[A-List] Central Asia: US-NATO Military 'Lily Pads' Sink Roots

[Rick Rozoff <r_rozoff@xxxxxxxxx>]

http://www.rferl.org/featuresarticle/2004/05/4d5e4bbb-d806-441d-9d67-168403a8e65a.html

Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty
May 24, 2004


The US Military Presence in Central Asia
By Daniel Kimmage


-[T]he political influence of the US military
presence, though small in numbers, far exceeds its
military significance. That is to say, without the
entry of US forces to the country and host nation
support for the Global War on Terrorism [GWOT] the
US-Uzbek Strategic Partnership signed in 2002 simply
would not have taken place.
-In the context of the US examining the possible
closure or downsizing of its current European bases,
there has been speculation that new bases could be
established elsewhere, including within the Central
Asian region.
-Servicemen from both countries [Uzbekistan,
Kyrgyzstan] are gaining greater access to US military
training, methods, thinking, and operational
techniques. The US has stepped up military-to-military
training in both countries....
-A key stumbling block in the path to greater
cooperation is the lack of larger numbers of officers
in Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan with sufficient English
language training to benefit from US military training
programs.
-US and NATO access to bases in Central Asia will most
likely emerge....For the foreseeable future the US and
its allies will strive to stabilize Central Asia,
which will demand deeper security assistance and an
expanded role for NATO.
-Underlying the political rhetoric from Moscow are
genuine concerns that the US will press ahead with an
unclear agenda within a region traditionally regarded
as being within Russia's sphere of influence. Indeed,
Russia has solid ties with these countries culturally,
politically, economically, and, in most cases,
militarily. Russia has sought to strengthen the
Collective Security Treaty Organization with its
Central Asian members, Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, and
Tajikistan, through joint military exercises, forming
the Collective Rapid Deployment Forces, strengthening
its military capabilities through the opening of an
air base in Kant, Kyrgyzstan, in November 2003, and
using the Shanghai Cooperation Organization [SCO] [to
facilitate] a role for Uzbekistan....
-The critical test will come in the aftermath of the
NATO summit in Istanbul in June 2004, which will mark
a significant deepening of the Alliance's partnership
with Central Asia and the Caucasus.
-Kazakhstan: this is the one Central Asian country
that is likely to witness continued expansion of its
military cooperation with the US. This took a step
forward in 2003, with several months of negotiations
between the US Department of Defense and the
Kazakhstani Ministry of Defense, culminating in the
signing of a five-year bilateral military cooperation
agreement. It envisages US assistance to develop
military infrastructure in Kazakhstan's western region
in order to promote its security capabilities in the
Caspian Sea....


KABUL - Daniel Kimmage interviewed Roger McDermott* in
London on 19 May. McDermott is a research associate at
the University of Kent and the author of "Defeating
Global Terrorism: Developing the Antiterrorist
Capabilities of the Central Asian States."

What military facilities does the United States
maintain in Uzbekistan?

McDermott: The United States was granted vital access
to facilities at Karshi-Khanabad, by the government of
Uzbekistan, in support of the US's violent overthrow
of the Taliban in Afghanistan in 2001. The deployment
includes around 1,800 personnel, constituted of air
support and logistics personnel, military police, and
a Special Forces battalion, which provides direct
counterterrorist training to the Uzbekistani armed
forces.

How important are these facilities to operations in
Afghanistan and elsewhere?

McDermott: Access to Karshi-Khanabad proved to be a
vital element in the rapid military success in
Afghanistan, as well as providing a continued suitable
base from which to launch offensive air operations in
search of Al-Qaeda, Taliban, and IMU [Islamic Movement
of Uzbekistan] remnants in Afghanistan. Although the
US does not directly pay for its use of the base,
increased levels of economic aid, which followed the
deployment, are seen as an important quid pro quo.
Moreover, the political influence of the US military
presence, though small in numbers, far exceeds its
military significance. That is to say, without the
entry of US forces to the country and host nation
support for the Global War on Terrorism [GWOT] the
US-Uzbek Strategic Partnership signed in 2002 simply
would not have taken place.

What is the main purpose of the US air base at Manas,
Kyrgyzstan?

McDermott: Kyrgyzstan granted basing rights to US and
coalition personnel in support of combat and combat
support units at Manas airport. Each takeoff and
landing at Manas costs the US $7000-$7500.

How do these facilities fit in with the "lily-pad
theory" of military bases?

McDermott: In the context of the US examining the
possible closure or downsizing of its current European
bases, there has been speculation that new bases could
be established elsewhere, including within the Central
Asian region. Such bases, known as "operating sites"
and "lily pads," remain an attractive option for
Pentagon planners, aware of the sensitive nature of
any suggestion of permanent bases in the region, since
the bases could be used during a crisis to allow
access and support. Defense Secretary Donald Rumsfeld
has continued to praise the role of Uzbekistan and
access to Karshi-Khanabad in the GWOT, whilst seeking
to downplay the prospect of a permanent US military
presence. Karimov's government would most likely be
open to any plans for its facilities to be used as
"lily pads."

