WESTERN EUROPE’S dominance of the United States’ affections is at an end, as Eastern European countries that grew up admiring the United States are becoming dear to the U.S. foreign-policy establishment’s heart. In ascendance with the Eastern Europeans are the new republics of Central Asia which, like Turkey, in addition to being strategically important, can be models for moderate Islam as a constructive force in the world. The geopolitical importance of the Central Asian republics cannot be understated. They are nations with tremendous natural resources that sit on the forward lines of the world’s most important ideological battle, Western-style democracy versus Islamofascism. These republics have been striving for the former, and the United States must be active in the region in order to assist them in this difficult transition.
Recently, Kazakhstan hosted American Jewish leaders from the Conference of Presidents of Major Jewish Organizations for a conference that I attended. The heads of states of the surrounding republics joined the meeting and exemplified the Islamic moderation that their nations represent: In the opening plenary session the leaders took turns denouncing terrorism and made no criticism of the United States and its involvement in Iraq.
