When the United States was served an eviction notice from its only military base in former Soviet Central Asia last week, Russia scored a tactical victory in its quest to restore military and diplomatic dominance over the energy-rich region.
The move would not just kick the U.S. out of a military installation in a volatile area with major gas and oil fields. It also promises to help Russia gain a choke hold over a critical transit corridor for troops and materiel needed to support of the Obama administration's expanded war in Afghanistan.
But by pushing the U.S. out, some experts say, Russia may be inviting trouble in a volatile region that could be ripped apart by surging poverty and rising Islamic militancy.
The sudden disappearance of American muscle could have a deeply destabilizing effect — and, if chaos follows, the Kremlin will find itself alone in dealing with the mess.
Much as I mocked the anti-Iraq War idea that Iran couldn't possibly be a threat to America in Iraq because we both value stability in Iraq, this shows that it is a mistake to judge other countries by what American liberals think. Iran would have rather had chaos in Iraq that they might eventually exploit than a stable pro-American Iraq. And Russia would rather have the sole responsibility for their former republics in Central Asia than enjoy stability partly reliant on American power.
On the bright side, our press is giving America a pass on this setback. Can you imagine the press coverage if this event had take place under George Bush's watch? Now, no diplomatic setback is blamed on cowboyish American policies.
Hope and change really do work! It's like our entire press corps hit the reset button.
