Lawfare Archive: Antony Blinken on the Future of Central Asia
The Lawfare Podcast
The Lawfare Institute
4.7 • 6.4K Ratings
🗓️ 7 August 2021
⏱️ 66 minutes
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Summary
From the April 18, 2015: Deputy Secretary of State Antony Blinken visited Brookings for a public address on the current priorities and future prospects for U.S. engagement in Central Asia. With the draw-down in Afghanistan on the horizon, Mr. Blinken makes clear that the United States is not relinquishing its interests in the region. Blinken stresses that the security of the United States is enhanced by a more secure Central Asia, and a stable Central Asia is most likely if the nations there are sovereign and independent countries, connected with one another, and fully capable of defending their own borders. He concludes that investing in connectivity can spur commerce from Istanbul to Shanghai while serving as a stabilizing force for Afghanistan's transition.
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Transcript
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| 0:00.0 | The following podcast contains advertising. |
| 0:04.0 | To access an ad-free version of the LawFair podcast, |
| 0:08.0 | become a material supporter of LawFair at patreon.com slash law fair. |
| 0:14.0 | That's patreon.com slash law fair. |
| 0:18.0 | Also, check out LawFair's other podcast offerings, |
| 0:22.0 | rational security, chatter, law fair no bull, and the aftermath. |
| 0:29.0 | This is LawFair in turn, Ajay Sarma, with the podcast from the LawFair Archives for August 7, 2021. |
| 0:45.0 | This past week has seen a number of concerning developments in Afghanistan. |
| 0:50.0 | Notably, Taliban fighters attacked the House of Afghanistan's Defense Minister |
| 0:54.0 | and stormed the neighboring residents of the member of Afghanistan's parliament. |
| 0:59.0 | On Friday, the Taliban seized our hands, the capital of Afghanistan's Numerous Province, |
| 1:03.0 | and their first seizure of a provincial capital since the withdrawal of US and NATO troops. |
| 1:08.0 | For today's episode from the archives, I went back to April 2015, |
| 1:12.0 | when then Deputy Secretary of State and current Secretary of State Anthony Blinken delivered a public address at Brookings. |
| 1:19.0 | During his address and his conversation, moderated by former Brookings President and distinguished fellow strobe Talbot, |
| 1:25.0 | Blinken discusses the enduring strategic importance of Central Asia, |
| 1:29.0 | the value of politically stable sovereign states in the region, |
| 1:32.0 | and how commerce and interconnectedness between the states in the region can contribute to regional security. |
| 1:37.0 | Coverage of the withdrawal of US troops is focused on the militaristic aspects of US engagement in Afghanistan. |
| 1:43.0 | But this conversation with Blinken is a reminder of the importance of diplomacy and dialogue in resolving this decade's long conflict. |
| 1:50.0 | I'm Cody Poplin, and this is the Law Fair Podcast, April 18, 2015. |
| 1:58.0 | That was Deputy Secretary of State Anthony Blinken you just heard. |
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