China, Pakistan, Central-Asia Military Watch

[Arun_S]

[center][size="2"]Night[/size][color="#808080"]Watch[/color][/center]

[center][url="http://www.kforcegov.com/Services/IS/NightWatch/NightWatch_11000182.aspx"]For the Night of 2 September 2011[/url]

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[center][left]Tajikistan-Russia: An agreement for a Russian military base in Tajikistan will be extended for 49 years, Russian President Medvedev said on 2 September. Medvedev and Tajik President Rakhmon reached the agreement during a meeting in Dushanbe.

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Medvedev said the leaders told the departments and agencies concerned with the agreement that it would be extended for 49 years. The agreement is scheduled to be signed in the first quarter of 2012. Russia will train, re-equip and modernize the Tajik army in exchange for the extension the military base lease.



Comment: After a brief US interlude, Central Asia is returning to normality. Normality means that the Russians are the closest and most powerful protectors of Central Asians from domination by the Han Chinese. The Russians are reasserting their strategic interests.



The Americans are just too far away to be timely and reliable. In any event, the Americans are going home from Central Asia soon, as Asians measure time. [/left]

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