Senior research fellow
Islomkhon Gafarov is a Senior Research Fellow of the Center for Afghanistan and South Asian Studies at the Institute for Advanced International Studies (IAIS), University of World Economy and Diplomacy (UWED), Tashkent, Uzbekistan. The topic of his scientific work is devoted to “The modern US foreign policy in South Asia”. He holds an MA in Political Science and a BA in World Politics. I.Gafarov is the author of five monographs and more than ten scientific articles. In his works he researches the foreign policy of the United States, as well as the issues of interconnectedness of the regions of Central and South Asia.
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On April 1, 2024, Israeli airstrike on Iranian targets in Damascus allegedly killed General Mohammad Reza Zahedi, commanding the elite IRGC Quds forces in Syria and Lebanon. At Iirst glance, the Israel’s move resembles mere retaliation against Iran's incessant support for Hamas whereas, the complexity of events suggests otherwise. Hence, another general’s assassination possibly triggers even greater conIlicts in Middle East.
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US foreign policy in the South Asian region is characterized by changeability and dynamism. The main purpose of this article is to reveal the constructivist aspects of US foreign policy in this region. The article used historical, comparative political, inductive and deductive scientific methods. The paper concludes that the US foreign policy in South Asia from the Cold War to the present day has consisted of ups and downs, the foreign policy vector has been directed either towards Pakistan or towards India, and today relations are mainly directed towards India .
The article includes the main seven periods of US foreign policy in the South Asian region. In particular, in 1947-1965, the attention of the United States in the region was focused on Pakistan, and in 1965-1979, due to the Vietnam War, it moved away from the region. The war of the USSR in Afghanistan, which took place in 1979-1989, again strengthens the importance of Pakistan in the foreign policy of the United States. In 1989-1998, the United States began to pursue a separate foreign policy with both India and Pakistan due to its pursuit of global hegemony. In 1998-2001, India and Pakistan are subject to US sanctions due to their nuclear weapons tests. Consequently, the War on Terror, which began in Afghanistan in 2001, increases the priority of Pakistan in the foreign policy of the United States. This continued until 2021, when the United States withdrew its forces from Afghanistan. Since the time of President Barack Obama, the role of India in the foreign policy of the United States has increased dramatically. During the period of D.Trump, this country was officially given the status of “Major Defense Partner”.
The article differs in that it is revealed from the standpoint of the theory of international relations of constructivism and can be useful in the work of specialists in this field.
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The March 16 terrorist attack in Waziristan, has deteriorated the rather thin relations between Afghanistan and Pakistan. Soon after, On March 18, 2024, both sides of Durand Line exchanged with a military strikes on the targets of each other’s territory. Shahboz Sharif’s government blamed the Taliban government for allegedly cosying up with Tehrik-e Taliban Pakistan (TTP) and carrying out recent attack in Pakistan’s soil. Such a bold move could be interpreted as flexing military muscle since newly elected prime minister of Pakistan has finally got over rather difficult elections. Pakistan’s such a decisive move appears to be an acme of worsening relations between the neighbours therefore, this incident seems to be a tip of the iceberg the beneath of which could potentially transcend current events and go deeper where Islamabad’s political disappointment of Taliban lies.
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