A leading authority on Central Asia offers a sweeping review of the
region's path from independence to the post-9/11 world. The first decade
of Central Asian independence was disappointing for those who envisioned
a straightforward transition from Soviet republics to independent states
with market economies and democratic political systems. Leaders excused
political failures by pointing to security risks, including the presence
of terrorist training camps in Afghanistan. The situation changed
dramatically after 9/11, when the camps were largely destroyed and the
United States introduced a military presence. More importantly the
international community engaged with these states to give them a second
chance to address social and economic problems. But neither the
aid-givers nor the recipients were willing to approach problems in new
ways. Now, terrorists groups are once again making their presence felt
and some states may be becoming global security risks. This book
explores how the region squandered its second chance and what might
happen next.