IntroductionUzbekistan is a prominent player in Central Asian politics. In the recently held general elections, the populace eagerly engaged, with approximately 87% of eligible voters voting. However, the outcome of these elections had far-reaching consequences, since it awarded President Shavkat Mirziyoyev a third term, raising concerns about the country’s democratic …

Just after a band of mercenaries tried to oust the government in the Maldives back in 1988, I asked a Maldivian diplomat, using a familiar military catchphrase, about the strength of his country’s “standing army.” “Standing army?” the diplomat asked with mock surprise, and remarked perhaps half-jokingly, “We don’t even …

Israeli air strikes on Wednesday near Syria’s capital Damascus killed three fighters loyal to President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and wounded four others, a war monitor said. Syrian state news agency SANA earlier reported two soldiers had been wounded in the strikes overnight Tuesday-Wednesday. It quoted a military source as saying …