September 21, 2005
An Update on Central Asia
Robert Finn
Former U.S. Ambassador to Afghanistan & Tajikistan,
Member of the Princeton University Faculty
Minutes of the Second Meeting of the 64th Year
President William Haynes called the ninety or so attending members to order for the second meeting of the 64th year at the usual time and John Marks led the invocation.
The Recording Secretary read the minutes of the 14th September meeting on the talk by Michael Mahoney.
There were guests: Martin Rome introduced Bob Middlebrook while Ernest Sclieben introduced his son Ernest.
Brigadier General Whipple, late Corps of Engineers and a native of New Orleans, gave a short account of his perspective on the topical subject of the flooding of that city, relating the Corps recognition of the need for defenses costing one-and-a-half billion dollars, a sum no politician would consider furnishing.
David Dodge announced a meeting of the Program Committee and reminded members that suggestions for future speakers were welcome. He then introduced the speaker, a former Fulbright scholar, Robert P. F, former American ambassador to Afghanistan and Tajikistan and a member of the Princeton faculty, by tracing quickly the importance of central Asia from the days when the Silk Route passed through it. The speaker had also served in Turkey, Pakistan, Croatia and Azerbaijan. He has written poetry and books on Turkish poetry and novels.
Mr Finn gave his "impressive and scary" audience one of the best talks they have heard. Looking at the world through "maritime eyes", we do not understand how differently that huge area sees the world. Though central Asia is a unity and extends from the shores of the Adriatic to the shores of the Pacific, it was divided into two parts - Turan, the land of the Turks, and the land of Iran or Persia. How the area sees western culture and democracy comes largely from what Afghanistan has seen of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Turning to Afghanistan first, he emphasized the weakness of the Karzai government and the tendency to look to tribal leaders for protection. But unlike Iraq, Afghanistan has seen itself as a unity since the days of Cain. Even in the civil war, no one thought of breaking up the country. The big problem is fostering a viable economy in a country used to foreign subsidies for over a century. Taxes going to the central government, roads, and exploitation of natural resources are vital for the central authority. Resentment of an isolated people against foreign and modem intrusion is one of the resurgent Taliban ' s strong cards and cannot be overcome by guns, air raids and intrusion into Afghan homes by foreign troops, but by a stronger central government and better education.
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan had gleaming cities when Europe's were dirty and miserable. What enlightenment mediaeval Europe had came largely from the Greeks through Muslim scholars into Spain and Sicily. The people of central Asia know that, even if impoverished. Iran is thought of as settled and agricultural, the Turkic area as more aggressive and closer to a nomadic life.
People in the former Soviet elements of central Asia were educated in a western manner and had some degree of political freedom while those in the Turkic areas were vastly different. The former group were reluctant to see the Soviet Union break up and now they see the U.S. move in, establishing bases. We see it as part of the "war against terror", Iran sees it as the setting up of bases around the country, Russia and China see it as our trying to take over their back yards. Tajikistan, which had looked forward to the withdrawal of Russian troops, has now offered Russia a "sovereign base". The Uzbeks and the Kazaks have become cold to the U.S. and veer toward the Russians, newly rich with oil money to give to them, while China's influence grows with the new security concerns of central Asia. What will emerge is unclear - China and Russia may come to loggerheads while the role of the U.S. diminishes in the face of efforts to counter what is seen as the American threat. Many look to precedents - the Islamic state, even the Caliphate, taking for granted the unity of religion and the state since they have not had a Reformation, as the west has, and they remember the example of Christian Byzantium. Islamic fundamentalists make full use of the idea of Islam as a unifying force.
Questions followed on the poppy crop, the self-contradictions in spreading democracy in a hurry at the point of a gun, the activism of a unilateralist U.SA., the suppression of women, how American policy is perceived in a unified manner, the prospects for Iraqi unity, the importance of oil, Musharaf of Pakistan.
The meeting concluded at 11:30 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
John Frederick
Recording Secretary
The Recording Secretary read the minutes of the 14th September meeting on the talk by Michael Mahoney.
There were guests: Martin Rome introduced Bob Middlebrook while Ernest Sclieben introduced his son Ernest.
Brigadier General Whipple, late Corps of Engineers and a native of New Orleans, gave a short account of his perspective on the topical subject of the flooding of that city, relating the Corps recognition of the need for defenses costing one-and-a-half billion dollars, a sum no politician would consider furnishing.
David Dodge announced a meeting of the Program Committee and reminded members that suggestions for future speakers were welcome. He then introduced the speaker, a former Fulbright scholar, Robert P. F, former American ambassador to Afghanistan and Tajikistan and a member of the Princeton faculty, by tracing quickly the importance of central Asia from the days when the Silk Route passed through it. The speaker had also served in Turkey, Pakistan, Croatia and Azerbaijan. He has written poetry and books on Turkish poetry and novels.
Mr Finn gave his "impressive and scary" audience one of the best talks they have heard. Looking at the world through "maritime eyes", we do not understand how differently that huge area sees the world. Though central Asia is a unity and extends from the shores of the Adriatic to the shores of the Pacific, it was divided into two parts - Turan, the land of the Turks, and the land of Iran or Persia. How the area sees western culture and democracy comes largely from what Afghanistan has seen of the Russian Empire and the Soviet Union. Turning to Afghanistan first, he emphasized the weakness of the Karzai government and the tendency to look to tribal leaders for protection. But unlike Iraq, Afghanistan has seen itself as a unity since the days of Cain. Even in the civil war, no one thought of breaking up the country. The big problem is fostering a viable economy in a country used to foreign subsidies for over a century. Taxes going to the central government, roads, and exploitation of natural resources are vital for the central authority. Resentment of an isolated people against foreign and modem intrusion is one of the resurgent Taliban ' s strong cards and cannot be overcome by guns, air raids and intrusion into Afghan homes by foreign troops, but by a stronger central government and better education.
Uzbekistan and Tajikistan had gleaming cities when Europe's were dirty and miserable. What enlightenment mediaeval Europe had came largely from the Greeks through Muslim scholars into Spain and Sicily. The people of central Asia know that, even if impoverished. Iran is thought of as settled and agricultural, the Turkic area as more aggressive and closer to a nomadic life.
People in the former Soviet elements of central Asia were educated in a western manner and had some degree of political freedom while those in the Turkic areas were vastly different. The former group were reluctant to see the Soviet Union break up and now they see the U.S. move in, establishing bases. We see it as part of the "war against terror", Iran sees it as the setting up of bases around the country, Russia and China see it as our trying to take over their back yards. Tajikistan, which had looked forward to the withdrawal of Russian troops, has now offered Russia a "sovereign base". The Uzbeks and the Kazaks have become cold to the U.S. and veer toward the Russians, newly rich with oil money to give to them, while China's influence grows with the new security concerns of central Asia. What will emerge is unclear - China and Russia may come to loggerheads while the role of the U.S. diminishes in the face of efforts to counter what is seen as the American threat. Many look to precedents - the Islamic state, even the Caliphate, taking for granted the unity of religion and the state since they have not had a Reformation, as the west has, and they remember the example of Christian Byzantium. Islamic fundamentalists make full use of the idea of Islam as a unifying force.
Questions followed on the poppy crop, the self-contradictions in spreading democracy in a hurry at the point of a gun, the activism of a unilateralist U.SA., the suppression of women, how American policy is perceived in a unified manner, the prospects for Iraqi unity, the importance of oil, Musharaf of Pakistan.
The meeting concluded at 11:30 AM.
Respectfully submitted,
John Frederick
Recording Secretary