Shamkhal Abilov (Azerbaijan): The “New Great Game” Over the Caspian Region: Russia, the USA, and China in the Same Melting Pot. A review of Central Asia in World History by Peter B. Golden. An alarming number of girls in Kyrgyzstan are kidnapped and forced into marriages, where they have little choice but to consent. A review of Kazakhstan: Surprises and Stereotypes After 20 Years of Independence by Jonathan Aitken. Raffaello Pantucci and Alexandros Petersen on the clash of Eurasian grand strategies. Sergey Markedonov on Putin's Eurasian aspirations. Richard Weitz on stabilizing the Stans. From Radio Free Europe/Radio Liberty, a series on “Silly Dictator Stories”. The jerk who captured Kazakhstan: Even when larded with traditional humor and Dan Brown-like historical fantasies, political satire can be a chancy game in the land of Strategy 2030. An interview with Alex Cooley, author of Great Games, Local Rules: The New Great Power Contest in Central Asia. A review of Afghanistan: A Political and Cultural History by Thomas Barfield. The new sound of Central Asia: The Alaev Family, from Tajikistan by way of Israel, turns traditional folk songs into infectious dance music.
