Changes in the Geopolitics of Central Asia in the Post-Cold War Era

Abstract

Eurasia has been regarded as the most important region that must be controlled by any power that aims to dominate the world, according to the geostrategists who shaped Eurasian policies for their countries. The UK and Germany have developed their policies for the region based on the views of their geostrategists before the Cold War. The US focused on containing Soviet Union shaping its policy based on the principles of these theories during the Cold War. In the early post-Cold war era, the US intensified its engagement with Central Asian states mainly with economic motivation. September 11 attacks provided an opportunity for the US to increase its influence as well as bolstering military deployment in the Central Asia. Russia led by Putin, especially after the consolidation of its power, however, has changed the balance of power in the region, especially in former Soviet Union territories, and did not lose the control of “Hearthland”.