The planned reductions in NATO troop numbers in Afghanistan through 2015 and a final withdrawal at the end of 2016 brings up numerous pressing questions about the security and national interests of not just Afghanistan, but of the broader region itself. The problem of a chaotic Afghanistan-or of an outright Taliban victory-is of great concern to not only immediate neighbors such as Iran, Pakistan, and the former Soviet Central Asian republics to the north, but also to those countries in the region with Afghanistan-related security or economic concerns, such as China and India. Further abroad, Russian, American and European interests and plans for dealing with the fallout from Afghanistan must also be taken into account as these major powers have enduring interests in Afghanistan and the region. This volume puts the prospects for short- and mid-term security dynamics at the core of the analysis, with each case being placed in its proper contemporary historical, economic, and political context. The book will offer a truly comprehensive, nuanced, and timely account of the security situation in and around Afghanistan.
Introduction, Amin Saikal and Kirill Nourzhanov Part I: Afghanistan in the post-Taliban Era: The Politics and Geopolitics of Survival Chapter 1: Afghanistan: A Geopolitical Paradox, Amin Saikal Chapter 2: US Policies and Practices towards Afghanistan and Central Asia since 2001, M. Nazif Shahrani Part II: Traditional Regional Players: Iran, Pakistan, and India Chapter 3: A New Phase in Relations between Iran and Afghanistan, Shahram Akbarzadeh Chapter 4: Beyond Strategic Depth? Pakistan's Evolving Relationship with Afghanistan, Aly Zaman Chapter 5: ""New Regionalism"" and Afghanistan: The Role of India, Meena Singh Roy Part III: Afghanistan as Viewed from Central Asia Chapter 6: Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Desecuritization, and Regional Security, Reuel R. Hanks Chapter 7: Kazakhstan's Policy toward Afghanistan: Context, Drivers, and Outcomes, Nargis Kassenova Chapter 8: Political and Economic Pragmatism: Turkmenistan and Afghanistan since 1991, Sebastien Peyrouse Chapter 9: Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan's Diminishing Relationship, Christian Bleuer Chapter 10: Central Asian Security after 2014: The Case of Tajikistan, Mahmadyusuf Tashrifov Part IV: Afghanistan and Central Asia in a Wider International Context Chapter 11: Russia's Afghanistan Policy after 2014: Staying at an Arm's Length and Preparing for the Worst, Kirill Nourzhanov Chapter 12: China in Afghanistan: Navigating a ""Terrain of Hazards"" in Search of Geopolitical Opportunity?, Michael Clarke Chapter 13: The European Union in the Heartland: A Normative Power Looking for a Strategy in Central Eurasia, Emilian Kavalski Conclusion, Amin Saikal and Kirill Nourzhanov
Introduction, Amin Saikal and Kirill Nourzhanov Part I: Afghanistan in the post-Taliban Era: The Politics and Geopolitics of Survival Chapter 1: Afghanistan: A Geopolitical Paradox, Amin Saikal Chapter 2: US Policies and Practices towards Afghanistan and Central Asia since 2001, M. Nazif Shahrani Part II: Traditional Regional Players: Iran, Pakistan, and India Chapter 3: A New Phase in Relations between Iran and Afghanistan, Shahram Akbarzadeh Chapter 4: Beyond Strategic Depth? Pakistan's Evolving Relationship with Afghanistan, Aly Zaman Chapter 5: "New Regionalism" and Afghanistan: The Role of India, Meena Singh Roy Part III: Afghanistan as Viewed from Central Asia Chapter 6: Uzbekistan, Afghanistan, Desecuritization, and Regional Security, Reuel R. Hanks Chapter 7: Kazakhstan's Policy toward Afghanistan: Context, Drivers, and Outcomes, Nargis Kassenova Chapter 8: Political and Economic Pragmatism: Turkmenistan and Afghanistan since 1991, Sebastien Peyrouse Chapter 9: Kyrgyzstan and Afghanistan's Diminishing Relationship, Christian Bleuer Chapter 10: Central Asian Security after 2014: The Case of Tajikistan, Mahmadyusuf Tashrifov Part IV: Afghanistan and Central Asia in a Wider International Context Chapter 11: Russia's Afghanistan Policy after 2014: Staying at an Arm's Length and Preparing for the Worst, Kirill Nourzhanov Chapter 12: China in Afghanistan: Navigating a "Terrain of Hazards" in Search of Geopolitical Opportunity?, Michael Clarke Chapter 13: The European Union in the Heartland: A Normative Power Looking for a Strategy in Central Eurasia, Emilian Kavalski Conclusion, Amin Saikal and Kirill Nourzhanov
