Democracy Dies in Darkness

U.S. works to scale up intelligence networks in Central Asia

With no basing options in the region, the Pentagon is exploring a new approach to counterterrorism by cultivating human intelligence while tiptoeing around Russia

By
June 21, 2022 at 6:00 a.m. EDT
Army Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla, head of U.S. Central Command, is pictured on March 5, 2021, when he was commander of the XVIII Airborne Corps, (Spc. Andrea Notter/U.S. Army via AP)
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DUSHANBE, Tajikistan — Since U.S. troops left Afghanistan last August the Pentagon has been desperate to augment its “over-the-horizon” ability to track from afar and strike emerging terrorist threats — ideally with some kind of basing in Central Asia to launch drones and other surveillance flights.

But on a trip through the region this month, the U.S. military’s top commander overseeing Central Asia didn’t even broach the subject with local political and military leaders.