How have Uzbekistan and Kyrgyzstan benefited from
military cooperation with the United States?

McDermott: Servicemen from both countries are gaining
greater access to US military training, methods,
thinking, and operational techniques. The US has
stepped up military-to-military training in both
countries with priority given to counterterrorism
training, border security, assistance in developing a
Non-Commissioned Officer [NCO] corps. Though clear
advances have been made, there is a long way to go in
promoting military reform in these countries, which
remain beset by the problems of Soviet-legacy forces;
large, unwieldy, and inefficient management
structures, aging weapon systems, shortage of spare
parts, lack of troop mobility, and many more. A key
stumbling block in the path to greater cooperation is
the lack of larger numbers of officers in Kyrgyzstan
and Uzbekistan with sufficient English language
training to benefit from US military training
programs.

How long do you think the United States will continue
to maintain these facilities in Uzbekistan and
Kyrgyzstan?

McDermott: Opposition to the permanent basing of the
US military comes mainly from Russia [and China], and
to assuage their concerns the official line in
Washington has been that these forces will remain in
the region until the job is complete. This means until
Afghanistan is fully stabilized. It is, however, open
to question as to what this time scale involves. US
and NATO access to bases in Central Asia will most
likely emerge, though perhaps not on a permanent time
scale. For the foreseeable future the US and its
allies will strive to stabilize Central Asia, which
will demand deeper security assistance and an expanded
role for NATO.

....
[T]he strategic partnership with the US remains
intact, primarily because the Pentagon's views have
had ascendancy over the State Department on these
issues....

How would you describe Russian views on the US
military presence in Central Asia?

McDermott: Underlying the political rhetoric from
Moscow are genuine concerns that the US will press
ahead with an unclear agenda within a region
traditionally regarded as being within Russia's sphere
of influence. Indeed, Russia has solid ties with these
countries culturally, politically, economically, and,
in most cases, militarily. Russia has sought to
strengthen the Collective Security Treaty Organization
with its Central Asian members, Kazakhstan,
Kyrgyzstan, and Tajikistan, through joint military
exercises, forming the Collective Rapid Deployment
Forces, strengthening its military capabilities
through the opening of an air base in Kant,
Kyrgyzstan, in November 2003, and using the Shanghai
Cooperation Organization [SCO] [to facilitate] a role
for Uzbekistan, which hosts the SCO Regional
Antiterrorist Center in Tashkent. Moscow has also
fostered closer bilateral relations with its Central
Asian neighbors in an attempt to stem the rising
influence of the US In many of these initiatives, the
old "zero-sum game" - which perceives American
advances at the expense of Russia - have underpinned
the security thinking.

Do you see any prospects for US-Russian military
cooperation in Central Asia?

McDermott: The critical test will come in the
aftermath of the NATO summit in Istanbul in June 2004,
which will mark a significant deepening of the
Alliance's partnership with Central Asia and the
Caucasus. If Russia can be persuaded to recognize that
a confluence of security interests exist between its
own interests and those of NATO, then cooperation will
be possible. What is clear, however, is that the US
and NATO are seeking to stabilize the region and
Russia's cooperation - even if restricted to the
political sphere - will be a critical component of
this strategy.

Do you consider that the United States will increase
military cooperation with any other Central Asian
countries?

McDermott: Kazakhstan - this is the one Central Asian
country that is likely to witness continued expansion
of its military cooperation with the US. This took a
step forward in 2003, with several months of
negotiations between the US Department of Defense and
the Kazakhstani Ministry of Defense, culminating in
the signing of a five-year bilateral military
cooperation agreement. It envisages US assistance to
develop military infrastructure in Kazakhstan's
western region in order to promote its security
capabilities in the Caspian Sea, antiterrorist
training, enhancing its air power capabilities,
equipping the Navy, and strengthening national
training facilities. Kazakhstan also became the first
Central Asian country to deploy elements of its
national peacekeeping battalion beyond the region,
sending 27 servicemen to Iraq in August 2003 to carry
out water purification and demining duties.
....
The possible withdrawal of Russian border guards from
Tajikistan, reportedly requested by Dushanbe, could
undermine further the security of the Afghan-Tajik
border and make more difficult attempts to stem the
flow of illegal narcotics from Afghanistan.

*Roger N. McDermott is an honorary senior research
associate in the Department of Politics and
International Relations at the University of Kent at
Canterbury. He is also the author of "Defeating Global
Terrorism: Developing the Antiterrorist Capabilities
of the Central Asian States," published in February by
the Strategic Studies Institute at the US Army War
College.








	
		
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