{"id":143900,"date":"2024-04-05T00:00:00","date_gmt":"2024-04-05T00:00:00","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=143900"},"modified":"2024-04-05T20:32:34","modified_gmt":"2024-04-05T20:32:34","slug":"cultural-and-area-studies-office-panel-discusses-influence-conflicts-in-south-and-central-asia","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/?p=143900","title":{"rendered":"Cultural and Area Studies Office panel discusses influence conflicts in South and Central Asia"},"content":{"rendered":"
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\n The Army University’s Command and General Staff College Cultural and Area Studies Office hosted a panel to discuss the influence conflicts of South and Central Asia March 19, 2024, at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
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THE ARMY UNIVERSITY, FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas \u2013 Described by former Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice as the \u201cSpine of the Book of the World\u201d, South and Central Asia continue to be critical areas of interest to national security.<\/p>\n

The last Cultural and Area Studies Office panel of the academic year, held March 19, 2024, discussed the impact these regions have on the U.S. – China relationships and global geopolitical environment.<\/p>\n

Brent Christensen, Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) to the Commander of the U.S. Strategic Command, began the panel discussion describing the national security importance of the South and Central Asia region.<\/p>\n

Home to more than a quarter of the world\u2019s population; economic growth and strength; prominence in Global War on Terror; and presence of nuclear armed states, warrant special attention to the region, he explained.<\/p>\n

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\n Brent Christensen, Foreign Policy Advisor (POLAD) to the Command of the U.S. Strategic Command, began the panel discussion describing the national security importance of the South and Central Asia region during the latest CASO panel March 19, 2024, at Fort Leavenworth, Kan.
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India\u2019s Neighborhood First Policy, much like China’s desire to control it borders, drives many of the South Asia countries\u2019 stability-focused decisions.<\/p>\n

This policy, coupled with their non-alignment stance creates tensions with powers like Pakistan.<\/p>\n

India continues to be a non-supporter of their largest neighbor\u2019s grasps at border control, namely denouncing the Belt and Road initiative.<\/p>\n

Simultaneously, India – U.S. relations continue to mature through engagements like India\u2019s participation in the QUAD. Despite this, economic differences and ties to Russia keep the U.S. – India relationships from being considered fail-proof.<\/p>\n

Central Asia has been a focus area of control for Russia and has gained more purposeful attention from China in recent years.<\/p>\n

Lt. Col. Nathan Moore, former defense attach\u00e9 to the Peoples\u2019 Republic of Bangladesh at the U.S. Embassy in Dhaka, focused on the increased competition of India and China in South Asia.<\/p>\n

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\n Lt. Col. Nathan Moore, former defense attach\u00e9 to the Peoples\u2019 Republic of Bangladesh at the U.S. Embassy, in Dhaka, focused on the increased competition of India and China in South Asia as a panelist during the latest CASO Panel March 19, 2024.
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\u201cWhen we look at South Asia through the American prism, this competition is really between India and the PRC (People\u2019s Republic of China),” he said.<\/p>\n

Moore discussed the U.S.\u2019s strategy regarding its relationships with India, often being ridiculed for placing too much emphasis or prioritization on the major power in this area.<\/p>\n

However, it is a natural focus as one of four pieces of the QUAD strategy with the U.S., Japan and Australia.<\/p>\n

India and China\u2019s influence in the area can be seen in the \u201cdebt trap\u201d that is Sri Lankea, which due to its need for support, has taken assistance in many forms from both China and India.<\/p>\n

Bangladesh is very similar, Moore said, accepting support from both India and China in various forms. The country appears to balance accepting support from these polarizing powers with additional support from the U.S. and its partners like Japan.<\/p>\n

China\u2019s role reflects more infrastructure support of the region, while the U.S. is one of the highest grossing contributors to United Nations programs for nutritional assistance and maintenance of refugee camps, Moore explained.<\/p>\n

While this is a physical presence of Chinese support in the region, China has begun introducing new influence.<\/p>\n

