Kyrgyzstan has remained politically unstable for the past few decades and many of its leaders have been ousted, President Kurmanbek Bakiyev being the most recent. What makes Kyrgyzstan this unusual place, with an ability to chase out its leaders when so many others in the world cannot succeed in doing so?
Courtesy: Foreign Affairs
In 2001, fearing ethnic strife, the international community pushed for a strong central government in Kabul. But such fears fostered a system of regional and ethnic patronage. To correct matters, the U.S. should de-emphasize Afghanistan’s ethnic fault lines and push for more devolved and inclusive governance.