly building their own base in Khanabad. A military buildup around the Fergana appears to be underway.

On a more symbolic note Tajikistan is toying with the idea of a banning the use of Russian in government affairs in an attempt to both ‘’strengthen its sovereignty” and destroy its fledgling economy.

U.S. — After Uzbek/U.S. relations chilled in 2005 over human rights issues, the two counties are once again getting cozy.This month General David Petraus paid a visit to Tashkent to discuss strengthening mutual ties. Concerns over Afghanistan, increasing radicalization in Central Asia, and the creeping influence of Moscow have pushed Karimov to once again look West. To the south the U.S. faces an uphill battle in Afghanistan as domestic support for the war continues to erode.

China — China continues its large scale investment in the Kazakhstan, Tajikistan, and Kyrgyzstan. From construction of roads in Tajikistan to the energy acquisitions in Kazakhstan Chinese plans for its western frontier proceed apace. For background see here.

Turkmenistan — An interesting overview in Foreign Policy about the courtship of strategically located and energy rich Turkmenistan. The establishment of the Nabucco pipeline threatens to free Europe the from the stranglehold of Russian supply. Gazprom is not too happy about the prospect.

Global Jihad — In Afghanistan the Taliban has made inroads into the traditionally stable (ish) northern provinces of Baghlan and Kunduz. With U.S. and British forces stretched in the south and east, it is up to the European lead NATO contingent to stymie them. It will be interesting to see the effect on local Tajik and Uzbek sympathies.

The Beleaguered Masses — The prospects don’t look good.

Upon reaching Lhasa after invading Tibet , Francis Younghusband wrote:

“On the very day after our arrival I and all my staff donned our full-dress uniforms, and with an escort of three hundred men, including some of the Royal Fusiliers and a sort of band from the Gurkhas, we marched right through the city of Lhasa making all the noise we could.”

He goes on to note the Tibetans clapped and cheered loudly being most impressed. A Tibetan account challenges this account noting that Tibetans clap their hands in order to drive out evil spirits:

“When the British Officers marched to the Tsuhlakhang [Jokhang] and other places, the inhabitants of Lhasa were displeased. They shouted and chanted to bring down rain, and made clapping gestures to repulse them. In the foreigners custom these are seen as signs of welcome, so they took of their hats and said thank you.”

If ever there were a clearler example of cultural misunderstanding between invaders and the invaded then this is it. Something we could all do to remember these days.

Today’s Victorian fact of the day is this:

In 1924, long before Samuel Huntington coined his catch-phrase the “clash of civilizations,” Sir Ignatius Valentine Chirol gave a lecture at the Harris Foundation in which he said that the discord and conflicts which divide east and west “arise out of a clash of different , and in many respects antagonistic, civilisations.”

Look for more information on Valentine Chirol here over the next week or two as I read his latest biography Diplomat Without Portfolio (previously mentioned here) as well as slowly update his Wikipedia entry accordingly.