he incursion of a group of Islamic insurgents is providing the first serious test to Uzbekistan’s new military doctrine.

President Islam Karimov announced a new forward defense military doctrine on February 3. It called for the formation of "an integrated, highly mobile, self-sufficient and flexible military to secure peace and calm in our country."

The doctrine, at least on paper, recognizes Uzbekistan’s geographical limitations in presenting the country’s armed forces with a practical blueprint to address threats to national security. However, several factors, especially the country’s economic difficulties, have limited the military’s ability to fully implement changes.

On August 8, Uzbek authorities claimed that government forces had contained the insurgents in a sparsely populated, mountainous area near the border with Tajikistan, the Interfax news agency reported. Officials asserted that up to 100 Islamic militants in the region were participating in the operation, adding that the guerrillas were armed with high-tech weapons, including night-vision equipment. According to Interfax, Uzbek troops suffered an unspecified number of casualties.

Uzbekistan, the most populous country in Central Asia, is also the region’s largest military power. Nevertheless, the clashes between government troops and a band of Islamic militants underscored the geographical difficulties faced by the country’s armed forces. The Tian Shan and Pamir mountain ranges form a considerable portion of Uzbekistan's eastern border. These regions are difficult to patrol and thus offer convenient smuggling routes for narcotics traffickers. They can also provide cover for anti-government insurgents.

Tashkent’s doctrinal dilemmas are compounded by regional instability. The regimes of several neighboring countries, including Afghanistan and Kyrgyzstan, have shown themselves either unable or unwilling to control illicit narcotics trafficking, or address the festering social conditions that have contributed to a rise in Islamic extremism.

Domestically, the Uzbek government has acted vigorously to crush unsanctioned forms of religious expression, resorting to mass arrests and other practices that have drawn international criticism. Human rights experts have said domestic repression is fueling a vicious cycle that serves to increase opposition to the government.

Uzbekistan’s new military doctrine has identified trafficking-related terrorism and religious extremism as two of the most serious threats to national security. In attempting to respond to these threats, the doctrine sought to introduce tactical reforms. It also advocated the procurement of weapons that allow its military forces to take best advantage of the region’s geography. A lack of strategic depth, coupled with mountainous, permeable borders, have compelled Uzbekistan to simultaneously strengthen boundaries and to create a new, highly mobile ground force capable of combating armed groups in the region.

Uzbekistan has looked towards both Russia and the United States for help in maintaining and restructuring its tactical forces. According to reports on Uzbek television, Uzbekistan’s borders with both Tajikistan and Afghanistan are being reinforced with Russian-purchased computerized alarm systems and Soviet-era fixed based missile (SAM) systems.

Shortly after President Karimov’s February announcement, the United States announced a military and economic aid package worth an estimated $32.3 million, designed to help the Uzbek Army become a self sufficient and flexible military. Among the equipment obtained by the Uzbek military were US Army all-terrain jeeps.

Uzbekistan also has conducted a military reorganization with the aim of improving combat effectiveness. At the time that the new doctrine was unveiled, Uzbek leaders admitted that morale in many military units was low, and that a significant number of officers lacked proper leadership qualities.

In response, the military reduced the number of men under arms. Top military officials said the personnel cuts would pave the way for new procurement opportunities and upgrades in military hardware. In addition, the government has expressed a desire to improve training procedures, as well as increase the level of coordination among the various branches of the military. The General Staff has worked to establish a single defense system that would facilitate a rapid and well-coordinated response to security threats.

Uzbekistan’s ability to carry out the reforms envisioned by the new military doctrine, in particular weapons procurement, has been hampered by the country’s stagnant economy and rigid political system. Officials have attempted to overcome the existing limitations by blending domestic weapons production with bi-lateral alliances emphasizing military transfers, sales, and financial aid.

The insurgent incursion offers a chance to assess whether the new military doctrine, and the tactical reforms that it initiated, are sufficient for the Uzbek military to efficiently respond to security threats. (Michael Madon: 8/8/00)