Central Asia

Recent developments around the world concerning the seemingly unrelated topics of railways, heroin production, and international terrorism point toward emerging realities about the global economy.

When visiting Kazakhstan in 2013, Chinese leader Xi Jinping talked about the New Silk Road project (NSR) envisioning it running across the entire Central Asia, making it not only the longest, but also the most lucrative transport route connecting Asia to Europe. According to Xi Jinping, participation in the project of the Republic of Kazakhstan—China‘s long-term dependable partner—would be extremely important.

At the end of February 2016, a group of representatives of the Russian State Atomic Energy Corporation Rosatom visited Kazakhstan. The Russian delegation headed by Deputy General Director of Rosatom Vyacheslav Pershukov met with their partners from the Ministry of Energy of the Republic of Kazakhstan.

4.71/5 (7) Catherine Austin Fitts shares this one, and it's worth passing along, for it is huge with economic and, more importantly, geopolitical significance. As you read this, compare China's approach in the region, to the…
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For the last several years, the Afghanistan authorities and interested parties (China, Pakistan, the USA) have been attempting to initiate dialogue with the Taliban in order to restore peace in the country. Despite repeated efforts, there seems to be no success in starting the negotiation process.

Central Asia remains the stage for the three truly significant actors in this show: the US, Russia and China. However, the interaction of these three players in the Region is complicated. And if the US sees Central Asia (CA) as globally connected per ‘American model’, and China does as more related to China itself, then Russian scenario offers to Central Asia not ‘globalization’, but ‘regionalization’.

Afghanistan is a geostrategic and economic prize that the West will not want to relinquish anytime soon. In an interview at the end of 2015, the former chief of staff to Colin Powell and retired US Army Colonel, Lawrence Wilkerson, outlined the realistic timescale he believes the US will be involved in Afghanistan, in addition to emphasizing the strategic importance of the country to the US.

Sibel and I had the great pleasure of joining the one and only Chuck Ochelli on The Ochelli Effect to discuss Newsbud and the importance of true independent media.  In the first hour it is mainly Sibel talking about Newsbud, the team, and how we will be a different kind of alternative media.  In the second hour Chuck and I dive into the geopolitics of Central Asia, the Finicum shooting, Donald Trump and much more.