Uzbekistan Slowly Destabilizes

Political, economic and security challenges could make the coming year one of the most difficult in Uzbekistan's post-Soviet history. Against the backdrop of an economic slowdown and an unclear succession plan for long-serving President Islam Karimov, continued crackdowns on alleged Islamist militants could lead to growing blowback and instability in the months ahead. As Russia and the United States compete for influence in Central Asia, Uzbekistan will play an important role in shaping regional security dynamics and in the broader standoff between Moscow and the West in the former Soviet periphery....