Countering Global Terrorism: Developing the Antiterrorist Capabilities of the Central Asian Militaries

Central Asia is a key theater in the war on terrorism. It is a region of fragile new states, all facing a wide range of challenges. Ungoverned regions-the cauldron of terrorism-are common. As the U.S. State Department notes, the United States, "learned a harsh lesson after we disengaged from Afghanistan in the early 1990s. We must not allow countries to become breeding grounds for extremism and terrorism. To prevent these destructive forces from taking root in Central Asia, we have intensified our efforts to help the countries of this area become stable, prosperous, and fully integrated members of the world community and the global economy." The question is how to undertake this complex endeavor. In this monograph, Roger N. McDermott offers a framework for improving the antiterrorist capabilities of the Central Asian militaries. This includes increased and focused military training with a special emphasis on Special Forces units.