The increasing economic and political ties between Qatar and countries of Central Asia are raising a number of questions. After all, Qatar is a country of just 260,000 citizens but 2.6 million residents in total. As such, it is easy to wonder why this country in the Middle East is suddenly interested in building bilateral ties in Central Asia. What are leaders in Qatar looking for from their counterparts in Azerbaijan, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Tajikistan?
The fact is that the Central Asian region possesses considerable importance not only due to its geographical location but also for its important resources. The region is neighboring the Caspian Sea which is filled with resources. Moreover, the land-road complex of the region is vital as well. There are oil and gas pipelines running through the region connecting China, the Black Sea, the Mediterranean Sea, Turkey and the Middle East. The region also has connections towards the vital Indian Ocean and countries like Afghanistan, Iran, and Pakistan. Central Asia also possesses considerable resources such as precious metals, water, and oil. Azerbaijan is a particularly important country in the region since it is situated at the crossroads of Western Asia and Eastern Europe.
In short, the entire region is massively important for several countries. For this reason, countries are trying to create alliances which will allow them to benefit from the strategic location and resource wealth of Central Asia. In turn, the control of the region will also enable political control and security in the Middle East and Europe.
In order to gain control over this region, a major alliance has been formed between Turkey, Iran, and Qatar. Together, they wish to gain control over the greater Central Asia region and create a connection from the Caspian Sea to the Arabian Gulf.
As expected, these countries are not trying to fulfill this dream via normal channels. Instead, they have begun to resort to intelligence work and other shady methods to subvert the public opinion of these countries. They have been pursuing this agenda under the guise of diplomatic relations and investments.
Each country has a specific role in this alliance. Qatar has taken on the role of the financier. They are providing the budgets necessary to pull off the scheme. Iran is looking after the intelligence side of matters. Iran is actively using intelligence techniques such as spies in the Central Asian countries. They are also supporting movements which can increase their influence and enable them to export their fundamentalist ideas. They have even begun to use universities to attract students to their cause. As for Turkey, they are disseminating their Muslim Brotherhood ideologies and fundamentalism in regions which Iran cannot access. Moreover, they are doing so under the guise of Qatari or Turkish charities.
These three countries are creating a new axis of evil to create specific conditions in Central Asia, allowing them to gain geopolitical control of the region.
@ Sebastien Zorn:
I read the article and saw the same things that you did, which I referred to briefly in the sentence beginning,..”I believe the article was chosen by Ted as a matter of interest…….and to show what our bitter enemies are doing…… “etc.
As for the rest of it I was answering Michael’s post. By the way, congrats on your return. I hope you don’t have any lingering problems or pain. When boxers have that operation, they are out for 5-6 months at least, often much longer. Of course using a bow is not the same as typing on a keyboard. I’m still surprised that such an innocent and cultural activity could cause such an injury.
The article has nothing to do with Israel or with past history. It says that they have newly hatched designs on Central Asia for its resources and strategic location mainly. Obviously, any thing that makes them stronger is bad for Israel.
@ Michael S:
I’ve read the article, but nowhere do I see a mention of Israel. That “has a history of hundreds of years of Turkish rule, and decades of Iranian rule”… means nothing to me.
I believe that this article was chosen by Ted as a matter of interest for our readers,to show what else our bitter enemies are planning or doing, including one most important country with which Israel has very good relations..
The hundreds of years of Turkish rule were when the Ottomans were ruled by an Emperor, in reality much of the time by the eunuchs or other advisors, depending on how powerful the reigning Emperor was. In the last hundred or two years he had little or no power, was completely ignorant, often a figurehead with little or no mentality or education, and basically held in restraint, but open to all kinds of salacious opportunities in his growing years until time came for him to succeed. .He would have been chosen by the ministers and any other siblings would be quietly disposed of. A really gruesome system.
As for the “Iranian rule”, I presume this was “Persian rule’. That was the Cyrus period, roughly 2600 years ago, a very ancient historical period, and it lasted for over 200 years, until the time of Alexander. Then about 900 years after Alexander and the Seleucids who held Judah for about 160 years until the Maccabees. Then Romans. Then the advent of the Muslims for a short time.,
Resurgent Persia captured Jerusalem and surroundings with the help of a large Jewish local contingent. It was THIS (Iranian rule) which lasted for only a couple of decades until the Muslims returned.
However this or that may be, I see no relevance in mentioning either Turkish rule or Iranian rule. Please enlighten me, because undoubtedly there is a valid reason. Perhaps I’m being short-sighted.
I was surprized to see this article. Israel has a history of hundreds of years of Turkish rule, and of decades of Iranian rule; but no Cental Asian power, not even the Mongols, has ever ruled Israel.