\u201cIn practical terms, China\u2019s help has been building power plants that keep lights on but what China has moved into in Bangladesh is being a peacemaker between Burma and Bangladesh,\u201d Moore said. \u201cThe carrot they offer, and we\u2019ve seen this a little bit in CENTCOM, is China as a mediator.\u201d<\/p>\n

Moore pointed out Nepal and Bhutan\u2019s weight in the competition of large powers in the region, explaining the unstable governments of the countries create perfect conditions for a \u201cChinese land grab\u201d.<\/p>\n

\u201cThis competition is not just about us. We\u2019re fitting into it. We need to fit into it well, but India is a rough neighbor,\u201d he said. \u201cIt\u2019s got pointy elbow sometimes. The democratic points we put forth don\u2019t always ring true the same way in India.\u201d<\/p>\n

Dr. Robert Baumann, former Senior Education Advisor to the Armed Forces Academy of Uzbekistan, shared thoughts and analysis focused on the Central Asia region and the competition for influence within the area.<\/p>\n

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\n Dr. Robert Baumann, former Senior Education Advisor to the Armed Forces Academy of Uzbekistan, shared thoughts and analysis focused on the Central Asia region and the competition for influence within the area during the CASO Panel March 19, 2024.
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He began by explaining the historical nature and foundation of the area, which lays with the collapse of the Soviet Union and subsequent creation of the region\u2019s independent countries.<\/p>\n

\u201cAt the end of the Soviet Union these states had to begin inventing themselves as truly independent entities, no longer pieces of the Soviet Union,\u201d Baumann said. \u201cIt meant creating their own brand, working on their own history with a new interpretation where desired end state is not being part of Russian civilization but in fact, the desired end state is a robust, independent culturally vibrant Uzbekistan or Tajikistan, Kazakhstan and so on.\u201d<\/p>\n

Baumann used the element of language to discuss the power of influence within the region, citing things like cinema as a way to see which cultures are prevalent.<\/p>\n

For example, U.S. films presented in Russia, are common he said, with the Chinese influence in this particular area is being very low, and even struggling to infiltrate.<\/p>\n

Russia also recognizes the influence of their language waning in the area and take steps to distribute Russian language instructors across the region attempting to reclaim influence.<\/p>\n

However, the attempts seem to be unsuccessful, Baumann explained.<\/p>\n

\u201cPeople want to learn English. It is the language of choice around Tashkent,\u201d Baumann explained. \u201cOne of the best business opportunities\u2026is to create your own English language school.\u201d<\/p>\n

Where Chinese cultural influence lacks in Central Asia, they make up for economically, recently surpassing Russia in foreign investment like trade, Baumann said.<\/p>\n

Things like the presence of Chinese-made electric cars and charging stations are greatly increased.<\/p>\n

\u201cThe Chinese momentum in economic terms is certainly considerable,\u201d he said.<\/p>\n

The panel concluded with a question-and-answer session.<\/p>\n

This panel is part of a seminar series discussing issues of operational and strategic importance to the U.S., which CASO in coordination with CGSC, universities, think tanks, interagency and other partners conduct every two to three months, which is also live streamed on CGSC’s Facebook page.<\/p>\n

The full event and past CASO panels can be viewed on the CGSC YouTube page: CGSC Intro Logo (youtube.com)<\/a>.<\/p>\n

Additional photos of the event can be viewed on CGSC\u2019s Flickr page: Command and General Staff College\u2019s albums | Flickr<\/a>.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

The Army University’s Command and General Staff College Cultural and Area Studies Office hosted a panel to discuss the influence conflicts of South and Central Asia March 19, 2024, at Fort Leavenworth, Kan. (Photo Credit: Dan Neal, The Army University Public Affairs Office) VIEW ORIGINAL THE ARMY UNIVERSITY, FORT LEAVENWORTH, Kansas \u2013 Described by former […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":143902,"comment_status":"close","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[1],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-143900","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-uncategorized"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143900","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=143900"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143900\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":143907,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/143900\/revisions\/143907"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/media\/143902"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=143900"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=143900"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/adn.monetizemail.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=143900"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}