THE NEW GREAT GAME

IN MUSLIM CENTRAL ASIA

M. E. AHRARI

with

JAMES BEAL


McNair Paper 47

January 1996

CONTENTS

1. The Framework

2. Geopolitics and the Dynamics of Domestic Problems

Ethnic Problems

The Economy

Resources

Ecology and Health

Political Pluralism

Islam and the Future of Political Stability

Security

Control of Nuclear Weapons

3. Modalities of the New Great Game

Central Asia as an Extension of the Middle East

Russia, America, and the Great Game

New Players: Turkey and Iran

Geopolitics and Geoeconomics

4. Conclusion

Appendix 1: Structure of Muslim Central Asian Economies, 1990-1991 87

Appendix 2: Contemporary Sources of Russia's

Dominance in the Near Abroad

About the Author