TEHRAN Central Asian republics became independent in 1991, when the former Soviet Union collapsed. These republics had suffered the despotic communist rule for some 71 years.
Following their independence, due to their abundant natural resources, these countries were expected to tread the path toward development, but this did not happen. The reason? The U.S. administration and the oil giants of the West as well as the Zionist regime are coveting the natural resources of the Central Asian republics.
And now to promote its interests in the region, the U.S. is going to dispatch troops to Central Asia. According to a report from Washington yesterday, the U.S. troops are going to parachute into Kazakhstan for exercise.
The AFP dispatch said the U.S. troops will fly nonstop from the United States and parachute into Kazakhstan Sunday to kick off a military exercise with forces from several Central Asian countries, Russia and Britain. "We're going to take some guys from the 82nd airborne division in Fort Bragg, North Carolina, refuel twice in the air and then let them parachute in," said Navy Lieutenant Commander Ernest Duplessis, a spokesman for the Central Command in Tampa, Florida. About 300 U.S. troops will take part in the September 10-18 exercise.
In all, more than 1,000 troops from the United States, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, Kyrgyzstan, Georgia, Azerbaijan, Mongolia, Turkey, Britain and Russia are supposed to take part. "Instead of paying attention to the vital economic issues of the region, the U.S.
is planning military exercises to secure its foothold in Central Asia," an expert on the regional affairs commented.