Central Asia seems to have entered a new period ocooperation. Regional leaders are making official visits to neighboring states at a rate not seen since the early days after the fall of the Soviet Union. What’s driving this new dynamic?

Although NATO commanders in Afghanistan say Taliban insurgents are on the run, there are signs that the resolve of key ISAF nations is flagging in the face of a task that could take decades and has already cost the lives of many soldiers.

Pakistan and Uzbekistan signed on 21 September a memorandum of understanding (MoU) aimed at increasing and intensifying defense cooperation, Xinhua reported quoting the News Network International (NNI).